IALs and Rooibas tea

[OMGemily]

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Twinings-O...-of-6/17199027

is that the right kind of tea?
do you know of anywhere to get it cheaper?

http://www.amazon.com/Ocean-Nutritio...2812957&sr=8-1

has anyone ever used this stuff?


also any other suggestions for tea/IAL/anything else?

[Micho]

Now, just a word beforehand tea isn't beneficial to all Bettas, some react nicely and some react to tea in a bad way.

IALs are Indian Almond Leaves, they're dried up and look like this! It's pretty hard to get hands on these.

Since a lot of us cannot get our hands on IALs, some people use green tea, and other types of tea. Make sure the tea is just simply tea no other additives and that it's caffeine free. The ingredients list on the tea should just ex. "green tea".

I would check the Roobios Teas before buying it, I prefer Stash though.

[OMGemily]

Originally Posted by Micho

Now, just a word beforehand tea isn't beneficial to all Bettas, some react nicely and some react to tea in a bad way.

IALs are Indian Almond Leaves, they're dried up and look like this! It's pretty hard to get hands on these.

Since a lot of us cannot get our hands on IALs, some people use green tea, and other types of tea. Make sure the tea is just simply tea no other additives and that it's caffeine free. The ingredients list on the tea should just ex. "green tea".

I would check the Roobios Teas before buying it, I prefer Stash though.

i know almond leaves are just leaves but would some kind of extract work as well? like the bettaspa link up there? and i didnt know bettas could react badly to tea... can i test them in some way to see how theyll react to it before putting it in the tank? also how much/how long do i put it in there? do i have to change the water more often? less often?

[Laki]

IAL's are incredibly EASY to get! All you need is paypal and an ebay account. I live as east as you can get in Canada and I can get them shipped from Malaysia. I swear by these. I never run out :) I buy them cheap off aquaticmagic on ebay :)

[Micho]

Originally Posted by OMGemily

i know almond leaves are just leaves but would some kind of extract work as well? like the bettaspa link up there? and i didnt know bettas could react badly to tea... can i test them in some way to see how theyll react to it before putting it in the tank? also how much/how long do i put it in there? do i have to change the water more often? less often?

With tea, depends on how big your tank is.

And it'll make your water look murky/dirty, but that's just the tea. Just go on with your routine water changes.

[Bombalurina]

If you can't get IAL (which you should be able to if you can shop online), look for oak leaves. :) They are closer to IAL than tea.

Most blackwater extracts just darken the water...I don't know if it will have the same benefits as IAL...

[styggian]

stores.ebay.com/Amys-Ketapang-Inc

I got my IAL from Amy Lim. It arrived in about a week, with tons of leaves, and two indian almond leaf seeds. I'm sure she sent me more than I paid for.

[styggian]

This is what it looks like. That's Shadrach (from my avatar) with his second spawn. The leaf is still floating (he makes good nests!) after being in the water for 6+ days. I haven't removed or added water, so the color is the natural stain produced by the tannins. These fry seem slightly more active than the first batch I spawned in a 10gal tank with no IAL, but they're still only 4 days hatched, so I won't know for sure for several weeks.

[alleaa]

Originally Posted by Laki

IAL's are incredibly EASY to get! All you need is paypal and an ebay account. I live as east as you can get in Canada and I can get them shipped from Malaysia. I swear by these. I never run out :) I buy them cheap off aquaticmagic on ebay :)

You have to be careful with aquaticmagic though. They ship illegally and the buyer is responsible if customs inspects the shipment. I got a threatening customs warning the last time I ordered from them.

[aokashi]

Where do you live emily, look for a tea shop near you that sells looseleaf teas. Give them a call and ask if thy have pure rooibos tea. I wouldnt trust twinnings not to put other stuff in with their tea, just saying. Im using rooibos procured from my local lose leaf tea shop ( a lovely old antique looking tea shop in nyc by the name of mcnulties - worth the visit!) it came to about $5 for 1/4 lb.