Almond leaves

[yeomans]

Hello, Has anyone ever tried those almond leaves that are always for sale on ebay? I'm just wondering if they would actually work, or not?

[yeomans]

I also forgot to say that I'm not interested in changing my water parameters at all, just wondering If anyone uses them or not?

[Tad]

The wild almond leaves are supposed to help against bacterial diseases....I personally havent seen enough proof to prove that they work or are benificial....approach is one leaf per 15 gallons (recommended) to be effective....cost of leaves (ridiculous!)...IMO do WCs, take precautions against contaminaton with multiple tanks, learn as much as you can to diagnose problems before they become a problem and learn how to treat problems when they occur with the proper medicines and cures...

otherwise save your money,
Tad

[ShinShin]

I do not see any benefit in the use of almond leaves in my fishroom.

Mat

[Tad]

Hey Larry,
So you have tried them???.....ever hear from our mutual friend Nate?

regards,
Tad

[Ed13]

I've tried them. At least the ones growing around the island(I've heard the malaysian variety is the one with healing properties). Personally, theres only two ocasions where I think they had an effect, a tank full of Apistograma cacatuoides and batch of cardinal tetras. In both cases fish were going at a fast rate(5-10 daily) with no clear symtoms as soon as the leaves where added there were no more deaths in the apisto tank and soon after in the cardinal tank.
I've never been certain if the leaves did the trick or not. We used around
4 leaves per 20 gallons. Their cheap when the trees grow near your house, school, work, etc...so it din't hurt trying;) . Local breeders of bettas, gourami, angel and apistos keep bags full of the stuff.

BTW, theres nothing more beautyfull than a school of 500 cardinals swimming in tannin rich water. Even sick it was an amazing scene.

[nacra99]

I used them with my betta macrostomas.
They leach tannins into the water and lowers pH pretty significantly, but it is very difficult to control becuase each leaf is different.
Make sure you get the brown ones.

[ShinShin]

Tad,

I have never used them. I did not see a need for them.

Nate must have dropped off the face of the earth. I haven't heard from him in a couple of years or more. I suspect that he is hiding out in Montana somewhere, probabally in a state policeman's uniform. He was trying to get on the state patrol here in Washington. That is the last I have heard about him.

Mat

[Rod]

Some asian exporters include the indian almond leaf in the bags of fish like red tail sharks, apparently it has all sorts of medicinal qualities. I've used gum tree leaves to the same effect here in oz for fish like apistos, sharks and bettas, it seems to me they just appreciate the cover it gives and the tannins gives a color to the water that the fish prefer rather than any magical properties. I would say the fish are healthier because they are in a more ideal enviroment than anything else. I seen the leaves in just about every tank in retail aquarium stores in Malaysia, the trees grow everywhere there.

[Tad]

Tad,

I have never used them. I did not see a need for them.

Nate must have dropped off the face of the earth. I haven't heard from him in a couple of years or more. I suspect that he is hiding out in Montana somewhere, probabally in a state policeman's uniform. He was trying to get on the state patrol here in Washington. That is the last I have heard about him.

Mat

I agree Mat,
I cant really see a need for them except for the tannin propertys.. one can get the same from peat or driftwoods...

As for Nate the last I heard from him he was thinking of moving down to Arizona and taking a temp job with the Border Patrol....but I got a strong feeling he did fall of the face of the earth right into Gods Country called Montana. I also got a strong feeling he still keeps tropicals and hopefully some discus.

good seeing you Mat,
Tad