Climbing Swamp Fern | Stenochlaena palustris
Product Description: The climbing swamp fern (Stenochlaena palustris) comes from the deep jungles of Indonesia and contains a lot of medicinal benefits for fish, shrimp, and other aquatic life. The high concentrations of flavanols in this plant produce a strong antibacterial and mild antifungal response, acting as a preventative in fish disease. At Betta Botanicals, we love them for their texture, and there is something about using a fern in a botanical aquarium that just looks tropical. We love to use these with our betta fish, neon tetras, corydoras, and shrimp, and have found their tannin content relatively high. These giant climbing ferns produce some big leaves, depending on their age, and a wide spread of sizes is included. 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.
Quantities: 24c Swamp Fern Leaves. Sizes range from 2" to 6" long and 2" wide. Sizes range. This is a natural product, and variation between leaves and botanicals is expected.
Preparation Required. Not for Human Consumption.
Botanical Location: West Java, Indonesia
Climbing Swamp Fern | Stenochlaena palustris
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.