# Can I use reptile wood in a fish tank?



## rebel2004nay (Dec 3, 2008)

At my local LFS, they have a big mixed pile of wood. There is this one piece that is particularly awesome. It is large, fairly light in color, and it is all twisty. However, it is intended for use in a reptile tank.

Could a piece of wood like this go in a fish tank? I am willing to soak it in water for a while if necessary. Would it decompose quickly or stay together for a while?

I wish I could tell you more about it. I don't know what kind of wood it is and I don't have a pic...in fact, I am about a 4 hour drive away from my LFS right now (visiting family for the holidays).


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## ictoae (May 17, 2008)

I've had a piece in my tank for over a year now that I stole from a snake cage at a LFS. It took about 4-5 months before my tank stopped looking like iced tea (tanins), but it still looks good, my bristlenose and acei are always picking at it but they don't really seem to be damaging it noticeably.


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## tawbrey863 (Nov 21, 2008)

Im actually soaking a piece of wood right now..lol. The thing I would worry about, is will it sink? Uusally wood made special for fish tank is a very dense wood. If you got it, you would of course half to soak it for a few weeks, but if it doesnt sink, you could hold it down with something... :thumb:


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## rebel2004nay (Dec 3, 2008)

Well I do have a piece of slate that I could silicon to the bottom of it, if I decide to buy it. That might work.


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## ed lemmon (Feb 14, 2003)

Better make sure that it has never been used in a reptile tank. It'll kill your fish if you don't bleach it. Some LPS's will display wood that is for sale in a display tank, sell the reptile on display and possibly use the tank for a different specemin and return the wood to the shelf. :roll:


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## CalvusCali (Jan 3, 2009)

It takes a long time to soak, i found it easier depending on size to boil it, then soak it, soak time is shorter and it wont make the water as acidic.


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