Leaves in the tank, anyone?

[mchambers]

Interesting study about forest debris in lakes contributing to food chains and helping fish diets. It's on Canadian lakes, so not directly relevant for the fish we keep, but interesting nonetheless.

http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/forest-loss-starves-fish

Matt

 

[b considine]

Several of my tanks are littered with oak and almond leaves. Some poplar as well. And a bunch of alder cones. It's tannin city.

Blaise

 

[HoleyRockofTex]

Thanks for sharing. I have heard of the almond leaves etc being used for their tannins

 

[mchambers]

I use oak and magnolia, but I thought it was cool to see this study.

 

[neut]

Interesting.

I'm a fan of a natural look for SA fish with a few leaves in the tank, typically dried oak leaves in my case. Interesting to hear some other local type leaves people have used. For magnolia leaves, being a waxy leaf, at what stage do you use them?

 

[mchambers]

I pick them off the ground, wash them, and use them after a period of weeks or months. The waxy aspect is pretty well gone by that point. Magnolia doesn't seem to have any toxicity, according to various web pages, and the leaves keep their shape a little better than oak leaves.

 

[Becca]

I use oak, almond, and alder cones.

Recently I've started using banana leaves after Will (localzoo) gave me some. You have to do a little prep work with them, but baby plecos sure think they're yummy.

 

[golsama]

I have been using almond leaves for a while now along with alder cones. I found that I had higher survival rates with my fry in tanks that I used leaves in. The fry were continually pecking at the leaves so I guess they were getting some yummy stuff from them. I personally like the natural look with a little "tea" color but some people see my tanks and think my water is dirty.

 

[madcobra216]

Does the oak leaves have to be dried or green?

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[jonclark96]

Typically they are dry before you put them in the tank.

 

[neut]

I have been using almond leaves for a while now along with alder cones. I found that I had higher survival rates with my fry in tanks that I used leaves in. The fry were continually pecking at the leaves so I guess they were getting some yummy stuff from them. I personally like the natural look with a little "tea" color but some people see my tanks and think my water is dirty.

Exactly. I've had similar experience with driftwood in fry tanks. Makes for more natural behavior when the fry can graze like that, as opposed to feeding only on your schedule.

Also, the tannins responsible for the tea color are mildly antiseptic, so there's a benefit there as well. Plus, there's some research that indicates fry brain development is less robust in a bare tank.

 

[mchambers]

Yup

Exactly. I've had similar experience with driftwood in fry tanks. Makes for more natural behavior when the fry can graze like that, as opposed to feeding only on your schedule.

Also, the tannins responsible for the tea color are mildly antiseptic, so there's a benefit there as well. Plus, there's some research that indicates fry brain development is less robust in a bare tank.

I usually add leaves to my fry tanks, mostly because I believe that it helps create an environment rich in microflora and microfauna on which the fry graze.

The leaves also give the fry a place to hide. This week, I've taken to shining a flashlight on my corydoras fry tanks, to check on their progress. The fry usually react by dashing under the cover of a leaf.

Interesting point about brain development, by the way.

 

[jonclark96]

Plus, there's some research that indicates fry brain development is less robust in a bare tank.

I have heard this same statement, maybe from one of our speakers over the past year or so. Since that time, I've been putting decorations in my grow out tanks, but still leaving them bare bottomed to help with cleaning. I've had good results with survival rates.

 

[mchambers]

fry and leaves

Arthur, who spoke on breeding corydoras about a year ago, strongly advised not to keep the fry tanks too clean. He thought leaf litter and other detritus was very beneficial for the fry.

 

[madcobra216]

So I've been doing a little research & so far adding leaves ets, only applies to South American Cichlids. My next question is this practice good/beneficial to 'African Cichlids'?
Its seems like adding these leaves lower the PH of the tank & we all know African Cichlids, prefer higher PH.
Let me know what you think


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[Localzoo]

Hmmmm that's a good question...I've never thought to add leaves to my African tanks but I bet there are tons of fallen trees and leaves around the lakes...it would be cool to see if any particular group live amongst these areas.


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[neut]

So I've been doing a little research & so far adding leaves ets, only applies to South American Cichlids. My next question is this practice good/beneficial to 'African Cichlids'?
Its seems like adding these leaves lower the PH of the tank & we all know African Cichlids, prefer higher PH.
Let me know what you think


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I've never had a problem as long as water is buffered to keep ph stable and over 7.

I've had no problem even with moderately visible tannins. Experimented with this a few years ago when I kept some hap and gibberosa fry/juvies in a tank where I was aging some driftwood after an initial cleaning and boiling, with two or three dried oak leaves. Driftwood was still releasing tannins, water was clear but there were enough tannins to keep the water moderately tea colored and the fish in it did quite well. I was basically shuttling driftwood pieces into and out of this tank for several months, meaning tannins were always there. Again, my water was buffered to keep ph stable in the mid 7s... my experience.

 

[hollysangels]

I use oak leaves in my angelfish, guppy, and pleco tanks. I do not use them in my african tanks-pH water is very hard and alkaline, I have artesian well water in my town. I collect the leaves deep in the the woods so I'm sure nobody sprayed their trees with pesticides that may have a long residual coating even with rain. Helps drive down pH and lots of tannins.
I also use lots drifwood and cholla 'wood' in my non-african tanks. Some long established tanks have that 'brown' tinge to them.

 

[captmicha]

I'm a big fan of putting oak leaves in my tanks. I don't keep any hard water tanks, just Amazon scope, mainly so it works out well. I have acidic well water.