What is this white growth on my driftwood?

[BassetsForBrown]

Hi,
I just turned my driftwood around after a water change and noticed this large white patch that seems to have appeared on the back of it. It feels like a very rigid sponge, or Styrofoam-like. Any ideas?

 

[neutrino]

Hmm, I've done a lot of wild collected driftwood in my tanks and seen some go through phases of different kinds of stuff growing on them, but that's a new one on me.

 

[Wailua Boy]

looks like a harmless fungus

 

[BassetsForBrown]

This isn't a piece of wild driftwood. I bought it at a lfs 2 years ago, boiled it several times for 30min each time. It's been in the tank for 2 years with no white growth, so I'm surprised at this sudden pop up.

 

[krichardson]

looks like a harmless fungus

I was thinking that when I read the title but it looks a little different in the photos and he said that it is rigid.

 

[krichardson]

This isn't a piece of wild driftwood. I bought it at a lfs 2 years ago, boiled it several times for 30min each time. It's been in the tank for 2 years with no white growth, so I'm surprised at this sudden pop up.

That is very characteristic of driftwood fungus.There have been a few threads posted on it.I have had it creep up on very old pieces that I have had for years.It is harmless but I don't like the looks of it so I removed the wood.

 

[BassetsForBrown]

I was thinking that when I read the title but it looks a little different in the photos and he said that it is rigid.

It's rigid in comparison to a wet sponge. I can easily crush it with my finger, but it's not soft like a cotton ball.

Does this amount of rigidity imply it might be dangerous?

 

[krichardson]

Soft like a cotton ball,gotcha...I think it is the same harmless stuff others and I have had in the past.

 

[Tyler_Wentworth_150]

Maybe salt build up? If you use salt of course

 

[the animal guy]

Soft like a cotton ball,gotcha...I think it is the same harmless stuff others and I have had in the past.

hey. you shaved. What gives