I have been doing alot of research lately and have found a short list of leaves that are safe for your shrimp. I have not personally tried any of these other than oak and maple. i am trying some others when i get home from holiday. If you have any others you find that work well, please share Also, if there are any here that are not safe to use please let me know and i will remove them ASAP!
Alder (leaves and cones)
Almond
Apple*
Apricot*
Ash
Banana*
Beech
Crabapple
Guava
Hibiscus
Indian Almond
Madrona
Maple
Mulberry
Oak
Peach*
Plum*
Poplar
Baby spinach
Stinging Nettles
*Fruit tree leaves are swarmed when put in, but be careful not to leave them for too long! they will more quickly breakdown and cause water quality problems if left too long without being completely eaten or removed.
also, has anyone tried pawpaw leaves? i have a mountain side full of these trees.....
(updated 5:44 8/24/15)
Last edited by jonesinfershrimp on Mon Aug 24, 2015 1:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Thanks for the list! In my experience most leaves that have fallen off the tree, are brown and quite dried out appear to be safe. Of course with so many different tree species out there it's not a good idea to generalize like that. In my own experience magnolia and ficus (e.g. rubber plant/tree) leaves are also safe when they are brown and dry.
Not to insult anyones intelligence. Be very careful using leaves especially fruit tree leaves. You need to know your leaf source. There is heavy pesticide use on fruit trees. Yes even the certified Organic pesticides can be deadly.
Thanks for pointing that out, Ken! That's why it's so important to not just throw leaves in a tank, but to soak them for several days (until they sink plus a day or two more) and change the water in the soaking container once or twice in the process. That should take care of any residual pesticides.
Also, if there are any here that are not safe to use please let me know and i will remove them ASAP!
