Indian almonds for aquarium content. Flora of Thailand
Botanical name: Indian almonds, Tropical almond or Umbrella tree (Terminilia catappa) is a genus of Terminalia, family Combretaceae.
Homeland of Indian almonds: Australia, India.
Lighting: photophilous.
Soil: fresh, loose substrate.
Watering: moderate.
Max Height: 25 m.
Average lifespan of a tree: more than 100 years.
Landing: seeds.
Description of the plant and leaf of Indian almond
Indian almond is a tree that reaches up to 25 m in height with a horizontally spread crown up to 20 m in width. The leaves are large, obovate, dense, shiny, dark green, fleecy below, up to 30 cm long, up to 14 cm wide. They are supported on petioles 1.5 cm long. With a lack of moisture, they acquire a pink-red or light brown tint, then fall off. The flowers are small, light green, have a specific bad smell, collected in elongated inflorescences resembling a spike.
The fruit is a flattened, almond-shaped drupe, 7 cm long and 3-5 cm wide. Unripe fruits are green; when ripe, they become yellow, red, and pink. The taste is sour, reminiscent of almonds. Inside there is a bone with a woody shell.
A characteristic feature of the tree is the leaves of the Indian almond, which tend to acquire a bright red hue. This is very rare in tropical countries where most of the plants are all year round green.
Spreading
This plant is cultivated in tropical countries. Grows in India Southeast Asia, Northern Australia, Guinea, America, Africa, Mexico, Philippines.
Application
Indian almond trees are decorative; thanks to their wide, spreading crown, they create extensive shade, therefore they are used for landscaping parks, squares, and also decorating garden plots.
The kernels from the fruit seeds are eaten raw and fried, and are used to prepare edible oil. The cake serves as feed for pigs. The bark, leaves and fruits are used in folk medicine for the treatment of headaches, dysentery, skin dermatitis, arterial hypertension. The leaves are used to make black dye and their fibers are used to make clothing. Leaf extract is found in cosmetic preparations. In addition, the leaf of the umbrella tree is added to the food of tropical ornamental fish to stimulate reproduction and improve its color.
People often ask me what kind of tree this is.
I still didn’t know it myself... but I’m sharing it today
Terminalia catappa is a plant of the Combretaceae family, a species of the genus Terminalia, widely cultivated in tropical countries for its almond-like kernels.
A deciduous dioecious tree in the dry season, up to 35 m high, with light bark. The leaves are large, obovate, 15-25 cm long and 10-14 cm wide, with petioles 5-15 mm long. The leaf blades are shiny, dark green, sometimes covered with hairs below. Leaves fall during the dry season. Before falling, they become pale pink-reddish or yellow-brown, due to the pigments they contain.
The flowers are small, unisexual, white-green, without petals, collected in racemes in the leaf axils. The fruit is a flattened oval or ovoid drupe, 5-7 cm long and 3-5.5 cm wide, first green in color, then when ripe it becomes yellow, red or pink. The pericarp is fibrous and fleshy, sour in taste, the stone is hard, with a woody shell.
The kernels from the fruit seeds taste close to almonds. They are eaten raw or roasted and obtained from edible oil. Cake - feed for pigs. The bark and leaves contain tannin. They are also used to make black toothpaste and ink. The leaves are food for the silkworm Antheraea paphia. In India and Guinea, the bark of the roots and trunk, as well as the oil of the nuts, are medicinal products. Fibers from the leaves are used in Madras (South India) to make clothes. The leaves of the plant can also serve as food wrapping material instead of paper. The tree is very decorative. It is often planted as an alley and shading plant. The wood is used for buildings and carpentry.
I often call it the Tree of Life. In Thailand it is called Hu Kwang. Used very widely. An important one is treatment.
The fruits are almond-shaped nuts that turn red or orange before falling. The kernel is edible and has an almond flavor.
Thanks to its wide leaves, this tree provides good shade, and its powerful root system can keep soil from erosion and erosion.
Hu Kwang can be seen almost everywhere along the seashore, on beaches and is sometimes called the sea almond.
I asked the Thais, but they answered me somehow evasively. Some say it's edible. Others don't.
It's funny. So try it yourself. Try your luck. Well, if it heals, it certainly won’t cripple;)
I've been using it for several years now various types fallen leaves in your aquarium. It all started with large brown leaves that I saw in a local dealer's aquarium a few years ago.
I became interested in the purpose for which they are there, to which the owner said that exporters always supply demanding fish with several leaves in the water, and they supposedly contain some kind of medicinal substances.
I was intrigued and even received it as a gift since there was already an abundance of leaves. After which I brought them home, put them in the aquarium and forgot until they completely dissolved.
After a while, I recognized these same leaves on a website where they were being sold at auction as Indian almond tree leaves and after some thought I purchased a pair. The task was to understand whether they are really useful or all this is fantasy.
After initial positive results and further research, I switched to collecting local leaves and evaluating their usefulness for aquarists. Why not? After all, local driftwood and branches are also used for decoration, but why are leaves worse?
Now I constantly use fallen leaves in each of my aquariums, especially with fish that naturally live in water where the bottom is covered with such leaves. This is the wild form, apistogramma, badis, angelfish and other fish, especially if they spawn.
My work involves traveling and I spend a lot of time in various parts countries. I collected and used scaly oak leaves ( Quercus robur), sessile oak (Quércus pétraea), Turkish oak (Q. cerris), red oak (Q. rubra), European beech(Fagus sylvatica), hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), maple (Acer palmatum). Cones European alder sticky (Alnus glutinosa) also turned out to be quite useful.
These plants are just a small part of everything that I have tried and I hope in the future I will be able to expand this list even more. Of course, I myself am in another country, and not all the plants that grow here can be found in yours, but I am sure that some, and perhaps many species will still come across. However, still be careful when using fallen leaves, especially if you are keeping sensitive species.
Why are fallen leaves needed in an aquarium?
The fact is that some aquarium fish, such as discus, can live their lives quite well in nature and will never encounter living plants. This is especially true for fish that live in water with fallen leaves on the bottom, where high acidity and lack of light make the habitat extremely unfavorable for plants.
There is no luxurious ground cover, dense thickets of long stems and crystal clean water. There are a lot of leaves at the bottom, the water is acidic and dark brown in color from tannins that enter the water from rotting leaves.
The fallen leaves play very big role in the lives of many fish species, for example, I saw several hundred Apistogrammai spp on square meter who were rummaging through such foliage.
What are the advantages?
Yes, it’s all about the tannins that fallen leaves release into the water. Adding dead fallen leaves has the effect of releasing humic substances and this will lower the pH aquarium water, will act as an antibacterial and antifungal agent, and also reduce the content of heavy metals in water.
It has been proven that such water has a stimulating effect on fish ready for spawning, and helps fish that have suffered stress or suffered in a fight to recover faster. In my personal opinion, using leaves in an aquarium has many more advantages than disadvantages.
The color of the water in the aquarium serves as an indicator of how much tannins have accumulated. Water with an excess amount quickly changes its color to light brown, and this is easy to notice without resorting to tests.
Some do it differently. Place a separate bucket of water into which the leaves are poured generously and soaked. If you need to tint the water a little, then simply take some of this water and add it to the aquarium.
You will notice that many tropical fish will become more active in brownish water and dim lighting.
Are there any other advantages?
Yes, I have. I have noticed that the decaying leaves in the aquarium serve as a food source for the fish, especially the fry. The fry grow faster, are healthier and you can often see flocks of fry gathering in places where there are a lot of leaves.
Apparently the decaying leaves produce various mucus (since in water containing tannins the processes take place differently), which the fry feed on. Well, don’t forget that this is a good nutrient medium for feeding small fry just wonderful.
Which leaves are suitable?
The most important thing is to correctly identify, collect and prepare foliage. It is important to use only fallen ones, not those that are still alive and growing.
In autumn, the foliage dies and falls, covering the ground in abundance. It is she who interests us. If you don’t know what the species you need look like, then the easiest way is to look on the Internet; we are interested in oak and almond leaves, first of all.
Although, perhaps everyone knows oak and it’s not difficult to find. Collect leaves away from roads and various landfills, not dirty or covered in bird droppings.
I usually collect several bags of leaves, then take them home and dry them.
It is better to dry in the garage or yard, as they may contain large number insects that are not really needed at home. Storing them is very simple, just a dark and dry place.
How to use leaves in an aquarium?
Do not boil or pour boiling water over them before use. Yes, you will sterilize them, but at the same time you will remove many useful substances. I just drop them as is, they usually float on the surface, but within a day they sink to the bottom.
Unfortunately, there is no single rule for how and how many leaves to use; you will have to proceed by trial and error.
But add four or five almond leaves and the water will become the color of strongly brewed tea.
Leaves do not need to be removed from the aquarium, as they gradually disintegrate on their own and are simply replaced with new portions. Some of them will disintegrate within a couple of months, like almond leaves, and some within six months, like oak leaves.
Post navigationIndian almond leaves ( Terminalia Catappa leaves) for a long time were a secret that only South Asian breeders knew. However, experts have long noticed that the fish that lived next to the Indian almond trees (naturally, the leaves of this tree fell directly into the water) were much healthier and had brighter colors than other fish. So it was decided to conduct an experiment with adding almond leaves to the aquarium in order to bring the living conditions of the fish as close as possible to natural ones. The experiment was successful, which marked the beginning of the massive use of Indian almond leaves in aquarium farming. Adding them to the aquarium has really helped the fish become healthier and have significantly improved reproduction rates.
Chemical properties Indian almond leaves
Dried Indian almond leaves produce a "black extract" that gradually imparts brown, similar to tea, and also lowers the pH level and releases the following organic compounds:
- humic acids,
- flavonoids (quercetin and campherol),
- tannins (punicalkagin), which absorb harmful chemicals.
Tannins are high molecular weight phenolic compounds containing sufficient quantity hydroxyls and carboxyls for the formation of effective protein complexes and other macromolecules in natural conditions. Humic acids are a complex mixture of partially decomposed and other transformed particles organic origin. Freshwater humic acids can come from the most different sources, most of which are on land (formed from decomposed land vegetation). These substances are taken up by lakes and rivers, undergo further transformation and eventually dissolve in the ocean.
Humic acid contains sulfur, phosphorus, nitrogen in different proportions. It also contains metals such as: Mg, Zn, Cu, Ca, Zn and others. These metals are naturally chelated, which means they are easily absorbed by aquarium inhabitants. Humic acid can refer to two different groups, which depends on the size of its individual connections. The smaller, that is, more polar humic fraction is called fulvic acid. It should be noted that humic acids are the final product of microbial decomposition of plant and animal residues, being one of the most important components of fertile soils.
Tannins, lingins and fulvic acids are subclasses of humic acids. They all color the water yellow. Tannic and humic acids may be useful in inhibiting many types of bacteria, including cyanobacteria, and they also have beneficial effects on aquarium fish. Another paradoxical effect of using humic acids is the detoxification of heavy metals. Additionally, when humic material and detritus enter the aquarium, they quickly absorb and detoxify many chemicals, including zinc, aluminum and copper!
You also need to know that if the water hardness is high, more humates must be added to it. And, conversely, at low lime concentrations, less humates are required. In soft water with a low percentage of humates, fish and other aquarium inhabitants feel as natural as possible. This balance of substances in aquarium water promotes the activation of spawning in fish.
Indian almond tree
The scientific name of this tree is Terminalia catappa. In everyday life, this tree is called as follows: Almond, Ketapang, Hu Kwang, etc. Belongs to the Comb family. Tropical almond trees are large deciduous trees, which are used as ornamental vegetation in many cities tropical zone. They are native to India and reach a height of 90 feet. The leaves are large, obovate, reaching 15-25 cm in length, 10-14 cm in width, and the length of the petioles is 5-15 mm. The leaf blade is shiny, dark green, covered with hairs underneath. Leaf fall occurs during the dry season. The leaves turn reddish or yellow-brown in color before they fall due to the pigment they contain.
The flowers of the almond tree are small in size, white-green, unisexual, have no petals, and form clusters in the axils of the foliage. The shape of the fruit is a flattened drupe of ovoid or oval type, growing up to 7 cm in length and up to 5.5 cm in width. At first the leaves have green, and during ripening they turn red or pink. The almond pericarp is fleshy and fibrous, tastes sour, and the seed is hard and enclosed in a tree-like shell.
The almond tree grows in hot climates and requires moist and well-drained soil. Shows resistance to drought, but does not tolerate frost. You can grow your tropical almond tree in a container that will allow you to control its size over the years.
Use of almonds for medicinal purposes
The leaves, bark and fruits of the almond tree are actively used in traditional medicine. In Indonesia, they treat asthma, stop bleeding, heal teeth, and eliminate nausea during travel. In Mexico, almonds are used to treat headaches, rheumatism and scabies. In India, almond tree is used to treat dysentery. In the Philippines, almonds are used to combat eye problems, treat coughs, diarrhea and rheumatism.
Almond leaves treat bacterial infections in fish and also promote faster healing of wounds on their body. This natural remedy is a good alternative to commercial drugs, but, of course, is not a panacea. It is best to use almond leaves for preventive purposes. If you want to use almond leaves as medicine for your fish, you should put them in the aquarium for 2 weeks, preventing direct sun rays, keep the water temperature at 26 °C. Then you will definitely achieve positive results.
Reproduction of aquarium fish
South Asian breeders use almond leaves to improve the reproduction of their aquarium fish. Adding almond leaves to the aquarium not only activates spawning, but also makes fish fry healthier and more resistant to diseases. The leaves in the aquarium must be replaced every 2-3 weeks until the fry are 3-4 months old. Male fish like to build nests under the leaves of floating almonds, while females find shelter under almond leaves that settle to the bottom. Over time, almond leaves give the water a brownish tint, that is, it becomes similar to the water of tropical rivers.
The nuances of using Indian almonds in an aquarium
Added to the aquarium, Indian almond leaves will saturate the water with tannins, humic acids and tannins for 2 weeks, which, as we have already said, will create favorable, close to natural, living conditions for tropical fish.
And so, let’s list everything again positive points related to adding almond leaves to the aquarium:
- strengthen immune system aquarium inhabitants;
- take on the functions of a natural conditioner, reducing water hardness and lowering the pH level;
- exhibit antibacterial and antiviral activity;
- make the color of the fish brighter;
- turns aquarium water brownish tropical color;
- act as additional source food for shrimp, since the decay of leaves produces large number microorganisms that are natural food for small crustaceans.
For 100 liters of aquarium water you need to take 2-3 almond leaves, which are replaced with fresh ones every 3 weeks. If you are a seller of fish and keep them in an aquarium with Indian almond leaves, you must warn buyers about this. The fact is that fish, accustomed to water saturated with humic acids and tannins, may simply not adapt to ordinary water from the central water supply. Additionally, overuse of almond leaves can significantly acidify the water and lower the pH level too much. You can order Indian almond leaves online, but be careful when choosing a supplier.
Dried leaves should be washed thoroughly before adding to the aquarium. You can also brew almond leaves and thereby obtain a concentrate that you can add to the aquarium as needed. We assure you that even in this form, almond extract does not lose its effectiveness.
Description Reviews Images
Terminalia catappa, Terminalia, Ketapang, Indian almond - a deciduous tree native to Australia and Southeast Asia, growing with a characteristic horizontally spreading crown. Grows in the foothills of the Himalayas, Bihar, Bengal, Burma, Central and Southern India and on the island of Sri Lanka.
The leaves are large, obovate, hard, dark green. During the dry season they turn coppery red, brown and then fall off. As the wet season begins, new green leaves appear.
Flowering begins in August-September, and fruiting begins in November-December. The flowers are small, greenish-white, with an unpleasant odor, collected in elongated spike-shaped inflorescences. The fruits are almond-shaped, 5-7 cm long and 3-5 cm wide, first green, then brown. Terminalia fruits are edible and taste similar to almonds.
Indian almond is one of the most common roadside trees in the tropical region due to its outstanding shade-forming properties.
The bark, leaves and fruits are used for medicinal purposes. Leaf extract is used in the cosmetics industry. As part of creams, it improves metabolic processes in the skin, promotes the production of elastin and collagen, increases skin tone and elasticity, and slows down the process of premature aging. Also, the leaves of the Indian almond tree are widely used by Asian tropical ornamental fish breeders to stimulate reproduction and treat fish.
SOWING SEEDS
The terminalia fruit has a peculiar structure: the top layer is fibrous, underneath there is a spongy structure that is sour in taste, similar to pumice, but softer and slightly impregnated with a sticky composition. The hard bone with a woody shell is covered with this structure. Inside the seed there is an almond seed measuring 1.5-2 cm - that is what should germinate.
First you need to cut off the spongy structure with a knife down to the drupe. On some “nuts” traces or attempts of bugs to get to the tasty almonds are visible, but everything is in vain. They manage to penetrate the sticky layer no more than 1-3 mm.
The more sponges you cut off from the drupe, the easier it will be for it to open after the seed swells. If you can pick off the sharp end of the drupe so that the seed is visible, it will be even better. For the luckiest ones, if you manage to open the drupe itself, germination is 95% guaranteed, but there is a chance of simply breaking the seed.
Broken seeds can also be planted if 2/3 of the seed is intact and is not broken on the germination side. The result will be a sprout with funny, clumsy, ugly cotyledons that feed the sprout for the first time. Then they dry out, don’t touch them - they will fall off on their own.
Soak the treated drupe for 2-3 days, changing the water, and the seed itself for 8-12 hours. Plant in light soil superficially, pressing slightly.