# Indian Almond Leaf- Question!!



## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

My order finally came :roll: (only waiting eagerly for 3 weeks). I got Indian ALmond Leaves from Malaysia.. o.o They're the size of a man's hand!!! :-? My tank is 2.5-3 gals so how much would you suggest I add? 

Ps, it's not for breeding (obviously bc the only other female animal in the house besides me is the bunny;-)) I got the leaves to make the water more like home  I like the brown pond look too! ^.^ 

I read somewhere that one regular sized IAL would be good for 3 weeks in a 10 gal... But these are huge and my tank is small! 

Anyone able to help out!? Thanks in advance!


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## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

http://www.indianalmondleaves.com/aquariums.php I found this site for anyone else wondering about them!


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

For 3 gals I'd put half a leaf in. Usually I throw a whole one in there but your water will be coke if you do that. I do that with fish who need to heal up. Just to give the water a tint half a leaf should do.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

Thanks! I just cut half the leaf into 2 peices and blocked the bubbles from the aerator with it. I figure I can break the bubbles that come to spread across his surface while also helping to distribute the tannins. He already loves it ^-^ He's been picking at it already!


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## HatsuneMiku (Jul 29, 2011)

just a side note .. since i learned the hard way .. 

IAL's stink after being sumberged .. and they make ur water stinky .. and filter (if u have one) stinky .. it's kinda smells like stale mud/dirt .. but it's normal .. (i flipped out and though something was rotting .. cus it kinda smells that bad .. but it might just be because more sensitive to bad smells)


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

I don't notice any smell in my tanks and I use IAL all the time.


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## Banicks (Aug 20, 2011)

For bettas, put a 1-2 sq inch piece (or a quarter of a leaf) into each 1 gallons (4 litre) tank. So Laki, for your tank 1 leaf should be fine (no harm in overdosing IAL).

For usual aquarium (with tetras, gouramis, arrowanas, apistos etc), put 2-3 leaves per 25 gallons (100 litres) of water for 14-21 days. Simply put the leaves into the aquarium. After 1-2 days the leaves will be water-logged and sink. Apart from their benefical effects on the water, they will tan the water slightly (to a clear amber) and provide a very natural stream-bottom look to your aquarium. Alternatively, you can boil the leaves to make blackwater extract and dose when you need. Soaking the leaves in a bucket for a week will produce a similar result.

Taken from my supplier on eBay Amy's Ketapang Inc (I recommend to anyone, the most professional eBayer I've every come across and very helpful) 

http://stores.ebay.com.au/Amys-Ketapang-Inc/_i.html?_fsub=2

Additionally, I've never had any smells caused by IAL use. Perhaps they were treated with something by customs or not the real deal?


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## HatsuneMiku (Jul 29, 2011)

i might be putting too much leaf/g in mine .. i used 2 in a 1g and let it brown for 2 days before a w/c .. is this too much ?..

mine are from amy's too can't be contaminated


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

No such thing as too much.


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## HatsuneMiku (Jul 29, 2011)

T_T .. duno what that smell is comming from .. since he was in a epsom salt qt tank with nothing but the ial leaves and betta 

but then i could just be more sensitive to the woodsy wet tree dirt smell ..


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## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

I like the tree smell, as long as it's normal. Not that mine does currently:/ But the driftwood, when it was new, smelled a bit. It's all for the good of the fish! And I LOVE the pond water look!! He seems happier with it. I guess mine are resting on plants or something but they haven't sunk yet.. Still keeping the bubbles from spreading! It works great!


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## Banicks (Aug 20, 2011)

@Hatsune: There is no harm in overdosing the IAL to my knowledge. I think more than anything it would just be a waste of IAL. Perhaps the Betta would form an immunity to it if done often and would require an overdose amount to have the same effect a to a correct dose in other Betta?

It depends, the only way Amy's would get contaminated is from customs treating them without advising you. Amy told me that if I get a call from customs saying it needed treatment, tell them no and destroy. She would have then sent me another batch. But I highly doubt customs would have done that without advising you first.

I love the wood smell myself, but it does go away once it's been in the tank a few day. So I don't think it is that.

Im thinking the smell may be a combination of the ES and IAL. I will let you know, because my rescue is in his gallon hospital tank with ES and IAL as of yesterday!


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## roubidoux (Aug 30, 2011)

I was looking at the IAL on ebay--what do the different grades mean? Is it important to get grade A or does it matter?


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## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

I never noticed different grades myself.. But grade A in anything is usually a better quality. For IAL I think they only dry out regular leaves so the tannins should be mostly the same :/ Nothing is added to it. Maybe the grades mean size?


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## Banicks (Aug 20, 2011)

She actually explains the grades on her eBay site.

It's to do with leaf size, quality (broken, torn etc) and how they have been found (in the shade, half half, out in the sun).

I purchased 100 of A+, it was still about half the price ($15 inc P&H) of my PFS who stocks an Aussie branded name (25 for $25).


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## cherrybello (Aug 8, 2011)

Banicks said:


> I purchased 100 of A+, it was still about half the price ($15 inc P&H) of my PFS who stocks an Aussie branded name (25 for $25).


Whoa, I didn't know that you could import IAL, or that shops in Australia stocks them. I am living in the wrong city... if I wanted tannins, I always had to use black water extract... I know how strict our customs can sometimes be, because I travel out of the country quite often, and I get a few things confiscated in luggage when I fly back in, and I had some stuff confiscated that I eBayed too.


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## Banicks (Aug 20, 2011)

Hi cherrybello, our customs are pretty tight when it comes to most living things. I was relatively concerned about importing them as a result, I held little hope of them getting through until I found Amy on eBay. 

She goes into great details about herself, the process she undertakes and also customs procedures (she is very well versed on how to get her leaves through customs in Australia). Once you purchase leaves she will send you an email detailing what will happen.

The email is extremely professional and helpful. She will even go so far as to tell you that if there is an issue with the leaves at customs, they will contact you personally and probably ask you to 'treat' them, this will destroy the good qualities of the leaf including tannins. Instead, she will recommend that you ask them to destroy the leaves, and then you let her know. She then sends another batch of the same for free.

I didnt have any problems with customs. The leaves I received were in a zip lock bag clearly labelled with scientific name, as well as a free gift, in a box. It was opened by customs for inspection, they left documentation to indicate it passed inspection.

All in all, she has done her research extremely well for them to come from Singapore, through customs and to me within a week. For $15, that's a deal of the century IMO.

In regards to Sydney based aquarium selling IAL, I thought it was quite rare of a find also. It's because the aquarium I bought Victor from is mainly run by guys with direct contacts in Asia for their Betta fish, they're have the best setup of Bettas in individual 2g tanks for sale. When I was there they had new stock come in via plastic cups - but considering it just got there it can be forgiven. (Aquaristic in Sydney, if you're ever in town)

I went to the website of the IAL company direct, but they were still very expensive, leading me to search elsewhere and comming across Amy.

I can only say finally, I highly recommend getting your IALs from her.


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## HatsuneMiku (Jul 29, 2011)

@bannicks

i don't think US is strict on IAL's .. as i didn't have any calls or e-mails from customs when i got them from e-bay .. they were in the bag labeled and packaged nicely .. exactly the way you have said it .. amy's great !!

Im thinking the smell may be a combination of the ES and IAL. I will let you know, because my rescue is in his gallon hospital tank with ES and IAL as of yesterday!

now i'm thinking this combination could be the reason too .. i put 2 ial leaves in with 2teaspoon/g epsom salt when yuki was in qt i hope your rescue feels better soon T_T


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## Banicks (Aug 20, 2011)

HatsuneMiku - lucky USA peoples! Australian customs are a nightmare. When I went to Japan I was given a Samurai Sword as a present...they checked everything! I even declared 0.o Never walked quite the same way after that....

Thanks, I hope your lil dude pulls through well too!


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## HatsuneMiku (Jul 29, 2011)

omg banicks @[email protected] that must have been horrifying .. i always forget to declare stuff when i come back into US (like alcohol and tobacco and stuff .. not sure if i even have to as long as it's under the max amount i think @[email protected] .. not sure .. but i never bothered to fill out that form thing when the stewardess pass them out on the plane) .. haven't had any second looks so far .. ^_^ *knocks on wood*

my lil dude is been in and out of qt for months .. hes in clean water now .. i figure 2 weeks in epsom salt and IALs shoud be enough .. and he's finally pooing normally .. still a little swollen D= ...and floatie @[email protected] .. duno why .. i think i'll just have to keep him in there till he can swim down and not floatie right back up ..


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## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

o.e Banicks... Oh dear. 
I think Canadian customs are pretty lax too. Even though it took me an extra week or so over what it was supposed to be -_-''


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## cherrybello (Aug 8, 2011)

Normally when I fly in I bring nothing but dried and processed food, last time I took a detour to Japan and I returned with lots and lots of green tea (bags, leaves, powder...etc). Because there were way too many the custom officer couldn't be bothered checking it all... but my friend had sachet instant coffee confiscated out of mail package before...wonder what it was... 

...I know all too well what the Australian custom officers are like...

I think I'll stock up on some IAL too, thanks Banicks


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## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

Silly question. Just pop a whole leaf into the tank? Don't need to do anything special with it?


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

Thats what I do silver, Spidey loves to build nests around them, the girls claim them as shade and my gourami eats his lol I am ordering 200 Grade As from Amy as well, as our local breeder uses her IAL.


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## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

Ah, got my order earlier this week, just wanted to make sure I didn't need to rinse it or anything.


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

Im sure rinsing it with conditioned water wouldn't hurt


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## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

sounds like a good idea.


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## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

I never thought of that but I cut it in half (1 full leaf per 10 gals) and I never rinsed it.. Lakitu's been pretty resilient


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