Manzanita in tanks?

[Samfoy]

Living in central California I readily have access to Manzanita trees and bushes. I assume I can place this in any freshwater tank. Can I and how do I prepare it to go in a tank?

 

[Rocky998]

Living in central California I readily have access to Manzanita trees and bushes. I assume I can place this in any freshwater tank. Can I and how do I prepare it to go in a tank?

A lot of people say not to boil... but when bringing something from the wild into the tank... I'd boil that for an hour or you can do this other method which I wouldnt do, which is using a diluted bleach/water mixture... But, again... I wouldnt do that

 

[robmcd]

It is illegal to collect unless it is deadfall, in other words loose dead branches removed from the ground by natural process. I get mine from a few drainages that I know of that are full from slides, floods etc.... I just make sure that it is dead and dry as a bone, then I rinse it off with a garden hose and add it to the tank.

 

[Rocky998]

It is illegal to collect unless it is deadfall, in other words loose dead branches removed from the ground by natural process. I get mine from a few drainages that I know of that are full from slides, floods etc.... I just make sure that it is dead and dry as a bone, then I rinse it off with a garden hose and add it to the tank.

So, wait... You dont sanitize it at all? All tge bacteria that could be on that is inumerable... The bad bacteria in mostly concerned about

 

[robmcd]

So, wait... You dont sanitize it at all? All tge bacteria that could be on that is inumerable... The bad bacteria in mostly concerned about

There isn't going to be a ton of bacteria on a bone dry piece of manzanita that gets sun baked in dry 100+ degree temps for over 100 days a year, in a bone dry arroyo.

If I had collected it from a wet creek, then I would worry about bacteria. The only thing I worry about on this stuff is air dropped fire retardant, but I would notice that right off the bat, as it is bright pink.....

 

[Samfoy]

I want the wood for its looks and unique shapes. How long will the red in the wood last I wonder?

 

[robmcd]

I want the wood for its looks and unique shapes. How long will the red in the wood last I wonder?

If there is still red on the outside of the branch then it means that it has not completely dried out yet, at least in my experience. The stuff that I collect has been drying in the sun for years. In fact, there are pieces on my side yard that I had been eyeballing in the wild for years before I actually made an effort to gather it and haul it out of where I first saw it.

 

[FishHobby99]

If there is still red on the outside of the branch then it means that it has not completely dried out yet, at least in my experience. The stuff that I collect has been drying in the sun for years. In fact, there are pieces on my side yard that I had been eyeballing in the wild for years before I actually made an effort to gather it and haul it out of where I first saw it.

Do you add it to your tanks? I buy that wood, tiny twigs, for my parrots to chew on. Also commonly used as perches. They love striping the perches until they have to be replaced.
None in my tanks.

 

[robmcd]

Do you add it to your tanks? I buy that wood, tiny twigs, for my parrots to chew on. Also commonly used as perches. They love striping the perches until they have to be replaced.
None in my tanks.

Yes, I have it in 2 of my 3 tanks.

 

[OliveFish05]

Manzanita is great in tanks, I have it in mine

 

[FishHobby99]

Yes, I have it in 2 of my 3 tanks.

Looks terrific! Great pic. How did you take it? Doing good fish photos is a back burner project right now. And I won’t jump ship like I did with the red plants.

 

[robmcd]

Looks terrific! Great pic. How did you take it? Doing good fish photos is a back burner project right now. And I won’t jump ship like I did with the red plants.

Thanks! It's just an Iphone pic, with all of the background lights off.

 

[FishHobby99]

It’s a much better than average cell pic. I generally find them flat.
Did you use a flash?

 

[robmcd]

It’s a much better than average cell pic. I generally find them flat.
Did you use a flash?

No flash ever when aquariums are involved.

 

[FishHobby99]

My intuitions precisely out of concern for startling the fish, however some say a flash angled up, down or sideways does not faze them or create reflections