The leaf from the sea almond, tropical almond, or Indian almond tree (Terminalia catappa) is popular amongst betta keepers and breeders. Why? Almond leaf usage enhances the health of their fish.
Almond leaves release tannins, giving the water a tea-like appearance. These tannins have antifungal and antibacterial properties, which help betta fish combat certain ailments. Tannins also lower water pH, making water conditions more amenable for betta fish. Additionally, the murky tint in the tannin-filled water resembles the natural habitat of the betta, in turn reducing fish exposure to environmental stress.
But how does one use the almond leaf? There are many different ways possible, depending on the hobbyist. But this article recommends a method that minimizes the chance of leaf litter accumulating in your tank:
1.) Fill a cooking pot with reverse osmosis (RO) water or even bottled water — preferably half a gallon’s worth of water for every ten (10) almond leaves being used.
2.) Add 1 teaspoon of aquarium salt to the water.
3.) Chop up a thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger and add to the water, making sure to include the skin or peeling of the ginger as well.
4.) Select 10 pieces of almond leaves. A good size is about six (6) inches long by three (3) or four (4) inches wide. Add these 10 almond leaves to the water mixture.
5.) Boil the mixture for half an hour.
6.) After the half-hour of boiling, get an empty container — if you had used bottled water, you may use the empty bottle as your container.
7.) Place a funnel over the top of the empty bottle/container.
8.) Then, using a strainer atop the funnel, pour the water mixture through the strainer and into the bottle/container. The strainer will minimize litter build up. The water now in your bottle/container can be labeled as “stock.”
9.) When administering the “stock” to your tank, utilize a measuring cup. Depending on the size of your tank, only use 1 ounce of “stock” per 1 gallon of tank capacity. Hence, for a 2 and 1/2 gallon betta tank or aquarium, only use 2.5 ounces of “stock.”
10.) Extra “stock” must be refrigerated.
11.) Replenish your “stock” based on the frequency and amount of water changes you make in your regimen.