Alder Cones and Catappa Leaves - The original aquarium antiseptic
- Philip Hurford
- Oct 14
- 2 min read
I remember my first aquarium fondly. It was a very basic community tank, with a real mix of species. Bristlenose Catfish, Corydoras, Apistogramma and various tetras. One of the first times I went fish shopping, the guy at the aquatics store asked me if I had Alder cones already, or if I needed them. He pointed out to me that most of my fish were softwater species and that alder cones were high in tannin acids, ergo, should I have any issues, the fish would respond better with the increased acidity of the aquarium. Now, truth be told, I never really looked deeper into this, so I just had to trust him, but for the first few years of keeping my aquarium, I never suffered any bacterial or fungal problems. Of course, that could be down to good hubsandry or pure luck.
Fast forward a few years, and my interest turned to Dwarf Cichlids. Breeding Apistogramma was the aim, and at this time, Alder Cones had become a real ally of mine. Using them to tint the water a tea colour, as well as reducing pH was the goal to spawning and raising many species in my fish room. Catappa Leaves were brilliant at introducing a faintly natural but not 'raw' appearance to both display and community tanks. Both are items I would simp0ly not keep fish without, now.
In the modern day, the idea of keeping fish naturally is often synonymous with Aquascaping. Ironically, the super clear, delicately manicured and positioned aquarium gardens couldn't be much further form nature, despite being beautiful displays. Due to this trend, many shops have stopped selling essentials such as Alder Cones and Catappa Leaves, in favour of Micranthemum and Expensive Trimming Scissors.
Maybe it is time to go back to your roots, for your fish's and nostalgia's sake....
If you have any questions, we are more than happy to help!
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