Adding bogwood improves the aesthetics of any aquarium but for some fish it is an essential part of their diet. I have a group of L59 Ancistrus Pleco's and they spend many an hour munching away on one of the large pieces in their tank. Their digestive system benefits from eating bogwood. Uaru which is one of the medium to large New World Cichlids also eat bogwood.
There are two types of wood that can be used in an aquarium, they are bogwood and vine roots. Bogwood is mostly tree roots that have remained submerged underwater for many years in marshy conditions.
Before adding newly purchased bogwood to any aquarium it needs to be soaked in water for up to two weeks, I also change the water that the bogwood is soaking in every few days. You will notice that the water it is soaked in becomes murky and dark. Before I change the water I scrub the bogwood with a very stiff brush to separate any loose parts of the bogwood that may block the filter. Soaking the bogwood helps to remove any tannins that the bogwood contains. Tannins will discolour your aquarium water but they are not harmful to fish.
In some aquariums tannins can be beneficial. Fish that like soft acidic water such as South American Cichlids will benefit from some bogwood in their tank.
You need to ensure to buy your bogwood from a reputable aquarium as not all types of wood can be used, wood that has been treated with any kind of stain or varnish will almost certainly kill your fish. I have read many forum posts where people find wood in rubbish heaps or in forests and add it to their aquarium, there is one common theme, all their fish die, you have been warned. Buy decent bogwood, soak and scrub it and your fish will benefit.
I write articles and publish a newsletter from my Aquarium Blog, you can find my blog here - My Aquarium Blog
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