Indian almond leaves

Dugnbeck

Dugnbeck

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Rebecca
Can anyone tell me their experiences with these as antifungal treatment or just an additive to a tank as a preventative? Also, I noticed they are graded A-D. Is grade important?


Rebecca
 
As an anti fungal treatment, I would prefer salt bathing until it's completely gone and then a tea bath to soothe the sick afterwards. I think it suits better as a pretentative rather than a treatment, as it helps tighten the pores of the axolotl, making fungus harder to penetrate their slime coat (that's another reason if prefer salt over tea for treating fungus). You can leave the leaves in the tank and it can help slime coat issues and such too.

As for the grading I'm guessing "A" would have stronger properties than those of a grade "D". So I think grading is just the issue of quality.
 
Ebay explanation of grading can be found here. It depends on whether the leaf is intact or not. Grade A is a whole intact leaf, grade D a bit tatty with holes/tears etc.
 
auntiejude said:
Ebay explanation of grading can be found here. It depends on whether the leaf is intact or not. Grade A is a whole intact leaf, grade D a bit tatty with holes/tears etc.
Click to expand...

Interesting. Does it affect how to releases tannins and stuff? Is it better to have whole leaves or tattered?
 
I used Indian Almond Leaves in my axolotls tank when he had a bacterial infection. He had 3 wounds and the tip of his tail had been bleeding too. We were so worried that with the infection and open wounds he would get a fungal infection too. Luckily he didn't and he's fully recovered now. I'd like to think the leaves helped!
 
Whole versus tattered... I'm fairly certain this would have little or no effect on the release of tannins.
 
Thanks everyone. I had read the grading info but was still unsure how it would pertain to axies since it seemed to be general or even written for fish breeders. I think I'll go ahead and order some to have on hand in case I need them!!! ;)


Rebecca
 
I had originally thought of using them as a preventative but after a ton of research I noticed they also cause PH to drop. I already have to supplement their water as it it always a little more on the acidic side of neutral. My goal was to find a preventative


Rebecca
 
Grade of leaf is not very important for the uses we're talking about, it's more important in fishkeeping and breeding. I got the cheapest ones, they work fine.

The pH drop is due to the tannins being slightly acidic, but thats how they work. In a large axie tank it should not affect the pH significantly.
 
You could try to harden your water with limestone/coral or bird-grit in a stocking hung in your tank or in the filter.
 
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