Boiled and dried with no chemical treatment — isopods graze on them immediately and shrimp feed on the biofilm that develops within days.
Release tannins naturally as they break down — adds a blackwater effect in aquariums and organic complexity to bioactive terrarium builds.
Each cap is boiled and dried without any chemical treatment before packaging — what goes into your enclosure is exactly what came off the tree, cleaned and prepared for safe use with live animals. Drop them directly into a terrarium and isopods will begin working across the surface and underside of each cap immediately, grazing on the natural tannins and organic material as part of their normal foraging behavior. In an aquarium they release a small amount of tannins into the water as they soften over time, which lowers pH slightly and adds the light amber tint associated with natural blackwater environments. Shrimp will graze on the biofilm that develops across the cap surface within the first few days of placement.
Botanicals have become a central part of how serious terrarium and aquarium keepers think about their builds. Natural items like acorn caps add a layer of biological complexity that artificial decorations cannot replicate — they break down slowly, feed microfauna, influence water or substrate chemistry in small measurable ways, and give the enclosure a look that reads as genuinely collected from nature rather than assembled from a shelf. A handful of acorn caps scattered across a bioactive terrarium floor or nestled among leaf litter in a shrimp tank adds detail and texture that pulls the whole setup together.
Rinse before use even though they are already boiled and dried. In an aquarium the caps will initially float and sink over the course of a few days as they absorb water. Replace as they fully break down over time. Safe for isopods, springtails, millipedes, dart frogs, and all freshwater shrimp and snails. Compatible with tropical, temperate, and bioactive enclosures of all humidity levels.