NEW: With every purchase, you can receive my Blackwater & Botanical Aquarium Guide completely free of charge.

Just send me a message after purchase with the email address where you would like your eBook sent.

Available in: English (UK/US) • Français • Español • Deutsch • Български • 日本語

As an extra bonus, I also offer custom aquascape ideas for your aquarium.

Simply send me a photo of your tank, along with photos of the driftwood, stones, plants, and Blackwater botanical pods, seeds, or leaves you would like to include, and I will help you create a beautiful layout idea designed to catch the eye and enhance your aquarium naturally.

How botanicals help

• Creates natural cover and breaks line of sight for calmer fish behaviour.
• Adds grazing surfaces where biofilm can develop for shrimp and snails.
• Provides gentle tannins and humic substances for a warm tea-tint look when used gradually.
• Creates micro-habitats for fry, shrimp and bottom dwellers.

1) Catappa Nuts / Indian Almond — Terminalia catappa — 4–6 cm
Great long-lasting structure, gentle tannin release and biofilm surface.

2) Palmyrah Seeds — Borassus flabellifer — 6–9 cm
Hard, durable mini-caves with lots of surface area for biofilm.

3) Rubber Tree Pods — Hevea brasiliensis — 4–6 cm
Small pod with natural texture, ideal for shrimp and fry micro-habitats.

4) Palmyrah Male Sheath — Borassus flabellifer — 30–35 cm
Large statement piece for bigger tanks, with big cover and a natural forest-floor look.

5) Step Fruit / African Flame Tree — commonly Delonix regia — 20–25 cm
Instant impact structure, great for African-themed scapes and usually quick sinking once waterlogged.

6) Palm Pod Half — Arecaceae sp. — 6–8 cm
Budget cave / spawning pod, perfect as a little hide for shrimp and small fish.

7) Wild Lily Flower — Soymida febrifuga — 4–7 cm
Lighter botanical for a natural petal / flower look. Breaks down faster and supports microfauna and biofilm.

8) Mintolla Ball — Cerbera odollam — 6–9 cm
Compact pod with strong texture, also popular in brackish or hardwater-style tanks.

9) Land Lotus — Sterculia foetida — 6–9 cm
Tough woody pod, quick sinking and great as decorative shelter.

10) Sapucaia Pod / Monkey Pot — Lecythis pisonis — 11–13 cm
Classic hollow shelter pod, long lasting and a big biofilm magnet over time.

11) Coconut Cup — Cocos nucifera — 12–20 cm
Natural cave / hide, great for bottom dwellers and shrimp zones.

12) Elephant Ear Double — Xylia xylocarpa — 10–18 cm
Heavy-duty shelter pod with strong structure and lots of botanical character.

13) Bellani Pumpkin Pod — 5–8 cm
Hard striped pod with great texture and natural hideout value.

14) Buddha Nut — Pterygota alata — 7–12 cm
Open cave-style pod, excellent for shrimp and fish shelter and biofilm.

15) Buddha Nut XL — Pterygota alata — 10–20 cm
Same shelter and biofilm benefits as the standard Buddha Nut, but larger and bolder.

16) Mahogany Slices — Swietenia spp. — 3–4 cm per slice
Nano-friendly mini hardscape piece, excellent micro-surface for biofilm grazing.

17) Canoinhas Pods — Funtumia elastica — 8–14 cm
Unique canoe shape that creates tunnels, hiding spots and slow tannin release.

18) Acorn Caps — Quercus spp. — 1.5–3 cm
Tiny micro-caves for shrimp and fry, adding detail and gentle tannins.

Dispatch & Delivery

Orders placed before 9am Monday to Friday are dispatched the same working day. Orders placed after 9am are dispatched the next working day.

Tracked options are available where shown at checkout.

Customer Care & Support

Questions? Message me anytime – I’ve been in aquatics for 30+ years and I actually use botanicals in real setups.

If anything arrives damaged, missing or not as expected, please contact me via eBay first — we can usually resolve things quickly and fairly.