Where do u buy large spider wood pieces?

[Navfish]

I’m looking for a piece that would be a big statement piece for my 37g but I can’t find one anywhere. Everything on Etsy and Amazon were too small or they don’t have specific images of a wood piece! Any suggestions?

 

[Byron]

I've always used local fish stores so I can be certain as to just what I'm getting. Real wood naturally comes in shapes and sizes unique to each piece.

A caution on "spiderwood" though, this very frequently carries a toxic fungus that can kill fish. I know from sad experience, but a biologist I knew on another site said this was very common with this type of wood. There is no way to discern whether the white fungus/mold that leeches out of this wood is or is not toxic without an examination by a microbiologist.

 

[jaylach]

I was not aware of the toxicity possibility with this wood but mine has been in my tank long enough that I'm sure that it is safe but I can't claim all is OK with the wood from my plant supplier.

Spider Wood Driftwood

Spider Wood is a unique driftwood that will help bring your next aquascape to life! Its branchy appeal mimics that of a spider and this wood is commonly used in "Bonsai" aquascapes. Spiderwood provides a great hiding space for shrimp and fish.

www.wetplants.com

 

[Byron]

I went back through my notes to be certain, and it is so-called "graperoot" or "grapewood" that is frequently toxic. The spiderwood can be as well though, and who knows if the names they give these woods are accurate or made up. Anyway, light-coloured branchy wood is something to be careful with.

 

[jaylach]

I went back through my notes to be certain, and it is so-called "graperoot" or "grapewood" that is frequently toxic. The spiderwood can be as well though, and who knows if the names they give these woods are accurate or made up. Anyway, light-coloured branchy wood is something to be careful with.

Interesting! Thanks for the info @Byron !

While the 'Spiderwood' I got from WetPlants IS branchy I'm not sure as to your reference as to light colored as my piece is what I would consider quite dark as to color. How light do mean by light colored? Most of mine is what I'd call medium to dark brown. Of course, as you indicate, different outfits will call the same thing different names so who actually even knows if we are talking the same thing. When I first got mine it was rather pale but got much darker in color after a couple of weeks in the tank.

I WILL say, that when first introduced, my wood DID develop a fine coating of short white filaments that well could have been a fungus but they just disappeared after several days with my fish never showing any signs of being bothered.

 

[sharkweek178]

I've always used local fish stores so I can be certain as to just what I'm getting. Real wood naturally comes in shapes and sizes unique to each piece.

A caution on "spiderwood" though, this very frequently carries a toxic fungus that can kill fish. I know from sad experience, but a biologist I knew on another site said this was very common with this type of wood. There is no way to discern whether the white fungus/mold that leeches out of this wood is or is not toxic without an examination by a microbiologist.

I have a piece of spider wood in the tank in working on. I boiled it and soaked it before I put it in the tank but that thing is still lousy with bio film. Now I'm wondering if I should get rid of it before I put any fish in.
Would just removing it be sufficient or is there another precaution to take after removing it?

 

[Byron]

I have a piece of spider wood in the tank in working on. I boiled it and soaked it before I put it in the tank but that thing is still lousy with bio film. Now I'm wondering if I should get rid of it before I put any fish in.
Would just removing it be sufficient or is there another precaution to take after removing it?

If you decide to remove it, do a major (100%) water change, with a good vacuum of the substrate. Might even do two of these.

I have twice had toxins leech out of wood. Once back in the 1990's killed off fish before I was able to determine the cause was something toxic from a huge chunk of cedar...a wood to absolutely never use in an aquarium as I discovered. I had to work with a professional biologist at the Vancouver Aquarium to track down the problem. The second episode was in the 2000's and this was a toxic fungus from a piece of branchy wood. The white fungus appeared, and the tank water slowly became cloudy. One is told on every forum how "safe" this is, but some of it is not safe at all. I noticed the cories respiration was very rapid, and the fish became lethargic. As this only occurred a couple days after the one piece of wood went in to this 90g tank, I removed it and did a 90% water change. Fish recovered. I followed the standard advice on forums and scrubbed the wood. I put it in a spare tank of just water, and for several weeks noting appeared, so I put it in the 33g tank. After about two weeks, the fish literally overnight began to get lethargic and a couple died. I found that on the back side of the wood there was one small patch of fungus that I could not see from the front. The wood was tossed out into the back garden.