Shrimp Safe Leaves

[GoofyGarra]

Indian Almond Leaves are often recommended for shrimp, but i cant afford them right.

With it being fall  i walk around my neighborhood and see piles of leaves everywhere, it seems like a great time to collect and stockpile.

So what other kinds of leaves are safe and beneficial for shrimp?

[beastie]

Technically no leaves are safe from shrimp, those buggers tend to eat them 🙂

 

I collect oak, beech and adder leaves, let them naturally dry by airing them out inside and add to the tank. Moringa works too and dried nettles ( though that would be a spring option)

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

 

[Lennie]

Mine love banana leaves a lot besides catappas.

Usually alder cones, plane tree leaves, fig tree leaves and beech tree leaves were not really attractive for shrimp in my case. If I buy anything, I go for catappas, and get naturally dried banana leaves from my garden. I add alder cones to my tanks bcoz I find them rich in tannins also add nice visual, but my shrimps are not interested.

[Guppysnail]

Maple leaves should be plentiful near you. Make sure no pesticides are being sprayed in the area. 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

My shrimpies like the alder cones. They like them most when they’ve been in the tank awhile and have biofilm and algae. They don’t like banana leaves, even when I pre soak them. Idk why. They like lotus pods and casuarina cones too.

 

There is another one they like that is shaped like a star; I forget what it is called. Here’s a photo. You can see they’ve picked at it.

Edited November 22, 2023 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[Lennie]

On 11/22/2023 at 4:29 PM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

They like lotus pods and casuarina cones too.

Today I found casuarina cones on sale somewhere! Maybe I should get it?

Lotus pods look great visually. I wouldnt care if they like it or not. If  I happen to find it, I would directly use it even purely for the visual 😄 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 11/22/2023 at 8:35 AM, Lennie said:

Lotus pods look great visually. I wouldnt care if they like it or not. If  I happen to find it, I would directly use it even purely for the visual 😄 

So true and it also serves as a hide. But they are very floaty! I had to weigh mine down with a rock because boiling and plant weights didn’t sink it. Imagine living in a house you can eat though. 🙂 

[TOtrees]

If you're able to front the cost, a few retailers on amazon sell B-grade almond leaves. I got 300g or 10.5oz back in 2021 and am barely 1/2 way through the box I got. Paid $40 CDN, the same item is now $50. Costs more up front, but the per-leaf cost is a fraction of what it is for the pressed ones. Same food, same tannins, all that. They came from overseas, but shipping was super cheap. 

I also collect oak leaves from my local forests, right at this time of year. Right after they fall they're crisp and firm, with no green. Not as long-lasting as almond leaves or as rich in tannins, but free free free. I air dry then freeze them for a few days before storing them. They last for years that way. Beech is also okay. I've tried maple birch and basswood, and they don't generate a lot of interest for my shrimpies. Alder cones are great for tannins, but after the initial release they're not much more beneficial that any other chunk of wood or rock (just something for good stuff to grow on). 

In the spirit of "show don't tell"...