Can anyone ID this wood, but most of all is is safe for Panaquolus species

[pleconut]

Hi folks, I went out shopping for wood as I'm due to add to my population of Panaquolus species very soon by a group of 6 wild caugh 5cm Panaquolus Albivermis. I thought they would appreciate hiding out inside this piece of wood. I found it at an LFS but wasn't told if it was safe to put in a fish tank or not. Although looking at it now it looks like something small caged pets would be given to hide in. Obviously I will boil it for a considerable amount of time to make it soft, it looks like birch to me but is it a safe wood to use for them.

[naturalart]

I was going to call it the same thing, birch. Which are soft woods as far as hardwoods go. I don't know what its classified as in England but here in the states it is in the Betulaceae family, Betula genus. This family also includes the alders, which I have experience keeping in aquaria. And alders are safe. I would bet the birch is also. Birch trees are moisture adapted hardwoods, angiosperms. Many if not most hardwoods are considered safe for aquariums. I would say you're in the safe zone. But please do your research.

[pleconut]

Thank you, I will look around online also and do some more research, for woods safe for aquarium use. I know some people sometimes go foraging for wood. Definitely looks like birch to me and like something that is given to small pets, so it's at the very least got to be completely safe for them, but if its also aquarium/pleco safe then maybe I'll get some more.