Premium : Indian Almond Leaves - 6" - 8"

Most Asian breeders of blackwater tropical fishes, use Indian Almond (also known as Ketapang or Sea Almond or Seemandelbaumblatter or Terminalia Catappa) leaves in their tanks. As they are well known across Asia to be one of the best water conditioners to promote healing and breeding amongst fish.

Studies have shown that Indian Almond Leaves leache many beneficial substances and not only tannins when submerged in water. When soaked in water these leaves will leach a strong brown tea colour dye that is full of organic acids like humic acids and tannic acids. These may be useful for inhibiting many types of bacteria as well as to detoxify harmful heavy metals found in the aquarium.

They are known to have anti-fungal and anti-bacteria properties. By just putting a few of the leaves into their tank Betta Splendins can be induced to spawn. By adding the leaves in their quarantine tank, fish suffering finrot or injuries (such as spawning injuries) will definitely benefit from having the leaves in there. Southeastern Asia, betta breeders usually add a dried leaf into their breeding tanks to provide a surface for the bubblenest and to leach substances that protect the fry from diseases. As the leaves decay, they also provide detritus to grow extract-resistant infusoria for the babies.

Indian Almond leaves are also ideal for discus, gouramis, killiefish, tetras, arrowana’s, angelfish, South American dwarf cichlids, corys, plecos, some rasboras some cat-fishes and crustaceans.