which fish LOVE driftwood??

[Bubble_B0y]

i heard angels love it - because it makes the water soft ??

also,
i heard that BRISTLENOSE Pleco's 'eat' it ??
is this true

 

[severum mama]

Yes, driftwood can help you lower pH, if that is what you want to do. There are some species of plecos that will rasp on driftwood, like bristlenose and clown pleco. Also, my sailfin gibbiceps pleco and my farlowella acus seem to like it a lot too.

 

[Bubble_B0y]

Yes, driftwood can help you lower pH, if that is what you want to do. There are some species of plecos that will rasp on driftwood, like bristlenose and clown pleco. Also, my sailfin gibbiceps pleco and my farlowella acus seem to like it a lot too.

you mean they actually "EAT" it ??
why?

 

[Fluff]

Clown plecos do eat it. But, most plecos appreciate driftwood. I don't remember the technicalities but it has something in it that aids in digestion.

 

[Bubble_B0y]

"I read (heard) that driftwood is good for my plecostomus. Why?" From my research this is true. It seems that pleco's rasp fibers off the wood and break it down for the cellulose. As I understand it, it helps their digestive system. I guess it is similar to fiber in a humans diet.

 

[aqh88]

mmm fiber. Most plecos will enjoy a piece of driftwood. Driftwood can soften your water a little by giving off tannic acid. It depends on your water change schedule and the size of driftwood compared to the aquarium as well as the actual type of wood on whether it will soften water enough to lower ph. Eventually most driftwood stops leaking tannic acid except my plecos keep scraping the outer layer off so it gives off tannins again.

 

[Bubble_B0y]

mmm fiber. Most plecos will enjoy a piece of driftwood. Driftwood can soften your water a little by giving off tannic acid. It depends on your water change schedule and the size of driftwood compared to the aquarium as well as the actual type of wood on whether it will soften water enough to lower ph. Eventually most driftwood stops leaking tannic acid except my plecos keep scraping the outer layer off so it gives off tannins again.

question:
when you go to the LFS, you see driftwood in the tanks.
But how come their tanks don't have brown-water ??

also, sometimes I see them selling "driftwood creations"
and they have REAL plants growing on them.
but they are sooooo small and expensive

 

[lyquidphyre]

My RTB shark LOVES my driftwood.. there is a certain hole he hides in all the time and peaks his head throo

Driftwood creations aren't real wood, they are, in fact, "creations"

The tanks aren't brown because the driftwood has been cured, I believe...correct me if im wrong

 

[Guest]

Not all driftwood will leech tannins, or tannic acid. Sometimes it is in such small amounts that your activated carbon in the filter will absorb it.
Also, the pleco doesn't eat it all, the kind of chew on it, and it is nice and porous for growing algae.
Some of the driftwood "creations" are real wood, they've just already been cured so you don't have to do it. You can cure any piece of driftwood by soaking in salt and water for weeks and letting it sit out in the sun . (or something like that) i like the pieces that are already set, but like you said, they are expensive.

 

[Frank_the_Tank]

you can boil out the tannins in the wood before placing it in the tank and it wouldn't brown the water

 

[illuminum]

mmm fiber. Most plecos will enjoy a piece of driftwood. Driftwood can soften your water a little by giving off tannic acid. It depends on your water change schedule and the size of driftwood compared to the aquarium as well as the actual type of wood on whether it will soften water enough to lower ph. Eventually most driftwood stops leaking tannic acid except my plecos keep scraping the outer layer off so it gives off tannins again.

question:
when you go to the LFS, you see driftwood in the tanks.
But how come their tanks don't have brown-water ??

also, sometimes I see them selling "driftwood creations"
and they have REAL plants growing on them.
but they are sooooo small and expensive

They don't have brown water becuase either they've added alod of carbon to clean up the water or have soaked their driftowood in boiling water until the water doesnt change color. I'm actually doing that right now for some new driftwood.

You can have realk plants growing on your own driftwood as well. Anuabias plants and Java ferns attach to driftwood. Just use a rubberband to connect the plants to the driftwood until the plants grab a hold of the wood. I personally havent tried it, but that's how my LFS did it.

 

[megladonsharky]

My betta loves the wood my dwarf cory loves it pitbull pleco loves it ...

 

[aqh88]

I bought a nice sized piece of anubias the lfs mislabelled as pennywort and sold to me for $2. It's since covered a 12" long curved piece of driftwood in the past 6months. Beautiful plant. Other plants to grow on driftwood would be java fern or mosses. Most of those are cheaper and faster growing than anubias. I think most of the already planted pieces at the lfs are overpriced compared to buying the plant and wood seperately.
Boiling driftwood for a long time starts to break down the wood and it won't last as long in your tank. I prefer the salt method and leaving it sit on the southern side of my house on a dark grey deck. Bakes it nicely. Darker pieces of wood tend to give off more tannins.