almond leaves - something wrong with them lately?

[ursula]

Hi everyone!
Recently I've heard from a few breeders that there seems to be an almond leave delivery existing that might be responsible for enormous reduction in frys shortly after hatching. From orginally about a hundred, only 5-10 frys survive. We discussed this a long time, but always returned to the thought that something might be wrong with the leaves maybe.
The dieing stops when the leaf is removed from the tank. In tanks where no or other almond leaves were used this did not happen (actually never ever happened!), all fry live. Also the fish are used to almond leaves in general. Waterparameters were checked regularily and balanced.
Larger bettas are not effected by the leafes, only the fry.

Has anyone here made this experience too?

[ursula]

Hi, we might have found an explanation. The leafes might not have been ripe, when dried. Therefor there was too much fresh juice in them still which is toxic for fish.
Does anyone know how we can distinguish the dried ripe from the dried nonripe leaves? Fresh ones are green and the others gold-red, but in the dried condition - is there a difference also visible?
Thank you

[Reymond]

Hey, I'm new here I live in Puerto Rico a tropical Island where there are many "wild almond" trees. I've used the dry leaf in a tank but i don't leave it for too long because the leave keeps releasing the juice and the water keeps getting some brownish or orange color. It hasn't affect jet my adult CT betta, but I don't want to take any risk of harming him with the leaf's acid. So what do you recomend: To use the almond leaf when I'm going to breed or not? and if there's no problem with using it then, how the leaf is supose to be green, orange, or dry?
If you want me to send some pictures I will do it with no problem please tell me, and try to message me if anything because as i said I'm new here and I'm still learning on how to surf in this site. Thanks.

[John Chia]

Hi Reymond,

Use the dried ones.

Regards