placing dead tree parts in fish tanks

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mancini
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Mar 30, 2020 6:43 am

placing dead tree parts in fish tanks

Post by mancini » Fri Apr 03, 2020 2:58 am

Is it safe to place dead tree parts in fish tanks? I have several nice tree parts and thinking of placing them in my fish tank..But I'm afraid if it would be harmful to fish?

Bas Pels
Posts: 360
Joined: Sat Nov 30, 2013 9:08 am

Re: placing dead tree parts in fish tanks

Post by Bas Pels » Fri Apr 03, 2020 9:53 am

It deponds on the wood.

If the wood smells, or comes from a Conifera tree - I would not use it

But there is nothing, what soewver against the use of for instance oak.

Still, the wood decayes after a while, and I would recommend wood eating fish, such as Plecoltia in any tank with fresh wood. The thing is, rotten wood rots because of bacteria, and the fish will eat the whole rotten thing, digesting these bacteria. Therefore, the rotten spot is cleaned, and the rotting process is slowed down.

Without such a fish, the wood would rot much faster, resulting in worse water in the tank.

mancini
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Mar 30, 2020 6:43 am

Re: placing dead tree parts in fish tanks

Post by mancini » Mon Apr 06, 2020 1:17 am

Bas Pels wrote:
Fri Apr 03, 2020 9:53 am
It deponds on the wood.

If the wood smells, or comes from a Conifera tree - I would not use it

But there is nothing, what soewver against the use of for instance oak.

Still, the wood decayes after a while, and I would recommend wood eating fish, such as Plecoltia in any tank with fresh wood. The thing is, rotten wood rots because of bacteria, and the fish will eat the whole rotten thing, digesting these bacteria. Therefore, the rotten spot is cleaned, and the rotting process is slowed down.

Without such a fish, the wood would rot much faster, resulting in worse water in the tank.
It's a great explanation. Thank you very much.. I do not remember what are those wood parts since I collected them from various locations. However, placing Plecoltia seems to be a great idea to keep wood for a long time without being harmful to fish.

loachlover4482
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Sep 27, 2022 2:06 pm

Re: placing dead tree parts in fish tanks

Post by loachlover4482 » Mon Oct 10, 2022 11:58 am

The wood has to be dry, and not rotting or smelling weird. It also has to be hardwood, so wood from pines is bad. If you decide to risk it, boil it before doing putting in a tank.

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