new in the window tank!

About a week ago I got a few new corydora catfish-

peppered cories (also called salt-and-pepper cories, pepper cories or spotted cories). They're the ones that thrive in cooler temperatures

so I thought would be great companions for Fabio.

I have three- two are always hanging out together.

Third one is usually in another part of the tank, just as busy scouting around for food, but not as companionable? Hopefully when I get a few more they will feel more at ease. One was very pale when first in the tank- and I did see some long, colorless poo a day or two later, so treated the tank with praziquantel and metronidazole (api general cure) they finished that and look fine.

I have added a few more plants- some stems of elodea (anacharis?) trimmed from the main tank,

more subwassertang

more windelov bits tied onto stones-

a tiny bit of bolbitis heudelotii I found floating around the main tank,

two even smaller bits of rhizome- off a crypt retrospiralis is my guess - these just for the heck of it- I don't really expect them to grow.

Then I took all the tiny bits of windelov fern out of the windowsill jar

here's the ones so small growing off a root hair-

and superglued them to another stone.

I realize now I should have spaced them out more- oops

I am gradually replacing all the rubber bands that hold hornwort down. The clear ones I'd used (a different brand than what I usually bought) turn white after they go in the tank which is way too conspicuous, and they also seem to break down sooner. I bought another mixed packet of tiny hair bands just to pick out the dark ones for this use. The peppered cories are so perfectly camouflaged among the granite chips and gravel.

I gave up the idea of using a feeding ring with Fabio. He ignores it. Instead, he goes to the end of the tank opposite the filter, lines himself up to swim into the current, and grabs at bites of food as they go past. I was missing who to give all the floating bugs to for a while- the tetras don't seem to like going topside for food- but found that if I offer Fabio a bunch of aphids, he strikes at them and misses or spits out half, which then sink for the cories. So that works out fine.