Fishtail Palm Stems | Caryota mitis
Product Description: Fishtail Palm Stems (Caryota mitis) are a unique twig-like botanical to help diversify and replicate a more natural substrate in blackwater, biotope, and botanical method aquariums, and bioactive enclosures. Harvested from the flower stalk of the Fishtail Palm, these stems appear as if they have miniature acorns attached to them. Their light tan color contrasts nicely with leaf litter and other botanicals, just as we'd find in nature.
Perfect for layering over sand, tucking into leaf litter, or breaking up open spaces in hardscape, these botanicals are quite versatile at building your ecosystem. In larger aquariums, they can be left intact, while in nano tanks, they can be broken to fit your desired layout. As they break down, they provide a substrate for biofilm growth, supporting the natural food web for shrimp, microfauna, and detritivores.
In bioactive enclosures, these stems serve as a durable substrate for isopods, springtails, and other clean-up crew members to forage on, helping provide supplemental nutrition for your frogs and other critters.
About the Plant
The Fishtail Palm (Caryota mitis) is a fascinating species native to Southeast Asia, growing in humid forests, limestone-rich soils, and disturbed woodlands. Named for its distinct, fishtail-shaped leaflets, this clustering palm can reach heights of 40 feet, producing long, arching leaves and dense clusters of stems. The plant follows an unusual flowering cycle, with inflorescences first appearing at the crown and progressively moving downward until the entire stem completes its lifecycle. While individual trunks die after flowering, the palm continues to regenerate through basal suckers, maintaining its presence in the landscape.
Sustainably sourced from Sri Lanka, these flower stalks are collected after their natural life cycle, ensuring minimal environmental impact. This bag and its contents are biodegradable! Our packaging is made from renewable, sustainable sugarcane and will compost just like the botanicals inside.
Preparation Required. Not for Human Consumption.
Quantities: 12c Fishtail Palm Stems. Sizes range from 6" to 12". This is a natural product, and variation between leaves and botanicals is expected.
Aquarium Botanical Location: Sri Lanka
Fishtail Palm Stems | Caryota mitis
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.