Bamboo Rotting?

[justjon]

Gah.. not good.

Everything is going really well with my two tanks at the moment, got all my treatments and finally getting to a direction where I want to be with them both.

However, I was sold some bamboo "caves" for the shrimp which are both covered in green moss, but I can see now that they are both starting to turn black?

If this is rotting, I'll take them out of the water straight away... is there some sort of treatment that needed to be done to them? I'll contact the seller but as it's on ebay I doubt I'd have much luck of a refund or properly made ones...

 

[ian]

Bamboo doesn't last that long submerged john. If you want caves, the nip down your local supermarket, buy a coconut, cut in half and scoop all the rubbish out of it. Then put in some boiling water a few times and the moss from the bamboo can be transfered from the bamboo

 

[stevereade]

That's why I never leave feedback till have had the product a few weeks.

 

[elisew]

If I remember rightly, someone warned you about the bamboo possibly rotting. Ianhos' suggestion of the coconut caves is a good one, either coconut or slate caves would be a much better option

 

[justjon]

Bamboo doesn't last that long submerged john. If you want caves, the nip down your local supermarket, buy a coconut, cut in half and scoop all the rubbish out of it. Then put in some boiling water a few times and the moss from the bamboo can be transfered from the bamboo

Thanks Ian,

bit annoyed as I got ripped over £10 for it.. i'll take it out now and cut the moss grid off and leave it in the tanks.

I did that with a coconut a while back, so have one in there.. i'm aiming for the smaller tank to be a shrimp-mainly tank so want a lot of hiding holes/places for them.

 

[justjon]

If I remember rightly, someone warned you about the bamboo possibly rotting. Ianhos' suggestion of the coconut caves is a good one, either coconut or slate caves would be a much better option

Indeed they did, if it wasn't treated... thus my treated question in OP

 

[plantedaquaria]

never good I can't stand bamboo for that very reason

 

[mtv8dmarine]

That's why I never leave feedback till have had the product a few weeks.

A little research before purchase would have turned up some results that address bamboo not being a plant suitable for aquariums as they will not survive submerged. Sometimes we need to stop and think about things. Bamboo in nature is never seen totally submerged. Therefore it would never survive in a tank.

 

[justjon]

A little research before purchase would have turned up some results that address bamboo not being a plant suitable for aquariums as they will not survive submerged. Sometimes we need to stop and think about things. Bamboo in nature is never seen totally submerged. Therefore it would never survive in a tank.

Sorry but I find this a little insulting, I do a lot of research before usually just going out and buying things, as seen on the forum - I saw that the seller had good feedback and as bamboo is grass I thought I would have no problems with it in the tank.

Lessons learnt however, won't do this again.

 

[mtv8dmarine]

A little research before purchase would have turned up some results that address bamboo not being a plant suitable for aquariums as they will not survive submerged. Sometimes we need to stop and think about things. Bamboo in nature is never seen totally submerged. Therefore it would never survive in a tank.

Sorry but I find this a little insulting, I do a lot of research before usually just going out and buying things, as seen on the forum - I saw that the seller had good feedback and as bamboo is grass I thought I would have no problems with it in the tank.

Lessons learnt however, won't do this again.

I'm sorry you found it insulting. I probably should have said it was common sense as we do not see bamboo growing fully submerged in nature. I'd give an A for effort as we all at some point look for something unique and interesting. It just doesn't work though.

 

[justjon]

Ah,

Well - strange result, the seller was brilliant and instantly refunded both amounts on these, and they are asking for information (if I don't mind) on the issue...

Basically, the issue is that the bamboo is going black, so I assumed this to be correct at the start of rotting phase?

Response I got from the seller;

Sorry to hear you have a problem with the shrimp shelter(s) and of course I will refund you. Whilst live bamboo plants are not suitable for use in fish tanks, the bamboo segments I use, once carefully prepared, are absolutely ok to use, as is charcoaled bamboo. I value your custom and will refund you via Paypal this evening - but as I have some in my own tanks, and not having had any other issues brought to my attention I am eager to understand the problem - so I hope you don't mind me asking a few questions to get a clear idea of what has happened - is it the triple shelter or both that and the single you have the problem with? When you say rotting - has the bamboo split/broken down? moss died/turned brown? etc. Also, if you could send me a picture, if you feel this will show the problem, that would be good, or you could send it back to me (and I would refund you the p&p costs).

 

[mtv8dmarine]

There's a good youtube video that addresses bamboo in aquariums. The only reason I can think when bamboo might be ok and I stress might because I don't know for sure is if it's sealed in some sort of aquarium/water safe lacquer. Sort of mummifying the bamboo itself.