Driftwood for Plecos

[rba718]

Do Plecos really need driftwood? I have one piece left in my tank just for him but he never even goes near it and prefers to eat stuff like wafers and cucumber slices.

I'm asking because I have a problem involving it. I've boiled the piece of driftwood a number of times but it always lets out a ton of tannins unless I have plants in the tank. However, my plants always seem to die after about a month so I just want to take them out - I'm tired of picking out dead leaves and pieces of branches that are floating around! :irked:

[rba718]

Still nobody?! :help2:

[woodchomper]

what plec is it?

[Ianab]

Depends on the species.

The Panaque species do need wood in their diet, something to do with the lignin and roughage being needed for their digestion.

The Common and Pterygoplichthys species dont seem to need wood in their diet. They hide under it, rasp algae off it, and generally like it in the tank, but it's not vital.

Ian

[MUNSTA]

I read that driftwood was good for plecos, didnt say what species though.

[Neervana]

I put in a piece of bogwood for my gold nugget and he loves it, i see him grazing on it from time to time. try to get some of that instead of drift wood.

[rba718]

My bad, it's just a common Pleco.

[Ianab]

Dont worry about it.

Having driftwood in a pleco tank will do no harm, it may stain the water brown, and lower the pH a little, but that does no harm to a pleco.

I dont bother with plants in my pleco tanks, you need to set up the lights and water conditions to grow plants properly. And then big plecos usually bulldoze the plants anyway. So I just decorate the tanks with some rocks, pipes and driftwood and keep the light level low. Any brown algae that grows gets eaten by the plecos anyway. The lower light level suits the plecos, they are less shy, and doesn't seem to upset the other fish.

Ian

[rba718]

Dont worry about it.

Having driftwood in a pleco tank will do no harm, it may stain the water brown, and lower the pH a little, but that does no harm to a pleco.

I dont bother with plants in my pleco tanks, you need to set up the lights and water conditions to grow plants properly. And then big plecos usually bulldoze the plants anyway. So I just decorate the tanks with some rocks, pipes and driftwood and keep the light level low. Any brown algae that grows gets eaten by the plecos anyway. The lower light level suits the plecos, they are less shy, and doesn't seem to upset the other fish.

Ian

My Pleco would bulldoze plants and what not too, another reason I was having probs with the plants. Thanks though!

[theroque55]

mine common seems to like being around the wood, wouldnt hurt to have some

[davo]

I find most species will get through wood at some rate or another. It is important for some of the above mentioned though like Panaques.

[Muske]

have you tried to simply soak the wood in water for a while. I put new pieces in the waterfall of my pond. A couple of weeks w/constant flow seems to remove any to all tannins when placed in my tanks. I would think just place it in a bucket of water and change it frequently to remove excess tannins.

[davo]

Sometimes if you have a particularly large piece, it can be hard. If it really bothers you, overfilter your tank to deal with it. It's not going to bother any amazonian fish though.

[WyldFya]

have you tried to simply soak the wood in water for a while. I put new pieces in the waterfall of my pond. A couple of weeks w/constant flow seems to remove any to all tannins when placed in my tanks. I would think just place it in a bucket of water and change it frequently to remove excess tannins.
That works with softer woods, but harder woods generally leach tannins for a very long time. I have some malaysian wood that has been submerged in tanks for over 6 years, and they still leach tannins.

[WyldFya]

Sometimes if you have a particularly large piece, it can be hard. If it really bothers you, overfilter your tank to deal with it. It's not going to bother any amazonian fish though.
Or add carbon or purigen to remove the coloration.

[dominicolas]

Hope I don't derail too much, but do plants take tannins out? This is the first I'm hearing of this. I've got some tea water, if I grow some plants in my sump will it clear up?

[WyldFya]

Hope I don't derail too much, but do plants take tannins out? This is the first I'm hearing of this. I've got some tea water, if I grow some plants in my sump will it clear up?
Not even a slight bit.

[dominicolas]

Do Plecos really need driftwood? I have one piece left in my tank just for him but he never even goes near it and prefers to eat stuff like wafers and cucumber slices.

I'm asking because I have a problem involving it. I've boiled the piece of driftwood a number of times but it always lets out a ton of tannins unless I have plants in the tank. However, my plants always seem to die after about a month so I just want to take them out - I'm tired of picking out dead leaves and pieces of branches that are floating around! :irked:

That's where I was getting that. Thanks Wyldfya.

rba718 have you seen tannins go down by using plants.

[WyldFya]

That's where I was getting that. Thanks Wyldfya.

rba718 have you seen tannins go down by using plants.
It would be nice if it did though wouldn't it!?

[dominicolas]

Yes (I say with a tear in my eye). Would carbon do it you think.

[davo]

Yes to carbon, no to plants.

[WyldFya]

Yes (I say with a tear in my eye). Would carbon do it you think.
Carbon or purigen. Both remove discoloration.