I'm fairly certain that comment was directed at the the author of post #2, who put the effort into telling you to search for an answer, but wouldn't simply tell you to use the oak leaves."." While you *should* do some of your own research beforehand, there's no use in posting complete spam in a response either."
How in the world did you come up with that by me asking the question and trying to learn on this forum. By simply asking the question is "research".
Oak (Quercus pp.) should be fine, I'm not familiar with Quercus marilandica, but I'm sure it it will be OK. I think the leaves of Catawba (Catalpa spp?) may not last very well.I don't, every forum has one, but I could have did a search but did not think about it. I think I might try some blk. jack oak and Catawba leaves.
You can buy Guava leaves for feeding Shrimps etc. I haven't tried them as leaf litter, but I have a plant of Psidium cattleyanum, so I may in future.If you have tropical ornamental or fruit trees near you, I've found that guava and fiddle- leaf fig have very durable leaves that last up to six months in water.
I've not tried them, partially because Fig (Ficus spp.) leaves all contain latex. Have a look at @boofeng's post in <"Question about....">.I have fig leaves I can get here local, but there just a reg. fig, would that work?
Tannin Aquatics sell both <"Loquat"> and <"Magnolia"> leaves.Thanks for the idea on the Magnolia we have no shortage of those, and Loquat I have in my yard.
Hi all,I've not tried them, partially because Fig (Ficus spp.) leaves all contain latex. Have a look at @boofeng's post in <"Question about....">.
Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) and Evergreen Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) are good structural leaf litter, and maybe available to you? Have a look at <"Ground cover"> for some other options.
cheers Darrel
I wouldn't be too worried about the Rambutan trees, most tropical tree leaves contain some form of compound (latex, saponin, alkaloids, phenolics etc) to deter herbivores.I remember what you said about saponins in rambutan tree leaves, Darrel, but nowadays I'm helping a friend who has a pond raising whiteleg shrimp (L. vannamei) and one long edge of the pond is an entire row of rambutan trees. The dry leaves get into the water in some quantity. But it's quite a huge pond, so I guess if the leaves are brown and dry, and as long as the concentration is dilute, it is fine?
I would think that fermentation should make more nutrients available. They use silage a lot as a cattle feed in the UK, basically <"fermented grass">.We also ferment various cereals on site to feed the shrimp and the plankton they feed on - so I've been reading up on that. Apparently fermentation breaks down the anti-nutritional factors (phytic acid, etc) in the cereals. I suppose something similar happens to old dry leaves that have been sitting around in terrestrial leaf litter which makes them not as acutely harmful to fish as when they're green and full of sap.