Colombian Mango Leaves | Mangifera indica
Product Description: Sustainably sourced Mango Leaves (Mangifera indica) from Colombia that are naturally fallen and sun-dried from trees adjacent to the natural habitats of popular species of dart frogs and blackwater fish. These speckled leaves with strong veins help recreate the natural diversity of Colombian leaf litter beds in both the botanical method aquarium and vivarium.
Our Colombian-sourced Mango leaves support the natural behaviors of Plecos, Corydoras, Dwarf Cichlids, and Tetras, while releasing beneficial organic compounds into the water. Their deep amber coloration and long, slender profile create a functionally aesthetic substrate layer that encourages grazing, sheltering, and spawning behaviors. As they soften over time, Mango leaves foster biofilm development and offer supplemental nutrition to detritivores like snails and shrimp.
With a moderate tannin content, Mango leaves lend a rich golden-brown tint to the water, making them ideal for aquarists seeking that dark-water aesthetic. Their aromatic compounds released during preparation are quite pleasant, contributing to the immersive experience of the Botanical Method Aquarium.
In the vivarium, Mango leaves help build a nutrient-rich leaf litter layer that benefits springtails, isopods, and other essential cleanup crew members. Once saturated, their curved shape helps promote refuge sites, particularly dart frogs from the Ranitomeya genus. Combined with our other Colombian Botanicals, Mango leaves help replicate the ever-changing forest floor of Colombian rainforest habitats.
Our packaging is home compostable. Just like the botanicals inside, it will break down naturally and return to the soil, because what supports your ecosystem should minimally impact our planet.
Not for human consumption. Preparation required.
Quantities: 20c Mango Leaves from Colombia
Size Range: ~6–12” long × 1–2” wide
Aquarium Botanical Location: Colombia
This is a natural product—variation in color, texture, and shape is expected.
Colombian Mango Leaves | Mangifera indica
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.