tank changes

a few things-

I've returned the cherry barbs from QT to the main aquarium. They hadn't shown any symptoms in a over a week after treatment was done. I moved them one at a time, waiting a few days in between to see how the fish readjusted. The first female who went back first, I can't even tell her apart from the others now. The second one continues to show paler marks on her body- scarring? stress? but it doesn't exactly look like lesions, and there's no peeling skin... The little male who went back in last, looks great. He hid for about ten minutes in the stems of a big crypt, then was posturing and displaying broadside to all the other fishes, even though he's still smaller by half then them all!

This week for the first time I gently rinsed out the prefilter sponge- there was more debris and mulm in there than I had expected. Also removed intake pipe to scrub it off thoroughly before putting everything back in place. Have had a minor brown algae issue lately. Trying to remember to feed a little less, now that Pinkie is no longer here. My youngest noticed his absence for the first time today. I changed the background, simply put a pale tan pillowcase over the background board, to see how it looks. I like the look of cherry barb on a paler background, and the colors and forms of the plants stand out more.

Or maybe I just need another change, since missing my blue Pinkie I haven't wanted to look at the tank much.

Java fern continues to do poorly in that tank, although it is picking up a bit in the smaller tenner. I gave up on growing java moss thickly enough to be noticeable, stripped the bits off the fake skull and tied the java fern rhizomes on there instead. They never were clinging well to the stones anyway.