Will Driftwood Tannis harm my fish?

Question

i'm starting a 10 gallon aquarium....i added a piece of driftwood into it which i bought from the pet store.....after a few days the water turned SLIGHTLY yellowish from the tannis of the wood....i want to keep tiger barbs....i would like to know if the tannis from the driftwood will harm my tiger barbs

Answer 1

Tannins will not actually harm your fish. It causes the pH to decrease (making it a little more acidic). In some cases, it is ideal conditions for breeding, such as bettas or arowanas. But i am not familiar with tiger barbs so i personally wouldn't know for sure if they would benefit.

Did you buy the driftwood or just found it along side a lake or coastline? If you want to reduce the amount of tannins released from the driftwood, you could the process of "curing" it. This kills off organism living on the wood, help make the wood sink, and reducing the amount of tannins (color). You can put the driftwood in water and boil it (if the wood fits) to have that tea effect. The actual time till enough tannins are taken out depends of the size and type of wood.

Answer 2

No harm at all. It will slightly soften the water, but that's not harmful either

MM