malaysian vs african driftwood?

[Musket]

malaysian vs african driftwood?

Is one really any better than the other?
If so... In what ways?
Just in case, this is going in the tank with my dwarf clown pleco. and Hopefully someday a dwarf bristlenose pleco.

Thanks

 

[Lonewolfblue]

They both sink fast and give off tannins. Either one is a good choice.

 

[Yuri]

I'm fond of my Malaysian. It's rich in color and just simply appealing. Sunk fast and (after a little boiling) didn't release tannings as normally expected.
But agreed, either one will be great.

 

[Viperboy]

i have a clown pleco also that i just got ... and i have a nice piece of malaysian driftwood in my tank ... they are supposed to just love them but i have not seen him go for it yet ... HTH

Ray

 

[Zagz]

I prefer the malaysian driftwood, due to coloring mostly.

 

[Viperboy]

and yes the coloring is nice and dark and i like it also ... plus it has kind of a spikey look to it

Ray

 

[Musket]

Thanks everyone.
One of the reasons I was asking is because I read in a post here some time back that someones pleco didn't like the african wood, and as soon as they put in a malaysian the fish was all over it. Was wondering if it really made a difference.
So I guess it's just what piece I find that I like with a price tag to match.
I found a Knot african the size of a fist for 8.98 and at a different store a piece of malaysian the size of an open hand for 6.60. Unfortunately, it is the smaller size I need... I wonder why there is such a price difference?

 

[maxwell1295]

Petco has a good selection of Malaysian driftwood....if you have one in your area. I ordered mine from Aquatic Eco-Systems, located in Florida.

 

[An t-iasg]

I have had both Malaysian and African driftwood before. The African is higher-priced, but DrsFosterSmith.com has sales every now and then, and that's where I got my pieces. They were all very nice.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/NavResults.cfm?N=2004+113714

You're in luck! The Swahala (African) driftwood is on sale. I got very nice pieces - don't be discouraged that you can't pick your own piece. I ordered the 6-inch piece for my tank (5 gallon) and the piece that came was way too big. I called and they mailed me another piece free of charge!

 

[Musket]

Thanks
I went to Petco today, I only saw some that had plants already on it.. Well those were on sale for 5.49 so I got one. Not exactly what I wanted, but now I have some more plants. I may order a small piece from Fosters and Smith too, I do like the 2 tone. Thanks everyone.

 

[maxwell1295]

The Petco stores near me have dry Malaysian driftwood, either on the shelves or on the endcap of the aisles that have the gravel and decorations.

 

[Jarred Darque]

I liket eh malaysian I like the patterns of it. If african is teh stuf I am thinking of with all the holes? I dont like that

 

[brant]

I have both African and Malaysion and my clown pleco alternates from one to the other. I have read that it is good to give variaty of woods for plecos that like wood. But that is based on how technical you would like to get plus your buget. I have found though that they both have there benifits and drawbacks. The african in my opinion has alot more tanic acid it will take longer for the stain to come out of it but it seems to be softer than the malasion and my pleco spends more time at it than the malaysion the african is also harder to find peices that are tall they seem to be more flat but have many channels that run underneath. I have found if out if you start a tunnel underneath it the bottom dwellers in the tank will put the finishing touches under it and make a real nice home for themselves. My corys and clown loaches love this.
Now for the malaysion. This wood is much easier to find taller peices or peices that you can stand uprite and look like they are supposed to be that way. Also this wood is much harder (I base this opinion on the fact that I have cut both types by hand to make custom peices)
wich should add to the longevity of the life of they wood in your tank as it will not be chewed or breakdown as fast as the african.
As I said before I have been useing both as for my opinion on wich is best over all I can't decide but I will say I like them in combination alot as compared to either alone.
Well good luck and happy aquascaping.(the most fun is the setup in my opinion)

 

[Musket]

the most fun is the setup in my opinion

I agree, and then watching the fish of course. Except when you can't find them.. My little unknown bumblebee and my clown are hiding so well, that even going all around the tank and looking under rocks (visually, not moving them) I can't find them. Urggghhh, that is so frustrating. I'll have to be careful when I vacuum in case they are in the rocks. I put a tiny (like 1.5") piece of wood on top of some slate, just to see if it would draw him out, nope. Still soaking the new piece.
Maybe I didn't look hard enough at Petco, but the only driftwood that wasn't with plants was anchored and I didn't like those. There is another store I can try, it's been about 2 months since I was there and they had a lot of different sizes, but from what I recall, not the real size I'm looking for. I do not want to remove any of my big rocks that everyone uses, just to fit the driftwood in. And I do not want to take up too much of their swimming space as their plants running amuck are already doing a good job at that.

 

[brant]

If you can find apeice that is close to what you are looking for you can cut it to fit just try to makre the cuts as inconspicuase as possiable I have modified several peices that I use to fit my requirments. As for your lost wet pets I find that if you do find them make a note of were you found them make a note of where it is and how it is laid out if you can than replicate this space elswere in your tank (maybe in a spot you can veiw) than you can then better enjoy the hiders plus if you make more than one spot you can catch them moving from one spot to the other. Plus the more secure they feel in there enviroment the more avaliable they will make themselves for veiwing.In my 75 gal I actualy dug under a peice of african driftwood to the glass I can open my cabinet and look up into clown loaches cave and see what they are upto but since I made them there cave they actually come out more because they know they got there own place to run and hide in if somthing startles them. I have found if you want to see a shy fish more if you make there surroundings more comfortiable to them than you will see them more, but (yes there is a but) it could go the other way they could have such good places to hide that you may never see them again. I have been blessed with the first senario so far (nocks on wood). Well good luck. Just remember in your trial and error phase of aquascaping not even god messes with free will some fish are just and will always be hiders but if we can get them to show themselves when they got a choice we hope they do it to say thankyou I am happy.

 

[GlitcH]

I'm partial to malaysian......here's mine:

It's REALLY hard to cut though........almost as dense as stone!
I got it here:
http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/11370/cid/2928
they are cheap and ship quickly.

 

[brant]

That is a choice peice of driftwood you got there. And yes i do agree the stuff is hard to cut I have found it easier to cut with a smaller tooth saw almost like a hacksaw type saw.

 

[Musket]

thanks brant, that's some good advice. When I add the driftwood, I'll try to make a few more caves on the other side of the tank as well.
When I cleaned the tank on Thursday, I saw both my little hiders. The tiny bumblebee is definitely a catfish of some sort, he/she was sold as a goby, and looked just like one, but now has whiskers. However, still doesn't really look like anything I've found on the net. And is at least doubled in size since putting him/her in the tank. At least I know they are eating well. I can find this one about 70% of the time now.
My clown pleco was on a tube, but now is hiding again. Maybe when I make the new caves and such I'll see him/her more often like you said.

Thanks everyone for all the input about the types of wood and where to find some. Much appreciated.

 

[Primetime]

Could it be a clown loach?

 

[Musket]

Just looked at some pix, Nope Definitely Not a clown loach. The body is much slimmer and obvious whiskers. I tried to take a picture this morning but by the time I got back with the camera (less than 1 min) he/she was back under the stone cave.