# White (bacteria?) on Driftwood



## Pluto333 (Nov 13, 2015)

My tank has been cycling for a week now, with new driftwood, and I just put my betta in yesterday. Today I noticed some kind of white growth on the driftwood. Is it harmless to the betta? Should it be cleaned off? I got the driftwood from a seller who said it can be used in aquariums, pressure washed, soaked etc. You should be able to see the white cloudy things in the photo. 

I rescaped my tank completely to a npt with natural plants, ambulia, dwarf sag, some others i don't know the names of. Hoping to get a brighter light this weekend. My betta loves it, he won't leave the plants!


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## RMKelly (Jan 17, 2016)

It's good bacteria, completely harmless, I have it on my driftwood and it also grows on my heater.


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## christinamac (Jan 2, 2016)

It's good bacteria feeding off of the stuff slowly leeching out of the driftwood. It will go away with time, but you can easily remove it manually if it bothers you. I use a toothbrush or tweezers to remove mine if it gets too clumpy.


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## 206Betta (Jan 28, 2016)

Agree with the others. Mine had that too until the nerite snails got to it. Now, it's clean as a whistle.


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

I believe its actually a fungus that is eating the sugars leeching out of the wood , still harmless just visually unpleasant. Typically goes away within a few months, unless the wood was very fresh/green (alive shortly before cutting and placing in the tank).


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

Aqua Aurora said:


> I believe its actually a fungus that is eating the sugars leeching out of the wood , still harmless just visually unpleasant. Typically goes away within a few months, unless the wood was very fresh/green (alive shortly before cutting and placing in the tank).


I agree it's a fungus, not bacteria. My manzanita wood got this when I first put it in. The pleco I had loved the stuff lol. Anyway, yes unsightly but should go away or you can take the wood out and scrub it off but it may come back until the,wood stops leaching.


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## Pluto333 (Nov 13, 2015)

Thanks for the answers . I think I'll leave the fungus on, not clean it. The wood is still leaching but the colour of the water is growing on me, it looks more natural and I believe it has a similar effect as with oak leaves.


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