- Messages
- 72
- Location
- Rehovot Israel
I was just wondering if anybody have or is using indian almond leaves for water conditioning? The scientific name of the tree is Terminalia catappa
Thanks
Koty
Thanks
Koty
-
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Indian almond leaves
- Thread starter koty
- Start date
- Messages
- 168
- Location
- Copenhagen, Denmark
Maybe they are not essential, but that doesn't rule out the possibility of beneficial effects and maybe even prevention of illness and a better hatch rate. I use them once in a while when I think I need a little extra something.
They are a bit overpriced, though.
Some of the effects are actually documented: http://www.actahort.org/books/678/678_25.htm
All the best,
Lars
They are a bit overpriced, though.
Some of the effects are actually documented: http://www.actahort.org/books/678/678_25.htm
All the best,
Lars
- Messages
- 577
- Location
- Nottingham, UK
I used Red Oak (Quercus rubra) leaves in a shrimp tank that realease a few tannins and the shrimp, and now baby ancistrus, love to eat.
Don't know if they have the same anti-bacterial / fungal effects claimed for the Indian Almond leaves, but the fish now in there are doing great. (In fact the cardinal tetras bred in the tank and I now have 30+ little babies, but I can't remember whether that was before, or after, I added the leaves.)
Biggest advantage is they were free! In fact the kids from my class, once I told them that the little shrimp they had seen (they were delivered to school!) ate the leaves, they all collected a bag full for me one playtime! They are little stars!
Don't know if they have the same anti-bacterial / fungal effects claimed for the Indian Almond leaves, but the fish now in there are doing great. (In fact the cardinal tetras bred in the tank and I now have 30+ little babies, but I can't remember whether that was before, or after, I added the leaves.)
Biggest advantage is they were free! In fact the kids from my class, once I told them that the little shrimp they had seen (they were delivered to school!) ate the leaves, they all collected a bag full for me one playtime! They are little stars!
I found that Indian Almond leaves did reduce the pH for me. (Rather pricey though) I also have used red oak leaves and peat in my tanks. IMO there are benefits that go beyond what we can measure (pH). I can't give you the sceince behind it but it seems quite logical to me that certain plant material would have benefits for the fish.
I like to make a comparison to areas I fsh in Ontario. My favorite is fishing for Brook Trout in small meandering streams running through forests. This water is stained extremely dark with tannins. In places, the water is littered with leaves and twigs and the leaves of alder trees completely shade the water. These fish are absolutely beautiful in their colours and although small are real firecrackers on the end of a line. Quite delicious too.
I like to make a comparison to areas I fsh in Ontario. My favorite is fishing for Brook Trout in small meandering streams running through forests. This water is stained extremely dark with tannins. In places, the water is littered with leaves and twigs and the leaves of alder trees completely shade the water. These fish are absolutely beautiful in their colours and although small are real firecrackers on the end of a line. Quite delicious too.
- Messages
- 66
- Location
- Sydney, Australia
I notice there were a few comments that the catappa leaves were quite pricey/over-priced.
I bought a bag of 200 leaves (size between 5-7 inches) on ebay for US$14. Another US$12 was needed to ship from Singapore to Australia.
Worked out to be 13 cents each from this ebay shop: http://stores.ebay.com.au/Amys-Ketapang-Inc
Cheers
I bought a bag of 200 leaves (size between 5-7 inches) on ebay for US$14. Another US$12 was needed to ship from Singapore to Australia.
Worked out to be 13 cents each from this ebay shop: http://stores.ebay.com.au/Amys-Ketapang-Inc
Cheers
- Messages
- 272
- Location
- Montreal, QC, CANADA
I personnaly use theese leaf ofr my candidi and my shrimp love them also 
- Messages
- 72
- Location
- Rehovot Israel
Thank you all for your comments.i used Indian almond leaves extensively... they are especially useful for
breeding eliza, diplo and mendezi... undoubtedly, i myself is a fan of it
Blueblue! I guess you are the only one who might have a real tree near your house
haha... actually, there is one near my home and one near my office.
I used to pick up some in the winter, while i recently acquired 500 pieces of this leave from a friend who ordered a full box of thousands from Indonesia... so, i have plenty to use for quite a while, hehe
- Messages
- 72
- Location
- Rehovot Israel
Well you are lucky. I ordered some seeds from ebay. The climate is not really adequate but I'll try to grow it.
Meanwhile I'll stick to acidic peat from northern Europe.
The effect of dissolved carbons on fish health is amazingly understated.
I looked at chemical companies and they only offer tannic acid and humic acid. Tannic acid is used in the leather industry, wood paints and....electron microscopy.
Meanwhile I'll stick to acidic peat from northern Europe.
The effect of dissolved carbons on fish health is amazingly understated.
I looked at chemical companies and they only offer tannic acid and humic acid. Tannic acid is used in the leather industry, wood paints and....electron microscopy.
- Messages
- 113
- Location
- Bridge Of Weir, Scotland, UK
I have just got some Indian Almond Leaves which i am going to use as a leaf litter substrate on top of the thin layer of sand in the tank.
They are really to try to help a female baenschi with an over aggressive male, have been using a tank divider since i got the pair two weeks ago, and have taken out the divider every few days, but if theres no response from the female, the chasing begins and he ends up having her cowering in a corner of the tank.
The male is a bit relentless, and i am hoping it will give the female a lot more hiding places to get away from the male, and also provide more sites for spawning.
The leaves i got are bone dry, to use them in the tank, do you soak them in a bucket of water until they sink before putting them in the tank, and also how long do they last before crumbling and need cleaned out and replaced ?
They are really to try to help a female baenschi with an over aggressive male, have been using a tank divider since i got the pair two weeks ago, and have taken out the divider every few days, but if theres no response from the female, the chasing begins and he ends up having her cowering in a corner of the tank.
The male is a bit relentless, and i am hoping it will give the female a lot more hiding places to get away from the male, and also provide more sites for spawning.
The leaves i got are bone dry, to use them in the tank, do you soak them in a bucket of water until they sink before putting them in the tank, and also how long do they last before crumbling and need cleaned out and replaced ?
- Messages
- 230
- Location
- Los Angeles
I just rinse the leaves off and drop them in the tank. They sink overnight.
As to decomposition rates, I have leaves in a 90% RO tank that look like I dropped them in yesterday, when they've been in there for 2 months and I have leves in a tank that is 50% RO that decay completely in a month.
As to decomposition rates, I have leaves in a 90% RO tank that look like I dropped them in yesterday, when they've been in there for 2 months and I have leves in a tank that is 50% RO that decay completely in a month.
- Messages
- 272
- Location
- Montreal, QC, CANADA
i was asking myself if some of my tank have problems.
now i see i am not the only one
look like i have a direction of explanation
- Messages
- 133
- Location
- Tel Aviv, Israel
haha... actually, there is one near my home and one near my office.
I used to pick up some in the winter, while i recently acquired 500 pieces of this leave from a friend who ordered a full box of thousands from Indonesia... so, i have plenty to use for quite a while, hehe
Hi blue,
Could you please ask your friend for the details of this Indonesian retailer?
I guess he got them in a good price, right?
Thanks,
- Messages
- 387
- Location
- Shropshire,England.
I recently used these leaves on a tank with Ivanacara adoketa and there is no doubt that their anti-bacterial properties has helped with successful egg development....
Like Blue i would definately reccommend them for some dwarf cichlid species.
Mark.
Like Blue i would definately reccommend them for some dwarf cichlid species.
Mark.
- Messages
- 113
- Location
- Bridge Of Weir, Scotland, UK
The leaf litter seems to be doing the trick, though maybe if i had left them alone instead of seperating them, the male would have calmed down on it's own.
It's actually a mature wild caught female in with the young male, the young male is currently the same size as the mature female and she is holding her own now
I have quite a few leaves in the tank dropping the ph to around 6.4 which suits me, but the fun is going to start when doing weekly water changes
It's actually a mature wild caught female in with the young male, the young male is currently the same size as the mature female and she is holding her own now
I have quite a few leaves in the tank dropping the ph to around 6.4 which suits me, but the fun is going to start when doing weekly water changes
I have an adult trio of Dicrossus maculatus, the female would lay eggs and
hide them under the java moss 10 days later I would see about 6 to 10 free swimming under her and as time passed the number would get lower and until there were 2 or 3 left. After this happend twice I decided to try the leaves with no other changes in the tank setup or chemistry. Wow!! unexpected results, now both females are raising 40 to 60 fry each,and this is the 3 month with no noteable losses.
hide them under the java moss 10 days later I would see about 6 to 10 free swimming under her and as time passed the number would get lower and until there were 2 or 3 left. After this happend twice I decided to try the leaves with no other changes in the tank setup or chemistry. Wow!! unexpected results, now both females are raising 40 to 60 fry each,and this is the 3 month with no noteable losses.
