Review on Enhance Your Aquarium with Marina Decor Mangrove Root, Large by Paula Ward

Unfortunately I have to give this decor two stars. First let me say that I really liked the look of it in the tank and the distance was perfect allowing my fish to swim through with ease. I read other reviews mentioning fungus and bad smells related to this product but I liked the look so much that I decided to buy it. When I received it, I soaked it in a bucket with 2 high doses of potassium permanganate to sterilize it for a few days, and then bathed in purified water for a long time. Two weeks after purchase I added it to my aquarium and everything was fine for two weeks. But then I noticed that the water started to smell strange. I couldn't believe it when I pulled it out of the tank there were clumps of fungus and tiny bits floating in the water dripping off it. Two 50% water changes seem to have eliminated the smell and my fish are fine. The set is hollow but appears to have some "plugs" to seal most of the water out, but it's clearly not waterproof. This should allow water to flow through the roots, but it's either a poor design that traps water and causes it to stagnate, or there's a problem somewhere in the supply chain. I was very disappointed. It might work better in reptile or turtle setups where it's not fully submerged, but this root didn't work well for my fish.