Driftwood film

[The Big Figfetti]

I know this is normal and I think it will go away. But when I started my other tank, I was doing daily water changes and manually removing it.
For this tank, I’m not doing daily water changes. I’m doing a fishless cycle. Do I HAVE To remove it? Or can I let it stay and then let the clean up crew handle it if it’s still there after the cycle?

I have a nice population of copopods right now and they’re all over the film. I really don’t want to remove them.

 

[connorlindeman70 11]

Just leave it. Its not doing anything bad right now.

 

[jaylach74 191]

Is the wood spider wood? Looks like it may or may not be. If it is spider wood it looks like a fungus that is common to spider wood but, as long as the wood was properly treated and cured, is harmless.

 

[Ichthys]

It’s growing from spores in or on the wood. It’s not aquatic and so won’t harm anything, and will die off in time.

 

[Tancredi]

Leave it.

 

[GaryE35 33]

I'd leave it. It always shows up on newly introduced driftwood.

 

[The Big Figfetti]

Thanks, all! It isn’t spider wood.

 

[Byron]

To my eyes thast is black brush algae, so it is harmless. You need to keep it under control, but otherwise not a problem. It looks hairy, not slimy as fungus or mold do. But I am judging this from one photo.

Fungus or mold that is whitish is a very different thing, and can be deadly toxic to fish. Some fungi are safe, some not; it takes examination by a microbiologist to determine the species to know which. I have had the toxic fungus and lost fish. It does seem common with branchy wood that may be termed various common names, like grapewood or graperoot.

 

[The Big Figfetti]

To my eyes thast is black brush algae, so it is harmless. You need to keep it under control, but otherwise not a problem. It looks hairy, not slimy as fungus or mold do. But I am judging this from one photo.

Fungus or mold that is whitish is a very different thing, and can be deadly toxic to fish. Some fungi are safe, some not; it takes examination by a microbiologist to determine the species to know which. I have had the toxic fungus and lost fish. It does seem common with branchy wood that may be termed various common names, like grapewood or graperoot.

This is what another part of the wood looks like. This is in lower light. The first pic is closer to the light.

 

[The Big Figfetti]

To my eyes thast is black brush algae, so it is harmless. You need to keep it under control, but otherwise not a problem. It looks hairy, not slimy as fungus or mold do. But I am judging this from one photo.

Fungus or mold that is whitish is a very different thing, and can be deadly toxic to fish. Some fungi are safe, some not; it takes examination by a microbiologist to determine the species to know which. I have had the toxic fungus and lost fish. It does seem common with branchy wood that may be termed various common names, like grapewood or graperoot.

Does black brush algae look white? That’s the color of it.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

To my eyes thast is black brush algae, so it is harmless. You need to keep it under control, but otherwise not a problem. It looks hairy, not slimy as fungus or mold do. But I am judging this from one photo.

Fungus or mold that is whitish is a very different thing, and can be deadly toxic to fish. Some fungi are safe, some not; it takes examination by a microbiologist to determine the species to know which. I have had the toxic fungus and lost fish. It does seem common with branchy wood that may be termed various common names, like grapewood or graperoot.

I had something similar to this on a wood piece I bought from a fish store, so I was a bit annoyed it happened actually, I really wanted the wood piece in there!

I knew it didn't look like typical biofilm, but it didn't appear to be doing any harm. I took the wood piece and scrubbed off the fungus easily, wood looked like new again. Put it back, and within days this stuff was developing again. I tried once more, this time scrubbing it with salt and hot water, since salt is pretty good at killing some things off, and is slightly abrasive. Of course the fungus came back again. The fish didn't touch it, and usually my otos love biofilm and perching on decor, but never saw a fish peck at it or sit on the wood.

Not wanting to just bin this wood piece I paid money for and really wanted in my tank, but fed up about the fungus, I just threw the wood in the backyard and let the weather age it for me.
Next time I had to scape a tank and remembered this piece was about two years after I chucked it outside. The weathering had made the bark loose and easy to peel off, so I did, and the wood is fine now, no fungus or biofilm. Must have been something in the bark, and in the photo it does look like there's still bark on yours?

 

[The Big Figfetti]

I had something similar to this on a wood piece I bought from a fish store, so I was a bit annoyed it happened actually, I really wanted the wood piece in there!

View attachment 313041

View attachment 313042View attachment 313043

I knew it didn't look like typical biofilm, but it didn't appear to be doing any harm. I took the wood piece and scrubbed off the fungus easily, wood looked like new again. Put it back, and within days this stuff was developing again. I tried once more, this time scrubbing it with salt and hot water, since salt is pretty good at killing some things off, and is slightly abrasive. Of course the fungus came back again. The fish didn't touch it, and usually my otos love biofilm and perching on decor, but never saw a fish peck at it or sit on the wood.

Not wanting to just bin this wood piece I paid money for and really wanted in my tank, but fed up about the fungus, I just threw the wood in the backyard and let the weather age it for me.
Next time I had to scape a tank and remembered this piece was about two years after I chucked it outside. The weathering had made the bark loose and easy to peel off, so I did, and the wood is fine now, no fungus or biofilm. Must have been something in the bark, and in the photo it does look like there's still bark on yours?

This gives me no hope
Gosh I really don’t want to start over.
This us what it looked like before.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

This gives me no hope
Gosh I really don’t want to start over.
This us what it looked like before.

I'm sorry! Not fun to crush someone's hope
Your wood is a different type from mine, but I don't know what types of wood either of them are called I'm afraid. I just bought pieces I liked from the store.

It doesn't look as though that bark will peel off easily... you could try boiling or baking it perhaps, to try to weather it yourself and get the bark loosened (@Byron do you think that might loosen the bark?).

Where did you get the wood from? Maybe you can show them these photos and at least get an exchange or refund?

Even if the wood doesn't end up working out for you, you won't have to start the tank build from scratch! You can find similar wood and rebuild.

 

[Byron]

The photo of the wood in post #12 looks like Malaysian Driftwood. I had this wood for some 30 years in tanks with no issues whatsoever. Assuming it is Malaysian Driftwood. It is sometimes much darker, essentially black, sometimes dark brown as here. There is no bark on it. Do not boil it. Rinse it or soak it in tap water (no need to dechlorinate), you can scrub it with a toothbrush-type of brush (used only for fish things!). But do not boil it or bake it, this will weaken the fibers.

If this were me, I wold remove the large chunk and do the cleaning mentioned, i.e., brush under or in tap water.

 

[The Big Figfetti]

The photo of the wood in post #12 looks like Malaysian Driftwood. I had this wood for some 30 years in tanks with no issues whatsoever. Assuming it is Malaysian Driftwood. It is sometimes much darker, essentially black, sometimes dark brown as here. There is no bark on it. Do not boil it. Rinse it or soak it in tap water (no need to dechlorinate), you can scrub it with a toothbrush-type of brush (used only for fish things!). But do not boil it or bake it, this will weaken the fibers.

If this were me, I wold remove the large chunk and do the cleaning mentioned, i.e., brush under or in tap water.

I will find out from the store, what type of wood it is. And then I’ll be sure to try to clean it off. Thank you!