# Banana Leaves and Indian Almond Leaves



## NyanRose (Oct 19, 2016)

Hope I picked the right thread for this, but I have read a lot about banana leaves and indian almond leaves lately. Is there someone anyone suggests where I can get these and what is your opinion on them? I did manage to order some indian almond leaves on amazing, they should arrive in a few weeks. But if there is a better place for the future I would love to know. Also any idea if these are alright for my otocinclus and cory? Since they are natural I would assume they would be fine, but would rather be certain.


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

Make sure their 'organic' no pesticides used on the trees they come from. If you don't mind the wait you can get a lot of them on e-bay from over seas for a lot less than on amazon. What is you tap's pH? The leaves can lower pH (depending on how many used, size of tank, and your hardness which buffers pH). Otos and cory typically like low end of basic, to neutral/acidic water depending on species, so if you have 7.5 or higher pH the leaves will be a help. Just be mindful when you do water cahnges to pre-soak leaves in the new water to bring down the pH, or don't do huge water changes (10-20% at most) if you don't pre-treat the new water.

I don't use the IAL that often except in one tank that has plants that prefer lower pH range than my tap.


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## NyanRose (Oct 19, 2016)

not sure of the exact ph at the moment, but I will keep that in mind. Hmmm I don't know if any were used on them. Would a good soak before adding them to the tank help if they did have pesticides used on them?


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## NyanRose (Oct 19, 2016)

can't find the edit button to edit the last post, but I just checked the PH and it's at 6.5 from strips that test between 6.0 and 9.0 so pretty low


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

NyanRose said:


> can't find the edit button to edit the last post, but I just checked the PH and it's at 6.5 from strips that test between 6.0 and 9.0 so pretty low


Get an API liquid test kit for freshwater pHa dn hgih PH (or just get api freshwater master liquid test kit). Strips are useless. With pH flux/swing -especially for sensitive fish like otos- a 0.5 swing in one direction very suddenly can end badly. Even a pH swing between 6 and 9pH done too quickly can mess up a fairly durable betta. So a reading that spans over 3 pH (covering acidic, neutral, and basic) is useless. Liquid test kits are much more reliable.

btw edit button does away after 20 minutes past time you hit 'submit' on post.


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## NyanRose (Oct 19, 2016)

ah good to know. I may sometime but not at the moment. I did pick up a little banana plant today and put it in Chiyo's solo tank to see how it goes. Never used one before but I figured I would see if it lives or not.


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