wood decor for Bettas

Question
Hi, my question is how do I go about picking driftwood for my Betta fish tank?Is there wood that is not safe for Bettas?I have a 2.5 gallon right now with no fish in it.Where could I look to buy wood for a tank that small, and do certain woods affect the pH of the water more than others?How do I anchor them to them to the bottom? Thanks for reading my question I extremely appreciate it.

Answer
Alonso,
Yes, driftwood is ok to put in your tank. You will need to prepare the wood before you put it in the tank. When in water, the wood releases a chemical called tannins. Tannins are water-soluble chemicals found naturally in wood that migrate to the surface when immersed in water. These chemicals will not harm your fish but it does turn the water brown and cloudy. Here is how you treat it:

Soak the wood in a bucket of boiling water for one hour. The hot water makes the wood expand and releases the harmful tannins. Empty the bucket when the water becomes dark. Refill the bucket with boiling water and repeat until the water stays clear. Refill the bucket with hot water and let it sit for five to seven days, then change the water again. Repeat the process for one to two months.

All woods do tend to change the Ph a bit, so make sure you are testing the water weekly. You can find wood at any fish store. If you get wood from the ocean or river, it is very important that you treat it BEFORE you add it to your tank. Anchoring should not be a problem. Just put it in the tank, put some gravel around it and it should stay.