I never used the bark since IALs are easy to get here. Also heard that banana or nypa palm (Nypa fruticans) leaves also good for water conditioning.

 

oh yes i have heard of the banana leaves apparently they have antibacterial properties. I just wonder, if the IAbark perhaps has more healing properties than the leaves? I know that here in North America you can make a tea out of both the inner bark and the needles of a spruce tree. Both have medicinal powers but you can actually make a salve out of the bark and apply it to rashes and wounds and it is stronger than the needles. I wonder if the same applies to IAleaves and IAbark.

 

hm. that's actually interesting, jexx. Maybe, I'll get some samples of the bark, and see if the water looks the same with IAL.

 

That would be wonderful. I've read of being able to use the bark for treatment in fish of bacterial diseases, fin rot and injuries. Are you able to use leaves for those purposes or are they just for tannins?

 

hm..actually since I use IAL all the time ( well, probably missed a few times when it's raining for days that I couldn't find dried IALs ) and regular water change. I rarely encounter diseases. But basically, if I find any of my fish, not looking so well, like refuse to eat or anything, I usually just add some salt and expose it to morning direct sunlight. If it looks like diseases caused by internal bacteria, I just add some Japanese yellow powder. Fin rot or injuries, then add acriflavine ( am not sure whether this is a brand or actually the name of the substance ). For fins recovery, I add 1 - 2 drops of tea tree/eucalyptus oil. I know these looks "too simple" or not "scientific", but so far that's how it works for me. And I can say I didn't loose many fish to diseases, even "jump out of it's water" cases were probably like 5 times or less so far, so probably the IALs play their part in the healing process too. But of course, I'm not suggesting to others that this is the "right way", cos different habits, different location, different water needs different ways. And if there's one thing I found, it's "don't disturb the fishes too much". I know it's fun to "interact" with the fishes, just don't overdo. Disturbances lead to "stress", "stress" lead to lower immunity. Same with "common" breeding failure, I found that most of those new in breeding bettas, usually gets so excited and start checking the tanks as often as possible, start to take pictures, as close as possible, and again as often as possible. just my 2 cents though