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.
BLACKWATER BOTANICALS – SINGLE PIECES
Pods, Seeds, Cups, Slices & Caps for Shrimp Tanks, Bettas, Biotopes and Blackwater Aquariums
Choose individual natural botanicals for your aquarium from the dropdown menu. This listing is ideal if you want to build your own blackwater layout, add one feature piece, top up an existing botanical scape, or test different pods and seeds without buying a full mixed box.
These botanicals are suitable for shrimp tanks, bettas, biotope-style aquariums, botanical method setups and natural blackwater freshwater aquariums.
Packed dry, small batch and labelled by Blackwater Botanical Aquariums.
What you receive
- 1 × single botanical piece
- You receive the item you choose from the dropdown / variation menu
- Approximate size range is listed below for each item
- Natural variation in size, colour, shape and texture is normal
How botanicals help
1) Natural cover
Botanicals help break line of sight, creating calmer behaviour and more natural shelter for shrimp, fry and shy fish.
2) Biofilm grazing surfaces
Pods, caps, seeds and slices provide textured surfaces where biofilm can develop over time.
3) Gentle tannins and humics
Many botanicals may gradually release tannins and humic substances, helping create a warm tea-tint blackwater look.
4) Micro-habitats
Small cups, holes, pods and shells create little shelter zones for shrimp, fry and bottom dwellers.
Choose your botanical — 1 piece each
1) Catappa Nuts / Indian Almond / Terminalia catappa — 4–6 cm
Great long-lasting structure with gentle tannin release and useful biofilm surface.
2) Palmyrah Seeds / Borassus flabellifer — 6–9 cm
Hard, durable mini-cave style botanical with lots of surface area for biofilm.
3) Rubber Tree Pods / Hevea brasiliensis — 4–6 cm
Small textured pod, ideal for shrimp and fry micro-habitats.
4) Palmyrah Male Sheath / Borassus flabellifer — 30–35 cm
Large statement piece for bigger tanks, with strong cover and natural forest-floor character.
5) Step Fruit / African Flame Tree / commonly Delonix regia — 20–25 cm
Instant impact structure, excellent for bold scapes and larger natural layouts.
6) Palm Pod Half / Arecaceae sp. — 6–8 cm
Budget cave / spawning pod style hide, perfect for shrimp and small fish.
7) Wild Lily Flower / Soymida febrifuga — 4–7 cm
Lighter botanical with a natural petal / flower look. Breaks down faster and can support microfauna and biofilm.
8) Mintolla Ball / Cerbera odollam — 6–9 cm
Compact pod with strong texture, useful as a micro-habitat and grazing surface.
9) Land Lotus / Sterculia foetida — 6–9 cm
Tough woody pod with a decorative shelter shape and useful aquarium structure.
10) Sapucaia Pod / Monkey Pot / Lecythis pisonis — 11–13 cm
Classic hollow shelter pod, long-lasting and a strong biofilm surface over time.
11) Coconut Cup / Cocos nucifera — 12–20 cm
Natural cave / hide, great for bottom dwellers, shrimp zones and natural aquascapes.
12) Elephant Ear Double / Xylia xylocarpa — 10–18 cm
Heavy-duty shelter pod with strong structure, shade and long-lasting scape value.
13) Bellani Pumpkin Pod — 5–8 cm
Hard striped pod with great texture, natural hideout value and strong visual character.
14) Buddha Nut / Pterygota alata — 7–12 cm
Open cave-style pod, excellent for shrimp, fish shelter and biofilm development.
15) Buddha Nut XL / Pterygota alata — 10–20 cm
Same shelter and grazing benefits as the standard Buddha Nut, but bigger and bolder.
16) Mahogany Slices / Swietenia spp. — 3–4 cm per slice
Nano-friendly mini hardscape, excellent as a micro-surface for shrimp grazing.
17) Canoinhas Pods / Funtumia elastica — 8–14 cm
Unique canoe-shaped pod that creates tunnels, hiding spots and natural scape lines.
18) Acorn Caps / Quercus spp. — 1.5–3 cm
Tiny micro-caves for shrimp and fry, adding detail, texture and gentle tannin character.
How to use
- Rinse before use. Do not use soap or chemicals.
- Optional: pre-soak for 1–7 days to help sinking and reduce the initial tannin release.
- Add gradually, especially in very soft or low-KH water.
- Place pods, cups and shelters where shrimp, fry or shy fish can explore and hide.
- Use larger pieces as focal points, and smaller pieces as detail botanicals around leaf litter and wood.
White biofilm at first is normal and usually eaten by shrimp and snails. If any piece becomes unsightly, simply remove it and replace with a fresh one.
Best for
- Shrimp tanks and shrimp colonies
- Bettas and small peaceful fish
- Fry and juvenile fish shelter
- Blackwater and botanical method aquariums
- Natural biotope-style layouts
- Leaf-litter scapes with wood, cones and pods
- Aquarists who want to build their own custom botanical mix
Important notes
- Natural products vary in colour, shape, size and texture.
- Approximate size ranges are provided as a guide only.
- Some botanicals may float at first and sink later. Pre-soaking can help.
- Botanicals may release tannins and soften the visual tone of the water.
- Effects vary depending on tank size, KH, pH, filtration and how much is used.
- Carbon, Purigen and some filtration media may reduce visible tannins and water colour.
- Botanicals are natural habitat and enrichment tools, not medicines.
- Not for human consumption.
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.
We’re a small specialist brand and we stand behind what we sell. If anything arrives damaged, missing, or not as expected, please contact me via eBay first.
In most cases we can resolve things quickly and fairly. We usually reply within 24 hours and we’ll do our best to make it right.
If you’re happy with your order, feedback is always appreciated — it helps our small independent brand grow. Thank you.
— Dany | Blackwater Botanical Aquariums
Thanks for looking — please check my other listings for botanicals, cones, pods and grazing foods.