45 improved

I think things are finally taking a turn for the better, in my angelfish tank. Today during maintenance I made two new airline rings- so I could separate out the larger of the water lettuce. I discarded a bunch of tiny ones and others that looked unhealthy. They're in three groups now.

After a week of letting the hydrocotyle settle, I clipped off all the leaves that were still bent oddly, making it an untidy clump (from how it had been bundled up in transit). Now it's in more pieces, but they lie relatively flat leaves floating and stolons just under the surface. And it's more spread out.

The angels seem to find this sheltering, along with the height of the elodea (which is growing!) and new mermaid weed- although they still have a way to go before getting near the surface! Lately the fish don't startle as easily, and haven't once lost their color- they get a pit pale sometimes but never loose the stripes. When frightened, they tend to swing away and cruise behind something,

then circle back and eye me again. It is much better!

I have not yet trimmed the mermaid weed- they're sprouting roots along the stem but lower parts haven't melted so far and tops remain relatively green. I'm hopeful the conditions are okay for it in here. I lifted the shorter one higher by putting its small wood anchor on the other driftwood piece, wedged behind an anubias. I also removed the windowscreen piece that was dimming my light- assuming the pennywort (hydrocotyle) might need brighter light, and will shade everything as it spreads across the surface.

I did a lot of work in the tank today- in addition to what I've already mentioned and the usual water change, cleared out a few dead leaves, lifted a filter sponge to rinse, and last of all wiped down inside of the front glass which had some algae. First time I ever did so in this tank, and the angels dashed away at that motion, bashed their faces into corners again. They both have bruises on the face now, I am cringing. But I hope this happens less and less, especially as the new plants fill in and multiply.

Female has for weeks now shown this redness where her pectorals meet the body- I was afraid at first of septicemia, but I gather she would be dead by now if that were it. I don't know if it's injuries from running into the walls, or fighting. They both have some scraped scales from fighting recently. I saw the female actually grab the male's ventral and tug on it! She shakes threateningly at him a lot. I get the impression she wants to spawn again and he's not really interested.

But overall it is better. They look calmer, and appear friendlier, and positively wag their whole bodies begging for attention if I'm nearby in the kitchen and haven't fed them yet for the morning.