white mold/fungus on driftwood! - General Aquarium Plants Discussions

Keymaker · 02-06-2008, 12:06 PM

I have a couple peices of driftwood that are starting to grow white mold or fungus on the unsubmerged top parts.

What do I do??

Thanks

Keymaker · 02-06-2008, 12:15 PM

I guess I'm just going to bleach them in hot water for a little bit.

evercl92 · 02-06-2008, 12:52 PM

I've found that letting them dry completely (in the sun) works pretty well. Prob a bit cold for that to be effective there in NY.

Bleach should work. Just be sure to allow extra time for the bleach residue to leech back off in clean water.

Jeremy25 · 02-06-2008, 02:43 PM

That's weird, i did a search before i posted and didn't see any info on this fungus. After i post i look down a few threads and you have the same stuff on your driftwood that i do.

My two pieces of real driftwood do not have this fungus on it. The one that i bought from the reptile section of Petsmart has it though. I knew it wasn't real driftwood but i boiled it for about 5 days and it looked awesome in the tank for about 3 weeks. I think because it wasn't real driftwood that it might be some sort of sap leaking out and turning into a fungus.

Anyone else have any experience with this stuff?

chagovatoloco · 02-06-2008, 04:26 PM

I found a piece of drift wood on the beach, washed it and placed it in my tank. After a few months I had the same mold. I pulled it out and It smelled like it was rotten, I thought it out.

Jeff.:P:. · 02-06-2008, 05:31 PM

I've had that white fungus mold in two tanks on two different driftwood. It stays around for 2-4 weeks and disappears. I've read a couple times thats what it does and that what happened.

Quote:

This happens on some varieties of driftwood. Is it a whitish cloudy looking slime (basically looks like snot growing on your wood *ick*)? If that's the case, then it's pretty normal, and harmless to your fish. In a few weeks it will go away on its own, or you can take a brush and scrub it off and siphon it out (as it will clog your filter) to get rid of it. It's not uncommon with new pieces of wood that were once submerged, then dried out, and then submerged again. It also happens a lot with grapewood.

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-19995.html

Quote:

It'll go away after awhile. Most of us have experienced it.

Someone mentioned in another thread that it's suppose to be bacteria colony I guess probably feeding on whatever stuff is on the wood.. So at least you know that the bacteria in your tank is alive and kicking.

http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...ad.php?t=32024

Keymaker · 02-07-2008, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremy25

My two pieces of real driftwood do not have this fungus on it. The one that i bought from the reptile section of Petsmart has it though. I knew it wasn't real driftwood but i boiled it for about 5 days and it looked awesome in the tank for about 3 weeks. I think because it wasn't real driftwood that it might be some sort of sap leaking out and turning into a fungus.

Anyone else have any experience with this stuff?

LOL

I got my wood from the reptile section of Petsmart too (I won't ever buy a product from them again). They called it driftwood too but I can tell it wasn't authentic. But it was very cool looking. I made the mistake of tossing them directly into my 10 gallon paludarium and it turned my water very cloudy and orange. You can see how bad it was here: http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/f...m-journal.html

Both of those pics were taken before I cleaned the wood. It's crystal clear now.

BTW, it was fuzzy white mold, like white hairs. No slimey oozing stuff.

Midnight · 05-19-2008, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keymaker

I made the mistake of tossing them directly into my 10 gallon paludarium and it turned my water very cloudy and orange.

I did the same thing

I got mine from PetWorld here and the same thing happened to me too (with the mold and dirty water). I was worried for a second until I found this thread. My fish are doing fine but I still think I'm going to pull it out and clean it quick.

ngb2322 · 05-19-2008, 07:38 PM

I got some new Mopani driftwood from DrsFosterSmith about a month ago. Within a day or two, I got the whitish fungus crap. I removed the driftwood. Scrubbed the crap out of it in hot water, then let it dry in the sun. Then I scrubbed in hot water again, then let it dry again. When I put it back in, a bit developed, but it eventually just went away. I think all you really need to give it is time and it will fizzle out.

Forgotten Path · 04-02-2009, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keymaker

LOL

I got my wood from the reptile section of Petsmart too (I won't ever buy a product from them again). They called it driftwood too but I can tell it wasn't authentic. But it was very cool looking. I made the mistake of tossing them directly into my 10 gallon paludarium and it turned my water very cloudy and orange. You can see how bad it was here: http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/f...m-journal.html

Both of those pics were taken before I cleaned the wood. It's crystal clear now.

BTW, it was fuzzy white mold, like white hairs. No slimey oozing stuff.

I wouldn't decide not to go back to PetSmart so quickly... After all, you are the one who didn't think to soak your wood. Judging by your pictures, you bought the Mopani wood, which IS aquarium safe (after soaking). I work at PetSmart, and that particular product makes no claims to be aquarium safe, or to be pre-soaked. Your paludarium looks excellent, btw.

Great job! When I see a paludarium like that it makes me want to make one (even though I have nothing to put in it...).