Driftwood fungus

[Ch0le]

Hello everyone. I am worried that the fungus on my driftwood will harm my plants. If so, what should I do?

 

[Colin_T]

Take the driftwood out, hose it off, and put it back in the tank.

It doesn't harm plants but apparently some types of fungus can harm fish if they eat it. So just hose it off.

 

[Ch0le]

Take the driftwood out, hose it off, and put it back in the tank.

It doesn't harm plants but apparently some types of fungus can harm fish if they eat it. So just hose it off.

Thank you. I will.

 

[Ch0le]

I think my cories may have gotten into it. Iost one last night and the others don't seem too well. My conditions are good and my BHTs are well.

 

[Byron]

I think my cories may have gotten into it. Iost one last night and the others don't seem too well. My conditions are good and my BHTs are well.

Take the wood with the fungus (or that had it) out immediately, and do a major water change, 75-80% of the tank volume ASAP. Use a conditioner but nothing else.

I had a white fungus appear on a piece of branch (not sure what it was, it was bought in a fish store, later someone suggested it was grapewood, or manzanita?) but the water got a bit cloudy which I thought odd, but more scary was the reaction of the cories. Sitting still, respirating like crazy. I saved them, but in a conversation with another hobbyist in the store later, he lost all his cories with the same fungus.

It is impossible without a microbiologist examining the fungus to know if it is toxic or safe. Here it seems toxic, I wouldnot risk the fish.

Do the major WC and let us know what follows.

 

[Back in the fold]

I have used driftwood a lot. It's great. But, I boil it for 15 minutes before it goes in the tank. Who knows where it comes from or how it was stored prior to sale. Boiling gets the pores open and leaching out the good things in the wood that are beneficial to soft water set ups. That's just what I think. It may not necessarily be so. I do a lot of things on the better safe than sorry idea.

 

[Ch0le]

I did boil it. I did a 50 percent water change yesterday and vacuumed. I used conditioner only. My water never got cloudy. The fuzz just hangs on the wood. I I did wash the wood under very hot water this morning and it has not come back yet. People say it goes away. I dunno. I think some of the crap got loosed into the gravel yesterday and most likly got eaten. Ugh. Poor guy. I have 2 newer cories doing great and the original 4 left are moving, but not a whole lot. They are eating as well, but hiding. Sometimes aalone and sometimes together. Would it be wise to do another water change of 80 percent tomorrow? Too soon?

 

[Ch0le]

Corys came out this morning. They are very alert so far.

 

[Byron]

I would do another large water change. The one yesterday would have been better if it had been larger. I drained my 90g tank down to about 4-5 inches of water when I had this issue. The fungus gets into the water and affects the fish. It is not a case of it actually being eaten, though fish that do would presumably have the same issue. But the fungus once it appears leeches into the water. This is how a marine biologist/microbiologist explained it to me.

As for boiling, this is not effective. Nothing is, as this fungus is in the wood itself and can leech out at some point. I did the scrape/hot water scrub and dried the wood. I placed it back in another tank thinking this had dealt with the fungus, and I didn't see any but after several weeks I did notice the fish acting oddly and I discovered thee white fungus had reappeared on the back side of the wood where I couldn't see it. The wood went out into the garden permanently.

On boiling wood...this is not advisable. First, it will not deal with everything possible issue. Second, it causes the wood to rot quicker so it is not going to last and the rotting itself can pose problems. Third, as someone mentioned, boiling does remove some of the beneficial aspects of wood, and while that may not matter, there is no point in removing what is beneficial. There is widespread thinking now about the remarkable beneficial and curative capabilities of organic matter like wood and dried leaves. Some transporters of fish even put dried leaves in the bags to help with bacterial issues.

 

[Back in the fold]

Fascinating.
Always something new to ponder.

 

[Ch0le]

I would do another large water change. The one yesterday would have been better if it had been larger. I drained my 90g tank down to about 4-5 inches of water when I had this issue. The fungus gets into the water and affects the fish. It is not a case of it actually being eaten, though fish that do would presumably have the same issue. But the fungus once it appears leeches into the water. This is how a marine biologist/microbiologist explained it to me.

As for boiling, this is not effective. Nothing is, as this fungus is in the wood itself and can leech out at some point. I did the scrape/hot water scrub and dried the wood. I placed it back in another tank thinking this had dealt with the fungus, and I didn't see any but after several weeks I did notice the fish acting oddly and I discovered thee white fungus had reappeared on the back side of the wood where I couldn't see it. The wood went out into the garden permanently.

On boiling wood...this is not advisable. First, it will not deal with everything possible issue. Second, it causes the wood to rot quicker so it is not going to last and the rotting itself can pose problems. Third, as someone mentioned, boiling does remove some of the beneficial aspects of wood, and while that may not matter, there is no point in removing what is beneficial. There is widespread thinking now about the remarkable beneficial and curative capabilities of organic matter like wood and dried leaves. Some transporters of fish even put dried leaves in the bags to help with bacterial issues.

I did a big water change this morning and vacuumed . I took this opportunity to rearrange the tank. I scrubbed the wood and haven't seen any for a few days. I did that before I read your new post, Byron. My fish all seem very happy today. I will keep a very close eye on things and pray for this issue to pass. I thank you for your help and will keep you posted.

 

[Colin_T]

Do a big water change and gravel clean each day for the next week. That will dilute any fungus spores that might be in the tank.