What happens to cholla long term?

[billango]

I've been thinking of putting some cholla in a tank decoratively but have been reading that it only will last a year or two in the tank. Does it just start getting mushy and breaking apart? How long have cholla pieces lasted for you? I know it would depends on size and thickness of the wood, but does it really break down that quickly in general? Thanks. 

[AllFishNoBrakes]

I’ve had my small pieces for 2 years and they’re still going strong. 

[Cory]

It breaks down faster than harder woods like mopani. If you have plecos they'll chew on it. Sometimes cholla wood is called pleco chews. But for the price, usually you get your value out of it.

[lefty o]

i wouldnt use it as a main decoration, but as mentioned above plecos like to nibble on it, and it gives smaller fish/shrimp hiding places, and provides good surface area for bacteria to grow on. your average smaller piece will probably last 1.5-3yrs depending on your water, and fish.

[Andy's Fish Den]

I have some pieces in shrimp tanks that have been in there at least a couple of years if not a longer

[PineSong]

It doesn't get mushy over time. The holes get bigger and bigger and the "wood" part gets thinner and thinner as it ages. In my tanks, I don't have plecos so I guess it is shrimp and snails and fish, or just water chemistry, that wears away the structure.

Here is a photo of a piece that has been in my 20g long for many months. As you can see, it is more holes and less wood than makes sense for a shrimplet hideout. When I put it in, it was an effective hideout because the holes were much smaller. There is another piece behind it to the right, which has been in even longer and is almost disintegrated.