Product Description: Indian Almond Tree and Catappa Tree Bark, often called 'Betta Bark' is an ideal bark for betta fish tanks, blackwater aquariums, or vivarium ecosystems. Just like Indian Almond and Catappa leaves, the tannin content of this bark is quite high. We offer two types at Betta Botanicals: Bark Curls, and Bark Sticks. The bark curls will uncurl themselves forming a small natural betta tube, and the bark sticks are thingly cut and easy to break into pieces for making a more natural substrate. Functionally the same, aesthetically different! We source our betta bark from just outside Borneo in Indonesia where it is collected, washed, and then air-dried. This bag and its contents are biodegradable! Did you know our product packaging is made from renewable and sustainable sugarcane? So just like the botanicals inside, it will compost when returned to nature.
Not for Human Consumption. Preparation Required.
Quantities: 50g+ of Catappa Bark. Bark curls will be 4-7 pieces, 5-7" long pieces. The bark sticks will contain roughly 10+ sticks. This is a natural product, and variation between leaves and botanicals is expected.
Bark chunks naturally range in size and color, as shown in the product photos.
Aquarium Botanical Location: Sumatra/West Java Indonesia.
Aquarium Botanical FAQs
- Please reference our Shipping and Hassle-Free Return Policy at the bottom of the screen. All Products are packaged inside sustainably sourced and renewable sugar cane fibers allowing them to be fully biodegradable and compostable. Yes, you can bury these bags in your backyard to enrich your soils.
- Please refer to our botanical preparation instructions. These Botanicals are grown and harvested in pesticide-free environments and it is recommended to use 2-3 botanical pieces per 5 gallons to start, wait 5-7 days, or for the next water exchange to then add more.
- Our aquarium and vivarium botanicals, leaves, and seed pods are not for human consumption, ever.
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Commonly Asked Questions:
1) Will Botanicals Lower The pH Of My Water?
It entirely depends on your water's chemistry. Soft water will allow the botanicals to lower your pH more than if you have medium or hard water. At Betta Botanicals HQ our tap water is Very Hard, ( 350+ppm) and we do not notice a change in water pH unless using Alder Cones or Macaranga Leaves.
2) What Are The Fluffy White Growth On My Botanicals?
White growths are the colonization of biofilms and fungi. We call this the 'goo phase' and it is totally natural. Botanicals are fuel for the ecosystem and the populations of bacteria and fungi will naturally rise and fall.
3) I Don't Keep Bettas. Will These Botanicals Be Okay For My Critters?
100% yes. Our botanicals are for aquariums, terrariums, vivariums, and all natural enclosures wishing to recreate a more natural environment.
4) I Have Goldfish and Axolotls, What Botanicals Should I Avoid?
We DO NOT recommend using botanicals that these fish can ingest. Botanicals like casuarina cones, small alder cones, and live oak are not suited for these animals. Large aquarium leaves like Indian almond, loquat, and jackfruit leaf litter are preferred.
5) When Should I Replace My Aquarium Leaves?
We recommend letting aquarium leaves and seed pods entirely break down into beneficial detritus. You can absolutely remove them after they don’t release tannins anymore, you just won't get all potential benefits of leaving them in the ecosystem.
Betta Botanicals Shipping And DOA Policies 📦
All products from Betta Botanical show live shipping rates from our preferred carriers.
- We offer FREE USA shipping on select USA orders over $35.
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Manzanita Wood and Rasamala Borneo Roots have a USA Flat Shipping fee of $8 - if you are purchasing botanical quantities above $35+ you still still see this $8 shipping fee reflected.
- Our Leaf Litter Lifestyle Merch is shipped direct to you from an off site curator and we cannot offer free shipping on those items.
- If an item has an assigned shipping $ value to it, this $ value is applied even when the order total qualifies for free shipping due to shipping costs, packing material, and time to carefully package your products.
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International Orders, kindly note that customs may impose applicable taxes and duties, which are the responsibility of the customer. If you choose not to cover these fees and decide to return your order, we'll gladly refund you the product cost. However, please be aware that the shipping label cost will not be refunded in this case.
- Aquatic Plants ship for a flat fee of $15.99 via Express methods.
Betta Botanicals is expanding our exclusive line of botanicals globally and we proudly ship to the following countries and territories:
Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Denmark, Greenland, Hungary, Isle of Man, Spain, Svalbard & Jan Mayen, Türkiye, Australia, Albania, U.S. Outlying Islands, and the United States of America.
When Do You Ship Botanicals & Blackwater Aquarium Plants? 🌱🍂
Betta Botanicals Aquatic Plant Shipping Policy (All Aquatic Plants Ship Directly from H2O Plants in Plant City, FL) Some fast growing plants may be restricted in certain states and it is your responsibility to check local laws before purchasing.
Blackwater Aquatic Plant Shipping Schedule
- Orders placed Sunday to Tuesday ship within the same week.
- Orders placed Wednesday to Saturday ship the following week.
- You can generally expect your plants 1–3 days after shipment, although courier delays may occur.
Betta Botanicals Orders: Ship within 1-4 business days.
Merch Orders: You can expect your merch 7-10
business days after shipment confirmation.
Shipping Fees on all Blackwater Aquarium Plants
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All aquatic plants are shipped out of our partner facility via FedEx 2-Day or USPS Priority Mail if you have a PO Box for a flat shipping fee of $15.99. This covers express shipping, box insulation, and/or heat packs. Shipping costs are non-refundable once an order is shipped.
Blackwater Aquarium Plants DOA Policy and Procedures
DOA Guarantee
We understand concerns about ordering live plants online. Rest assured, our DOA (Dead on Arrival) policy guarantees plants will arrive alive and in good condition.
No Returns on Plants
We do not accept returns on aquatic plants, as they typically cannot survive being shipped back.
Plant Arrives in Poor Condition
- Take photos of the unopened package within 6 hours of delivery scan of carrier.
- Email these photos to us for evaluation to info@bettabotanicals.com.
- In some cases, we may ask you to wait a few days to see if the plant recovers—most plants are surprisingly resilient.
- Please do not discard any plants until we’ve responded to your claim.
Resolution
If a plant is confirmed DOA, we will replace, offer a substitute, or refund it if the item is unavailable.
Pests & Algae on Naturally Grown Plants
- Many of our non-tissue-culture plants are grown with natural tank methods (using snails, shrimp, fish, etc.).
- While we strive to remove pests before shipment, we cannot guarantee plants are 100% pest or algae free.
- We cannot issue refunds if minor hitchhikers (snails, algae, duckweed) are found.
- For those who wish to avoid this possibility, we recommend tissue-culture plants or thoroughly cleaning plants upon arrival.
DOA Void
Failure to provide photos of unopened, damaged plants within 6 hours of arrival will void our DOA guarantee.
UPS, FedEx & USPS Policies
- We do not refund or reimburse shipping costs for UPS or USPS in any circumstances once the package is shipped.
- In cases of damage, loss, or delays, replacements may be sent via standard USPS Priority unless the customer pays for an upgraded service.
Lost Packages
- A package is considered lost if it has been in transit for 14 days or more with no delivery scan.
- After 14 days, we can reship your order or issue store credit. If you prefer a refund instead of reshipment/store credit, we will refund 70% of your total, retaining 30% as a fee.
- Lost package claims must be submitted within 30 days of the ship date.
Stolen Packages
- If tracking shows “delivered” but the package is missing, we’ll reship your blackwater aquarium plants order once at no extra charge.
- If you choose a refund instead of reshipment, we will retain 30% of the total as a fee, and you’ll receive 70% back.
- If a reshipped package goes missing again, we will not offer additional refunds or reships.
- Stolen package claims must be made within 30 days of ship date with the carrier used.
Wrong or Incorrect Address Policy for All Orders
- Customers are responsible for providing a complete and accurate shipping address.
- If the address is incorrect and the package is delivered elsewhere, it is the customer’s responsibility to recover it.
- If undeliverable and returned to us, we reserve the right to not reship, refund, or replace items at our discretion.
- We may charge additional fees if reshipment or refunds are granted in such scenarios.
Do I Have To Follow The Botanical Preparation Instructions? 🥣
We strongly recommend following the
botanical preparation instructions. These instructions ensure that any
potential contaminants are removed if they find their way onto your leaves, bark, and seed pods during storage or shipping.