Loofah?

[D'sCrabs]

Loofah???

Been using one as part of a climbing thing I made just noticed the crabs seem to be nibbling is it safe? The one I used I got in the Bath section.. I boiled it like crazy, blow dried it and then put in tank.

Cucurbitaceae = Same family as Gourds, Squash and Pumkins...
Lepidoptera species = Include some moths and Caterpillars. Eat them!



From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia!!!
The luffa, loofah, or lufah (from Arabic لوف) are tropical and subtropical vines comprising the genus Luffa, the only genus of the subtribe Luffinae of the plant family Cucurbitaceae. The fruit of at least two species, Luffa acutangula and Luffa aegyptiaca (Luffa cylindrica), is grown, harvested before maturity, and eaten as a vegetable, popular in Asia and Africa.

The ripe, dried fruit is also the source of the loofah or plant sponge. Luffas are also used to make the soles of beach sandals.

Luffa species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species, including Hypercompe albicornis.

Parts of the plant are used to create bath or kitchen sponges, a natural remedy for jaundice, furniture and even houses. It is also eaten as a green vegetable.


Cucurbitaceae = Same family as Gourds, Squash and Pumkins...
Lepidoptera species = Include some moths and Caterpillars.

[CrabbyJo]

Our crabs will eat just about any plant material, and they do require the cellulose (and other nutrients) they can get from wood and leaves.

The only way I would call Loofah safe is if you are 100% certain it is 100% natural and has not been bleached or treated with pesticides or any other chemical. I found one website that claims that this is their policy: http://www.loofah.biz/luffasavannah/savannah.htm

But if you are not 100% sure, I would remove it.
Otherwise, I think you could probably treat it as a "safe" wood/plant. Problem is, you may not find it easy to be 100% sure without talking to the producer of the product itself.