SunGrow 10 Indian Almond Catappa Leaves 8 for Betta Fish Natural Aquarium Water Conditioner Adds Tannins Lowers pH

This review is for the large Indian Almond Leaves not the mini. They arrive in a flat plastic bag neatly stacked, each leaf is approximately 8 inches long. It's supposed to be a pack of 10 but contained 12, no complaints. If you aren't sure whether to get the mini or the large, I'd suggest getting the large since you can always cut them to the size you want (cuts as easy as paper) especially if you plan on using this as a hammock for your Betta fish to lay on or as a bubble nest canopy. For those new to using the leaves, do be aware that the longer they are left in your tank the more tannins get into the water which (much like tea) will discolor the water a bit. A safe start is to have a cycle of putting a leaf in for a week then taking it out for a week. If you find that your fish are happier with it in and you don't mind the light brown tint, you can go longer with the in/out cycle or just keep replacing the leaves every week or so. The larger the tank the less noticeable the brown tint will be (to remove the tint, do partial water changes or use activated carbon). If your tank is large enough with a variety of fish and bottom feeders you may find that the leaf dissolves and disappears on its own. Not all Bettas respond to the leaves, but the way they work is that the leaves are rich in compounds that are antibacterial and antifungal so if your Betta is discolored or struggling with finrot or is stressed the leaves can help rectify the issues. Essentially the leaf slowly decomposes, releasing tannins along the way acting as a water conditioner altering the water chemistry (lowers PH and kills bad bacteria). In healthy Bettas this can stimulate breeding (plus fry love to hide among these leaves). Before putting a leaf in your tank rinse it off, even a healthy leaf could contain pesticides. Put the unused leaves in an airtight container and they will last many months. When you first put a leaf in it will float, though you can push it down to rest among other plants or there's even a Betta leaf suction cup with clip item available on Amazon (called SunGrow Betta Bed Kit) that you can clip your leaf to if you want to force it to sit under the water line to be used as a hammock though can probably rig your own. If you want the tannin benefit without having to worry about changing leaves in your tank, alternatively you can boil the leaves like you would for tea and dump the tannin water in your tank. If your Betta seems stressed or depressed these leaves might just be the thing he needs to perk up, or if you are looking to breed your Betta these leaves will help create the environment needed to stimulate bubble nest making. The recommended leaf dose is 1 of these large 8" leaves per 12 gallons, so cut the leaf according to your tank size. You don't want to overdose and shock your fish, better to start small and see how your fish responds to his new leaf toy. It's worth a try, most Bettas love these leaves even just to play with and nibble on. Enjoy! Read more

I purchased these Indian Almond Leaves, because I read that they can actually heal fin rot, which my poor betta has very badly, despite me keeping his tank ammonia and nitrite -free. I can't report any improvement to his fins (the tannins from the leaves are the healthy compounds), but I will say that his tank's water quality has been beautifully stable ever since I added them. I test it daily, and even the nitrates are cruising at .0 ppm. The only reason why I'm still doing 20% water changes is because of his fin rot (which still won't heal). But it really does seem that the leaf and its tannins keep the water chemistry perfectly balanced. Speaking of balanced water chemistry, these tannins naturally lower the pH, which bettas prefer. They thrive with their water slightly acidic... around 6.8. HOWEVER, I noticed that my pH has remained a bit on the high side of the scale since adding the leaf; consistantly at 7.2. I don't really understand why this is the case. Ultimately, it almost doesn't matter where the pH sits for bettas, as long as it's consistant. But I'm just curious why the leaf seemed to raise it. If anyone who reads this has a speculation about why this is, I'd appreciate hearing your thoughts. One more thing worth mentioning... it will DEFINITELY turn your water a dark amber color! Don't be afraid; you want that. However, after it gets nearly too dark to see your betta, do one or two small water changes over the course of a few days, and you'll start to see a lovely CLEAR and NATURAL amber hue that's light enough to see everything in the tank again. It looks like a true brackish tank now... so pretty... I followed the preparation instructions exactly, which involve boiling and rinsing each leaf, prior to adding it to the tank (precautionary). The leaves are large, so I broke one leaf into two large pieces and one smaller piece for my betta to play with, which he doesn't seem to do. But each betta is very different in personality, and yours might like playing with pieces of the leaves! Read more

These are so big they’re a much better bang for your buck. The small ones are ok but I prefer these bigger ones because they can be cut up & used as needed. I boil them to make sure they’re safe, but they have no weird smell or any other abnormalities. I’ve added them to my aquarium & they’ve helped my Betta by regulating the PH of my water. So they definitely work - especially help with fin rot! They’ve never given me any issues or had any ill effect on my fish or my aquarium plants so they’re safe to use. Read more

My betta loves it but be aware there are some beneficial worms and crustaceans (detritus and cyclops) on the leaves that will be added to your tanks ecosystem. The leaves are packaged well and they are pretty large. You get a lot for the price. I would buy again. Read more

Nice leaves, I’ve used two in my 40 gallon so far, gives a slight tint to the water. Haven’t had any contaminants/hitchhikers like other people mentioned. All my fish are doing great. I loved using leaves in my tank, as it can be so beneficial. I didn’t pre-boil the leaves. I started off with one just to see the effect. I actually liked that these ones don’t stay solid forever like the small ones do. My snails, shrimp and fish loved them! Great leaves, and I will definitely be buying more when I’m out Read more