new in the 45

First what's already there- I rearanged some- these younger java ferns finally growing nicely-

Swapped places with crypt balansae and crypt wendtii

Aponogeton capuronii more in view now- still don't know if this one will ever grow big and beautiful again-

Felt like I had lost height with plants, again. Hornwort stems all do better as floaters- so. Angelfish has been hanging around staring at the back wall a lot lately, or driving viciously planed horizontal strikes at the tetras. Doesn't bash into walls anymore, but is often pale and hides. I think has been unhappy. Until the other day I added some of the parrot's feather. At first the angelfish stayed on the far side of the tank from it-

while the tetras darted in and out of its fronds, immediately interested-

I had it on the side but then moved to the back center- in the narrower planter basket that used to have (failed) vallisneria-

I don't know if it will melt and languish like the mermaid weed- that's the last piece of it center right- which I just pulled out and moved to the window tank where it does marginally better.

The planter of parrot's feather is forward off the wall, there's an inch or so gap-

so the fishes can cruise behind it feeling sheltered.

and it really seems to have made a difference. My angel suddenly seems- content. Even- happy?

I took these photos from across the room in evening. M Beautiful was moving slowly behind the bunch of parrot's feather, then she slid between the stems to front, and I saw her tail waggle, I swear she looked pleased. She kept going back and forth, behind and through the plants.

But ooh, it grows fast: this photo taken one day later:

And here's two pieces of it I stuck in the back of the lid- a day apart:

Well, if it makes my angel happy

maybe I can put up with constantly thwarting its rapid growth- cut back the tallest stems each week and let them regrow- we'll see  . . .