Nelumbo Lotus Pods | Nelumbo nucifera
Product Description: The Nelumbo Pod comes from the sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera), a revered aquatic plant native to the floodplains of slow-moving rivers and deltas across Asia. Known for its striking structure and rich cultural history, these seed pods are both decorative and functional in botanical method aquariums and bioactive enclosures. With their perforated structure, they provide shelter and grazing surfaces, that enrich microhabitats for aquatic and terrestrial life.
In botanical method aquariums, Nelumbo Pods create safe hiding spaces for small fish, shrimp, and snails, while also fostering biofilm growth as they gradually decompose. Their slow breakdown releases tannins and nutrients, adding a strong amber tint to the water while supporting microbial diversity.
In bioactive enclosures, the pods’ rigid and porous structure offers excellent shelter and breeding grounds for isopods, springtails, and other clean-up crew members. Their hollow interiors and intricate surfaces encourage natural behaviors in reptiles and amphibians, contributing to a balanced ecosystem within your setup.
The sacred lotus has been admired for centuries in religious and cultural contexts, symbolizing purity, rebirth, and spiritual enlightenment.
Not for Human Consumption. Preparation Required.
Quantities: 1 Lotus Pod. Sizes range. This is a natural product, and variation between leaves and botanicals is expected.
Aquarium Botanical Location: Indonesia
Home is getting a bit more natural
While the aesthetic appeal of botanicals and tinted water can be quite attractive to us, the recreation of nature to emulate water conditions, feeding patterns, spawning displays, and territory building are the true benefits botanicals provide to our critters.
Botanical FAQs
Compostable Packaging Promise
Our packaging is designed to return safely to the Earth, just like the botanicals inside. Every bag is BPA- and Phthalate-free, GMO-free, and contains no animal products. Each meets ASTM D6400 composting standards, ensuring it can fully break down in a home compost bin.
What are the Fluffy White Growths on my Botanicals?
That’s biofilm and fungi—what we call the “goo phase.” It’s one of the clearest signs that your aquarium is alive and functioning. These growths wax and wane naturally as botanicals decompose. They’re harmless, even beneficial, and will disappear on their own once microbial populations stabilize.
Will botanicals lower the pH of my water?
That depends entirely on your source water. In very soft or RODI water, botanicals can gradually lower pH as tannins and humic substances accumulate. In medium to hard tap water, buffering capacity often resists these shifts, and you may not notice much change. At Betta Botanicals HQ, our very hard water (350+ ppm) shows almost no pH change unless we use botanicals like Alder Cones or Macaranga Leaves.
When should I replace leaves or pods in my tank?
We recommend allowing botanicals to fully break down into detritus, since this fuels microbial life and enriches the substrate. You can remove them once they stop tinting the water, but you’ll lose some of their ecological benefits. Each time you add new botanicals, follow proper preparation and observe your livestock until you learn your aquarium’s rhythm.
Are your products just for bettas?
Nope. Our botanicals are safe for almost all aquariums, terrariums, vivariums, and paludariums. The only exceptions are goldfish and axolotls, which may ingest small pods like alder cones or casuarina cones. For those species, we recommend large leaves such as Indian Almond, Loquat, or Jackfruit.
What are Tannins?
Tannins are natural compounds released by leaves, seed pods, and bark as they decompose in water. They soften water, gently lower pH, and create the characteristic tea-stained tint found in blackwater habitats. But their role goes far beyond color—tannins fuel beneficial bacteria, fungi, and biofilms, which form the foundation of a healthy ecosystem. They also offer mild antifungal benefits and help reduce stress in fish by replicating the natural conditions they’ve evolved in. At their core, tannins are plant-derived antioxidants that connect your aquarium to the same processes at work in wild flooded forests and streams.