Continually evolving scape!

[DD1880]

I set up my first scaped tank about 2-3 months ago. I started with seiryu stone, uns controsoil and spider wood. The plants I used were Ludwigia acrtuta, inclinata, anubius nana petite, crypt parva and a small Java fern from my other tank. I stocked the fluval flex 9 gallon with 3 amano shrimp 4 otos and a rose tail betta. All was going well until I noticed the bettas fins started to rip. I didn’t figure out in time that it was the spider wood and the betta died. I got a new galaxy koi Plakat which is doing much better. I still took the wood out to not take a chance. I miss the look but I didn’t want to loose another fish. All was good and well then the otos stared to die one by one. And I could only find one amano shrimp. All of the inclinata melted back so I replaced that recently with Ludwigia palastris. I also got 3 more amano shrimp which are doing great. Very active all over the tank. Also I have two horned nerite snails. They have the algae well in control. Only problem is I keep finding the controsoil in my sand path. I suspect the amanos. Any way they will stop this or will I have to constantly pick the soil out of the sand haha? Thanks for any suggestions and help!

 

[alto]

All was going well until I noticed the bettas fins started to rip. I didn’t figure out in time that it was the spider wood

Unlikely that the spider wood was at fault
Much more likely that Betta had an internal infection - fin deterioration isn’t an uncommon symptom

Flow in these Flex tanks is much more suited to HMPK such as your new boy (gorgeous )

You don’t provide timelines or much detail, it’s possible the Otocinclus were in poor health when purchased, or water parameters were an issue (ammonia, nitrites etc), or lack of sufficient food, or a combination of several factors

Amano’s are very KEEN landscapers
Only way to limit their wanton ways is to have soil out of reach beneath carpet plants etc

 

[DD1880]

Unlikely that the spider wood was at fault
Much more likely that Betta had an internal infection - fin deterioration isn’t an uncommon symptom

Flow in these Flex tanks is much more suited to HMPK such as your new boy (gorgeous )

You don’t provide timelines or much detail, it’s possible the Otocinclus were in poor health when purchased, or water parameters were an issue (ammonia, nitrites etc), or lack of sufficient food, or a combination of several factors

Amano’s are very KEEN landscapers
Only way to limit their wanton ways is to have soil out of reach beneath carpet plants etc

I never had ammonia or nitrites from day one! I used a bunch of old filter floss from my 29 gallon. It pretty much insta cycled. There was a lot of white filmy stuff on the spider wood that they ate all the time and once it was gone I started to lose them one by one over a month period. They seemed very healthy and active until then. I’m guessing not enough food for the 4 of them. I would put a lil piece of hikari algae wafer in but they never tried to eat it. The amanos would scurry out and grab the pieces before they noticed them. It’s a shame cause I really liked them. But the horned nerite seem to be doing a great job especially with the rocks and the brown diatoms I used to get all over them. I was thinking about sanding the sharp bits on the spider wood and putting it back in but I wanted it to look natural. Either way I’m happy now with how it’s looking just hoping the palastris doesn’t loose almost all its leaves in the transition like the Ludwigia acruta did. And thanks I really love the way this new betta looks. He has lost most of that deep red on his back half and some of his fins. Not sure why he seems happy and fed well with fluval bug bites and hikari frozen blood worms every once in a while. Thank you for the response.