Catappa Bark Sticks & Tubes on the Surface: Catappa Bark, often called Betta Bark, comes from the same Terminalia catappa tree that gives the hobby its most studied leaf, and it carries the same high tannin content to match. We offer it in two formats from a single source in Sumatra and West Java, Indonesia: bark sticks, which are thinly cut and easy to break into pieces across the substrate, and bark curls, which uncurl over time into a small natural betta tube. Functionally the two are the same, releasing tannins and humic substances as they break down while providing durable structure, grazing surfaces, and shelter for the Botanical Method, blackwater, and biotope aquarium. Essential Details Tannin Level: High Tint Color: Dark yellow to brown Durability: High; lasts for months Habitat Location: Sumatra and West Java, Indonesia Optimal For: Betta splendens, wild-type Betta spp., Apistogramma spp., cardinal tetras and other characins, Caridina and Neocaridina shrimp, kuhli loaches, dart frogs and small geckos in vivariums Use with Caution: No known concerns for standard aquarium inhabitants. Size Range: Bark Sticks & Curls are 4-6" long Quantities: 50g of Bark Sticks or 50g of Bark Tubes per pack Catappa Bark Sticks & Curls for Aquariums & Vivariums Once added to the aquarium, biofilm and fungi begin colonizing the rough outer surface of the bark within days. Catappa Bark contains beneficial compounds that bacteria and fungi readily consume, so it is good at cultivating biofilms and the supplemental nutrition that shrimp, bottom-dwelling fishes, and their fry graze as they would in their natural habitat. Its tough fibers create interstitial pore space between the bark pieces, functioning as a structural botanical, contributing its properties over a longer period than more ephemeral materials like leaf litter. When we allow the bark to condition on the substrate, it releases tannins and humic substances into the water column. These compounds contribute to the organic chemistry of the habitat over weeks and months, gradually shaping the soft, tinted water that blackwater species evolved in. This is a process-driven benefit that develops as the bark matures in the ecosystem, which is why it is best to let it fully break down on the substrate. The bark curl is shaped for use by the fish themselves. As it relaxes open it forms a small tube that betta fish and other small species use for shelter and spawning, while the flatter sticks settle into the leaf litter bed to add structure and territory boundaries at the substrate level. There is no need to remove either form once it has fully broken down, as the detritus and mulm it produces feeds the network of bacteria and fungi working beneath the leaves in the aquarium or vivarium. Beneath the Leaves: Terminalia catappa in the Wild Terminalia catappa grows along tropical coastlines and lowland river margins across Southeast Asia, where it sheds bark and leaf material into the waterways below. That bark settles into the slow-moving blackwater streams of the Indo-Pacific, where cardinal tetras, wild Betta species, and Apistogramma utilize the accumulated litter to forage, shelter, and spawn within it. Its tough fibers cultivate a slightly different assemblage of bacteria and fungi than the surrounding leaves and seed pods, and this material diversity is part of what stabilizes the aquatic ecosystem. When we add Catappa Bark into the aquarium, we replicate the allochthonous inputs that fuel the food webs of aquatic ecosystems around the globe. Mother Nature leads the way. Sustainability Note: This product's packaging is home compostable.Just like the botanicals inside, it will break down naturally and return to the soil — because what supports your ecosystem should minimally impact our planet. Not for human consumption. Preparation required. This is a natural product — variation in color, shape, and texture is expected.
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