pleco's and driftwood

[spyyro]

I'm looking out for a Gold Nugget Pleco and I see they like to munch on wood. Well.... I don't have any driftwood in my tank at the moment. Do they actually require it? I have an artificial piece in the tank now. The entire tank is artificial w/ the plants and structures.

 

[hc8719]

common plecos dont need driftwood, they do enjoy it though as plecos in the wild eat the entire day.

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

All pleco's benefit from wood, some require it (Panaques). The acids in it aid their digestion system..

You should have a piece in there for the pleco. Mopani and Malaysian driftwood are very dense and last a very long time.. They both tend to release tannins (Tannic Acid) into the water column tho. (Tea colour) but this can be minimized by boiling the wood a couple times (this can irritate some peoples eyes tho, so I use very hot water baths.)