Before we moved from Ontario we had a lovely planted tank ecosystem with a Betta fish and plants and small snails of various sorts that somehow found their way in (presumably with the plants).
When we moved to Winnipeg we found a new home for the tank - in Ontario. Contrary to Abi's expectations, she was not going to carry the tank across provinces on her lap!
This past March we got a new Betta fish. It was a day-of decision. We already had a tank (aunty's old one) and so we decided to simply start with a fish because starting a planted tank requires more time and, well, Abi just really wanted the fish I promised I'd get her as we moved.
The intention was to make it a planted tank "later". Later turned out to be today. Last night Claire put a whole lot of food in the tank (it coated the top!). I strained as much of it out as I could, but clearly it was time for a full cleaning. I decided that if I was having to take Blube (the fish) out and hold him in a jar of water for a while, I may as well start that planted tank.
I took a trip out to the nearby fish/pet store and picked up 3 small plants: Bronze Wendtii (cryptocoryne wendtii v. 'tropica'; back left), Crypt Parva (cryptocoryne parva; in the fore of this picture) and Anubis Nana 'Petite' (anubis barteri v. nana 'petite'; right on a rock).
I mixed up a rich bedding, found some sand, and added a thin layer of the gravel again. One large quartz rock for the Anubis to attach to and... now we wait for the sediment to settle. Then we wait for the nitrogen cycle to complete (a couple weeks) and Blube will have to be satisfied with moving back and forth between clean jars of water until his home is ready. This will be a good opportunity for Abi and her sisters to see what waste the fish generates in a clear jar.
I'm hoping there were some stowaway snails on the plants, otherwise I'm going to have to find someone else with a tank who could share.
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