{"product_id":"indian-almond-leaves-xlarge-terminalia-catappa","title":"XLarge Indian Almond \u0026 Catappa Leaves | Terminalia catappa","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c!-- obsidian --\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eExtra Large Indian Almond \u0026amp; Catappa Leaves on the Surface:\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur Extra Large \u003cem\u003eTerminalia catappa\u003c\/em\u003e leaves are seashore-grown along the Indonesian coastline, similar to our Small and Large IAL, where the stable ocean climate produces thick, broad leaves with a balanced tannin and humic substance profile. At full size, a single leaf covers a meaningful portion of the aquarium substrate, which makes them the practical choice for larger aquariums and for goldfish and axolotls. Our favorite way to use them is laid flat across the substrate as a base layer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eEssential Details\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTannin Level:\u003c\/strong\u003e Moderate to High\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTint Color:\u003c\/strong\u003e Warm amber to deep brown\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDurability:\u003c\/strong\u003e Moderate; 3 to 6 weeks\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHabitat Location:\u003c\/strong\u003e Tropical Asia; pantropical; riparian margins, blackwater tributaries, coastal leaf-litter zones\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOptimal For:\u003c\/strong\u003e Goldfish, axolotls, \u003cem\u003eSymphysodon\u003c\/em\u003e spp. (discus), angelfish, larger cichlids, \u003cem\u003eCaridina\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eNeocaridina\u003c\/em\u003e shrimp, dart frogs, isopods and springtails\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUse with Caution:\u003c\/strong\u003e No known concerns for standard aquarium inhabitants.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize Range:\u003c\/strong\u003e Approximately 10 to 13 inches long; variation in shape, color, and texture is natural and expected\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eQuantities:\u003c\/strong\u003e 12 count and 25 count Extra Large Indian Almond and Catappa Leaves per pack\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eExtra Large Indian Almond \u0026amp; Catappa Leaves for Aquariums \u0026amp; Vivariums\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce added to the aquarium, biofilms begin colonizing the leaf surface within a few days. This extracellular microbial community provides a grazing resource for shrimp, microfauna, and small fishes, which we call supplemental nutrition. A dozen of these leaves will build a robust leaf litter bed in a 40-gallon aquarium. Building that bed from several materials supports a broader microbial community, because each leaf and pod carries a different lignin and tannin composition that cultivates slightly different assemblages of bacteria and fungi. We layer our Extra Large catappa alongside other favorites like \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/bettabotanicals.com\/products\/guava-leaves\" title=\"Shop Guava Leaves at Betta Botanicals\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eGuava Leaves\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/bettabotanicals.com\/products\/guava-leaves\" class=\"external-link\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e for their durability and a handful of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/bettabotanicals.com\/products\/alder-cones\" title=\"Shop Alder Cones at Betta Botanicals\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAlder Cones\u003c\/a\u003e for a higher tannin contribution.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen we allow these leaves to break down fully into the substrate, they release tannins, flavonoids, and humic substances into the water column. Bacteria and fungal hyphomycetes soften the cell structure, and humic and fulvic acids accumulate for weeks and months, contributing to the soft, tinted water chemistry that characterizes blackwater habitats. We recommend adding catappa leaves, or any leaf litter, as a recurring input rather than a single addition. We layer fresh leaves on top every few weeks between water exchanges and leave the older ones where they are, so the litter bed deepens as the lower layers finish breaking down into the perpetual substrate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhole leaves at this size create refuge and spawning surfaces ideal for larger fishes. Discus, angelfish, and larger cichlids can use them as territorial boundaries within the litter bed. Smaller fishes make use of them in a different way. A single leaf laid across the substrate creates one continuous refuge site, and one or two would fill the substrate of a nano aquarium entirely. For goldfish and axolotls, a leaf of this size stays well beyond ingestion range, which is why we point those keepers toward large leaf sizes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn bioactive vivariums, extra large catappa leaves build the forest floor understory cover that dart frogs and clean-up-crew populations depend on as they forage. There is no need to remove them once they have fully broken down, as the detritus and mulm they create feeds the bacterial and fungal network beneath the leaves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eBeneath the Leaves: \u003cem\u003eTerminalia catappa\u003c\/em\u003e in the Wild\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTerminalia catappa\u003c\/em\u003e is a mid-canopy tree of tropical coastlines, river mouths, and coastal plains. It sheds its whole canopy at once rather than a few leaves at a time, with the leaves turning yellow and then vivid red before they drop. In the slow-moving blackwater streams of the Indo-Pacific, these large leaves help create the base of leaf litter zones, with smaller leaves and fragments settling into the spaces between them. Wild \u003cem\u003eBetta\u003c\/em\u003e species, rasboras, and small catfishes can move through this matrix of botanical materials to forage, shelter, and spawn within it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen we add Extra Large Indian Almond \u0026amp; Catappa Leaves into the aquarium, we replicate the allochthonous inputs that fuel the food webs of aquatic ecosystems around the globe. Mother Nature leads the way.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eSustainability Note:\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis product's packaging is home compostable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJust like the botanicals inside, it will break down naturally and return to the soil — because what supports your ecosystem should minimally impact our planet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNot for human consumption. Preparation required.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis is a natural product — variation in color, shape, and texture is expected.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Betta Botanicals | Natural Aquarium Products","offers":[{"title":"12c XLarge Indian Almond Leaves","offer_id":45501711843504,"sku":"12cXLcatappa","price":7.75,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"25c XLarge Indian Almond Leaves","offer_id":45501711876272,"sku":"25cXLcatappa","price":12.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0598\/7948\/9712\/files\/xlarge-catappa-leaves-shrimp-tank.jpg?v=1785869981","url":"https:\/\/bettabotanicals.com\/products\/indian-almond-leaves-xlarge-terminalia-catappa","provider":"Betta Botanicals | Natural Aquarium Products","version":"1.0","type":"link"}