Does anyone use Almond Leaves

[gmwilsonuk]

I'm thinking of getting some and just wanted to know if anyone here uses Almond leaves and what improvements or problems have they noticed?

[Waldo]

Cons~
Turn your water brown.

If they are not taken out after a few days they can break down and cause litter.

Pros~
An effective way of dropping pH. Especially if water is already soft.

Create a life like SA invironment where they can hide under leaf folliage.

A great surface to grow infrosia for fry!

[samir]

only effective in a 2 foot tank. for a 6x2x2 you will ned to use the whole box.

[Merrilyn]

The indian almond leaves appear to contain a natural antibiotic. A lot of breeders of bettas (siamese fighting fish) in Malaysia use them for all their betta tanks. However the tree is growing wild there, and the leaves are available by just picking them up off the street.

I use the leaves with my wild caught bettas, and just gradually allow them to rot away, and replace them after a month or so. Keeps the water very soft and acid.

I have used them in breeding tanks with angels and discus, and it does seem to help keep fungus off the eggs. I also use them in fry grow out tanks, with good results.

If you can find a source of them at a reasonable price, then I would say go ahead. But you will need quite a few for such a large tank, around 10 to 12 large leaves.

[Ben]

I have used both the dried leaves and the leaves in a tea bag. I find both very good.

[stonedavid]

I have cattapa leaves in all my tanks and they cause no problems whatso ever. Does give the water a light tea coloured stain to it, but overall doesn't look bad. With leaves rotting in the tank put them in a stocking that way no debris floating around the tank. As Lady Red has stated they do reduce fungus on eggs, and have also found they can help get the water parameters correct to induce spawning. A cattapa leaf is normally around 10 -15 cms long and they can last up to 3 weeks in a 3' tank. The larger the tank the more leaves you put in. Have also noticed young fry tend to continiously pick at the leaves on the bottom of the tank if left out of stocking, they seem to get something out of them. Hope this helps. Pete

[samir]

the're probably picking off the infusoria growing around it.

[stonedavid]

Yeah i thought it may be that, they certainly dig into it