# Discus biotope/amazon leaves



## langer! (3 Jul 2015)

Hi, I'm am planning an amazon biotope, was just wondering what leaf litter to use, I want something that would actually be found in the amazon as I'm
Quite fussy, thanks in advance


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## dw1305 (3 Jul 2015)

Hi all,
You won't be able to find a genuine Amazonian palm, but most "feather" palm leaves are pretty similar in terms of look.

In fact I think you will struggle to find anything genuinely Amazonian, Cocoa (_Theobroma cacao_) might be your best bet. 

A lot of rain-forest trees tend to have leaves which are a very similar shape, oval with a shiny surface and drip tip.

cheers Darrel


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## Edvet (6 Jul 2015)

langer! said:


> found in the amazon


that's quite a broad nomer to be fussy about, do you mean the lowland varzea's, the Igarape's, black water, white water, Upper amazon, or coastal plains,  in the dry season or in the wet season where the water can rise 30 feet.
There are some south american plants we use as houseplants.

Generalized qoute about the amazon lowlands:    The main types of vegetation in the ecoregion include seasonally inundated or flooded forests (várzea and igapó), swamp forests (which are semi-permanently or permanently flooded), terra firme forests, and floating meadows. The areas surrounding the Amazonian rivers flood annually, lasting six months on average. Várzeas (flooded by whitewater rivers such as the Solimões, Amazon, Madeira, Purus, and Juruá) are generally more fertile than surrounding areas due to the deposition of fertile alluvial soils from the Andes. Igapó forests (flooded by black or clearwater rivers such as the Tapajós) grow on nutrient-poor white sandy soils. Common tree species in flooded forests include tachi (_Sclerolobium aureum_), sorva (_Couma utilis_), _Exellodendron coriaceum_, and Piassava palm _Leopoldinia piassaba_. Terra firme forests grow at higher elevations and include trees such as the Brazil nut (_Bertholletia excelsa_). Many typical várzea species are also found in terra firme forests.

If you have more details about the location you want to copy, there is info about the local fauna in a country or habitat on the net. It needs searching but there is more available then a few years ago. Another spot for info is to be found in the diverse "biotope"- style challenges in the aquarium world. Some have done a lot of research and it can be found in the descriptions of their projects.

If you realy want to go specia,l you will probably want to hook up with a botanical garden/zoo and make some arrangement on getting old leaves. Or get a plant yourself (i did with the catappa, now i have a bag full of leaves every year)


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## dw1305 (6 Jul 2015)

Hi all, 
If you want to go down Ed's grow your own route. Guava (_Psidium guajava_) or Strawberry Guava (_Psidium cattleianum_) might be another possibility. They are easy to grew from seed (from a fruit), and Guava is so so to eat, but Strawberry Guava is quite tasty. 
Another Brazilian fruit would be "Custard Apple" (_Annona squamosa). _These are also easy from seed, but the fruit are an "acquired taste".

cheers Darrel


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