FAQ

Catappa leaves, also known as Indian Almond or Sea Almond Leaves, are a great addition for aquariums containing Shrimp, Bettas and any black water loving fish. They have been proven to help with healing mild bacterial and fungal infections by releasing tannins, flavonoids, and other restorative properties into the water. ​ Catappa leaves can also be used as an natural and effective way to lower the pH of your aquarium.

This ‘healing’ ability is actually a direct effect of what tannins are meant to do; in trees and plants, tannins are mainly stored in the bark and new leaves. The tannins have the ability to precipitate out important enzymes from bacteria and fungus, preventing the tree or plant from becoming infected. This would then likely bolster the ability of the fish to fight off infections as well when Indian almond leaves fall into the water and the tannins leach out. The dark water tank appearance caused by these tannins is considered unsightly by some aquarists, but it actually mimics the natural habitat of many fish species! In fact, it’s said that a lot of fish feel less exposed when in dark water, which may help shyer fish gain more confidence that will bring them to the front of the tank. These properties alone definitely make using Indian almond leaves worth considering.

Depending on your personality the simplest way to use it is... Take the leaf out of the package and put one or two per 15 gallons of aquarium water in your tank, they’ll float around for a day or two then they'll sink and you can place them where you want. If you feel the need you can put a little rock or a bit of gravel over it, and if you have shrimp they will be on it pretty soon. As it breaks down you can leave it in for as long as you want. They basically turn to a network of veins in the leaf which is nature’s lace and is quite beautiful.

There is really no danger in using our leaves or other aquatic botanicals. The only issue can be if you add too much tannins to your tank, which will have very little effect on your aquarium dwellers. This can be easily fixed by doing a water change and regularly replacing activated carbon.

One can make tea out of the leaves, long steep, then cool and add as wanted to your tank. It's great for breeding most Tetras and Rasboras. The more you add the more the tint and affect. I would say start slow and add a bot at time, if concerned please test the pH and hardness to see what is going on in your water.

Great question . You can cut the 6 inch leaves into 5-6 pieces. Then use one piece per gallon. It will help maintain water quality even if there is no filter (btw. bettas are shipped with a small piece of Catappa leaf in their little plastic bag from south east Asia)

If you accidentally add too many leaves at once or too much Indian almond leaf extract, this can be fixed by simply doing partial water changes and using and regularly replacing activated carbon. Activated carbon will fill up with the tannins over time, so you may need to replace it more regularly if you’re really wanting to clear up the water in your tank.

Yes, they soften the water and gouramis love to build bubble nests under a Catappa leaf secured at the surface. It will hold their nest together and protect it from falling apart and popping. Plus as the leaf ages, biofilm and Infusoria will be thriving on the leaf. This is great first food for tiny baby fish, and there is none smaller than gouramis fry.

Glad you bought some Catappa leaves. Boil about 6 leaves in aquarium water, let it cool then boil again. After the second cool down it will be a strong tonic / tea. Slowly add this tonic a tablespoon at a time over a few days and a bit of aquarium salt ( 1/4 teaspoon per gal ). Do regular daily 50% water changes and feed them their favorite food very sparingly as to not foul the water.

You can leave them there until they fully breakdown. Only the veins of the leaf will remain and can be removed when the aquarium is cleaned or they can be left for ascetic value.