Bajakah Root | Spatholobus littoralis hassk
Product Description: Red and Yellow Bajakah Root (Spatholobus littoralis hassk) comes from deep in the jungles of Borneo/Kalimantan, Indonesia, growing as an immense tree with aerial roots bathing the jungle floor. There are many different kinds of Bajakah, and in Indonesia, it is often used in medicine because of its incredibly high content of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, tannins, and saponins. We don't usually like to say we have concrete evidence of the medicinal properties of botanicals on fish, but this one, we can't help but be a little more confident that those properties are passed along to your fish. Our varieties provide warm cherry red and yellow colored tannins to the water, and you can either achieve that by adding the wood directly to the aquarium or steeping it in a mug and adding it once cooled. Like with our sappan wood, this is one product you do not have to prepare; simply add it directly. This bag and its contents are compostable! Did you know our product packaging is made from renewable and sustainable materials? So just like the botanicals inside, it will compost when returned to nature.
Ecological & Functional Notes
- Ecological Function: Red & Yellow Bajakah Root releases tannins and humic substances that help replicate Southeast Asian blackwater habitats.
- Botanical Method Role: Provides slow-decomposing surface area for biofilm, fungal colonization, and microfauna support.
- Vivarium & Shrimp Use: Ideal for shrimp grazing, dart frog enclosures on the forest floor.
- Aesthetic: Distinct reddish-brown fibrous texture, breaking down slowly while enriching water with soft yellow and red tint.
Not for human consumption. Preparation NOT Required.
Quantities: 40g+ Bajakah Root. Chunks of about 1" to 2" in diameter and 0.5" thick. Sizes and shapes range. This is a natural product, and variation between leaves and botanicals is expected.
Aquarium Botanical Location: Borneo/Kalimantan, Indonesia.
Bajakah Root | Spatholobus littoralis hassk
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.