Oak Leaves

[Mothi]

I am considering adding some oak leaf litter to the bottom of my 140g ornate bichir tank to prove extra hiding spaces. Now for the questions:

1. What is the proper way to steralize the dead leaves prior to placing into the tank? Boiling? Scrubbing? Baking?
2. Is there anyone in SoCal with a clean supply or oak leaves? Since I don't any any oak leaves at my place, picking them from a random spot can be dangerous because of pesticides or other toxins... Any idea where I can get some clean source?
3. How often would I need to replace the dead leaf litter in the tank?

 

[BrianNY]

Well since noone has answered this I'll give it a shot Mothi. I think it would be a huge mistake to put decaying leaves in your tank. I just see lots of potential problems with it. Not the least is creating very acidic water.

A better choice for hiding spaces might be rocks, driftwood, even perhaps java moss. I'm sure you can come up with rock and driftwood design that's both pleasing to look at, and safe for your bichirs

 

[Mothi]

I know there will be some mess involved, but nature isn't clean and precise. I don't intend to cover the whole bottom with the leaves, just a few scattered. And it would only create the same effect to a lesser scale (mattering how many leaves) than driftwood does... I prefer to keep rocks out of it, but may add some huge rock looking hideboxes used for reptiles if those sink... Also, from the information I gather, bichirs can handle failrly soft to medium hard and slightly acidic to alkaline... The driftwood I would think would be what does most of the changes in the water... The leaves would be more ornamental, and a preference for me to try out.

 

[RogerMcAllen]

Goto planetcatfish.com and search their forums. I know there are a few threads about just this thing, usually for blackwater tanks.

 

[BrianNY]

Well, true Mothi, nature isn't clean or precise. The thing is nature is self correcting. There's enough water flowing through a natural environment to keep it pure enough (without us adding acid rain or polutants). Any aquarium, no matter how large, is a miniscule closed eco-system. What you add tends to stay there, not cleans itself. Driftwood does lower the pH as tannins leach from the wood, but the rate of leaching and decay is nothing compared to softer cellulose material such as a leaf. Plus, I think all you'll end up with is a soggy mess. JMO

 

[millipede]

coconut shells, lots of coconut shell caves. Just an idea. Personally I think leaves could,theoretically, work but could make for a messy tank. I agree with a lot of what BrianNY just said too though. Once things started to break down it would be quite a mess to clean up. I don't konw anything about that species of fish but you might want to wait and see if someone more experienced with those fish responds. They might just say "sure they'll like that" or they might say "no, that will kill them". Who knows.

 

[madasafish]

Brian's probably right. I have seen some oak leaves not decay so quickly in low-pH environments (e.g. bogs, puddles at a pH of 4 or 4.5), but I have a feeling they would decay pretty fast in your warm, neutral-ish pH, tank...

However, if you do plan to do this anyway, I'd recommend scrubbing the leaf first, and then submerging it in bleach for a minute to kill off nasties.

Please let us know how well they survive in an aquarium environment--whether Brian and I are right or not--as it's beneficial to us all to find out the results of experiments like this!

Thanks,
Jon

 

[BrianNY]

Fruitbat is very experienced with bichirs Mothi. Send him a PM and get his view on this.

 

[QTOFFER]

How about a few sprigs of silk oak leaves?
They won't decay or mess up the water.
They should be pretty easy to find at a nearby floral craft store, or online. My mom uses them to decorate the table for Thanksgiving

 

[BrianNY]

Brilliant QTOFFER!!!!!! Have a Guiness

 

[Mothi]

wow, I never thought of that...ROFL Gonna go check michaels this weekend. fall is IN! lol

 

[Toirtis]

Oak leaf litter works really well for many catfishes, but would be of minimal benefit to bichirs. I suggest lots of bog wood, rocks, etc (with Anubias and java ferns attached to the rocks and wood)...its what I have in all 14 of my bichir tanks, and it works fantasically.

If you do decide to use oak leaves, make abosolutely certain that they come from trees with have not been exposed to any pesticides in the past year, and are from areas that are not exposed to a lot of pollution from traffic, etc...and still, soak and rinse them well first. You will notice the leave begin to decompose after a week or so, and you should haul them out at that time and replace them, or they will make your tank a nasty mess.

 

[Hara]

wow, I never thought of that...ROFL Gonna go check michaels this weekend. fall is IN! lol

just make sure you get the 100% cloth leaves.....I made a mistake when creating stuff for a saltwater tank and got some tall silk grasses that I didnt realize had metal in the base for stiffening. It started to corrode and I had to pull out all the decoration.