# 25 Liters - Low Tech



## stefano-bonalume (Dec 3, 2014)

Collected some little woods and rocks near a creek. I can't wait to set up the tank! 
I'm going to use dark, quite sharp rocks; some of them have little quartz veins. I'm not sure if I'll use all those rocks. 
Some rocks are totally different from the others, in particular bigger ones, because I will put Bolbitis and Microsorum on them, so they will be covered and hidden.










I choose little woods without bark. I boiled them, same with rocks. They seem to be quite hard and I hope they will last for some time in the tank. Otherwise, I will go for a forest walk picking up new ones.


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## MountainPool (Jul 13, 2014)

Those are some nice looking rocks, the quartz adds character. 

I'm going to try something similar with some of my Marimo, using superglue to attach, I think it'll look great once it settles in!


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## Gravistunn (Aug 8, 2014)

Make sure you smooth out any sharp edges, I did this by grinding the sharp edges of my rocks on a rock I didn't en up using in my hardscape. It would take a lot of sandpaper to achieve this. Good luck with the setup! 


~Travis


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## stefano-bonalume (Dec 3, 2014)

Thank you for your replies!
Yes when I saw those dark rocks with little white veins I picked them up immediately.

@Travis, why should I smooth the rocks? You say that because they could harm fish? Anyway, they are not round like ones you can find in a river, but neither too sharp.


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## MountainPool (Jul 13, 2014)

Betta fins are very delicate, they're so far from the wild phenotype that they need a cushy environment! Imagine a pair of nylon stockings, the very fine ones, a bettas fins catch and tear just as easily as those. You can test your rocks by rubbing them over a pair of stockings: if they ladder the stockings, you need to rub down that edge. 

If you get a plakat betta, or a female (who I think are just as splendid) you don't have to worry as much, because their fins are more compact.


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## stefano-bonalume (Dec 3, 2014)

Ok, I'll test rocks! Thank you!


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

+1 the nylon stocking test. You can usually find some cheap ones at a grocery store. Get some sand paper and sand off/down the small nubs on the wood where thinner branches broke off, those will rip betta fins.
Also you shudder do the vinegar test on the rocks (if they bubble with pure vinegar they will change pH) or submerge them in tap (test tap first as your 'control') then test the rock's water in a week for pH, GH, and KH change to see if it leeches anything. 
I'd personal be very wary about using the ones with red/orange/rustic hues ans I'd think those may leech harmful minerals into the water. Btw you should never boil of bake rocks, if they had air pockets they could literally explode.
Do you know what type of wood you have? Is it a hardwood? If you are not sure press a fingernail to it, then scratch it. Does it leave and indention or remove some of the wood? if so its a softwood which will rot underwater much faster, it should not be used.


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## stefano-bonalume (Dec 3, 2014)

Thank you! I will get some nylon stockings and sand paper! Ahah

Yes I tested rocks with vinegar yet, and didn't happen nothing.
Red-orange ones aren't that color really, they are more yellow-ochre and looks like chert.

I boiled woods, and when water was cooling down I put rocks in, so they have been in hot (not boiling) water only. Thank you, I did't think about risks.

Wood I found is a hardwood, probably Carpinus betulus, Fagus sylvatica or Quercus sp., but woods are very thin, so I'm not sure about how much will they last submerged.


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

If its a true hardwood it should last a few years even if small.


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## stefano-bonalume (Dec 3, 2014)

Today I found other interesting rocks. There is still some clay on them. Here there are old and found today rocks I think I'll use. Others more porous will be probably used to tie\attach ferns and Anubias, but they will be hidden by plants leaves and other rocks.










I particularly like this side of the bigger rock.


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## stefano-bonalume (Dec 3, 2014)

Today I found some moss very similar to Fissidens growing near a temporary stream in the wood. Now I have a little piece of it in a glass. I'll tie it to some rocks and see if it grows.


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## JoshBA (Aug 21, 2013)

That appears to be a species of selaginella.


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## stefano-bonalume (Dec 3, 2014)

I'm sure it is a moss, I think _Fissidens taxifolius\Fissidens polyphyllus\Fissidens crassipes_, but they are very similar.


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## stefano-bonalume (Dec 3, 2014)

Finally today I got the tank! 
I buy the gravel. I searched for ochre sand in lots of pet stores but the only sand color they have is an innatural white. So I bought a fine gravel which has a good natural color. I put the sand and rocks in.
I also bought some plants: _Bolbitis heudelotii_, _Microsorum 'Trident' _(_'Narrow Leaf' _\ _'Needle Leaf'_ apparently desn't exist here), _Anubias 'Nangi'_ and _Cryptocoryne parva_. 
I know _C. parva_ requires fertile soil, but I will only use liquid fertiliser. I don' t care if it will grow slow.

Probably I won't use woods; rocks take too much space and I think woods fit with them in this scape.
I planted _Anubias_ and _Cryptocoryne_. Tomorrow, after have added ferns I will post some photos.


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## second (Jan 31, 2005)

Cant wait to see pics of this.................


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## stefano-bonalume (Dec 3, 2014)

Today I finished planting the tank. Water is a bit cloudy.
Here you are some pics of the finished tank.





































I tied _Microsorum 'Trident'_ on a long rock.










_Bolbitis_ is behind _Microsorum_. Some portions are on a rock and some are on tied to a plastic pot. I put a little rock in it to make in sink and stay in place.


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## Regenesis (Apr 12, 2011)

Can't wait to see how this tank comes along, already looks great!


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## stefano-bonalume (Dec 3, 2014)

Added a few floating Spirodela polyrhiza.
Some other photos of today, a bit less cloudy. Hope all plants will grow because I like how they are planted.



















Here you can see where Bolbitis is planted. 










Left side.










Right side.


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## knm<>< (Mar 18, 2010)

Looks awesome, love the bolbitis.


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## second (Jan 31, 2005)

Nice AK
Is that crypt parva up front?











stefano-bonalume said:


> Added a few floating Spirodela polyrhiza.
> Some other photos of today, a bit less cloudy. Hope all plants will grow because I like how they are planted.
> 
> 
> ...


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## stefano-bonalume (Dec 3, 2014)

Yes C. parva. 
I will buy fert tabs for it as soon as possible.


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## stefano-bonalume (Dec 3, 2014)

Today I went to the aquarium store searching for some snail, in particular _Planorbarius corneus_, but they put in all tanks _Anentome helena_ and so, you know.. no ramshorn snails anymore. I'll find a way to get them.

They advised me to buy some _Neritina sp._ or _Clithon sp._, but my tank is opened and those snail species go sometimes out of water.
So I searched for some non commercial snail in the plants tanks and find a few _Physa marmorata / P. acuta_ , but they weren't able to take them out of the tank without crushing the shell! Finally they gave only one (and alive ahah) to me for free, obviously. 
They could't understand why I wanted some pest aquatic snails that no one wants in their aquarium. ahah
A pic of my new _Physa_, it is so cute!










They also gave me another very little snail, telling me it was a pest aquatic snail like my _Physa_, but in that tank there were two species of big snails I have never seen before. I think my noid snail could be a "son" of the bigger snails and could be _Viviparus sp._
What do you think it could be? 
I read that _Viviparus_ snails don't eat aquarium plants, so I'll keep it for now.


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## stefano-bonalume (Dec 3, 2014)

Some days ago I went for a walk along a river near where I live and found under some rocks in the water some gastropods and bivalves: _Dreissena polymorpha, Theodoxus fluviatilis, Radix auricularia, Ancylus fluviatilis_ and _Physa sp._ They are very little except _R. auricularia._
I also found two little pieces of _Myriophyllum spicatum_ and _Ceratophyllum demersum_.

Today I made a partial water change and then put little invertebrates in the tank.

I cleaned invertebrates shells the best I could, but small aquatic organisms are very interesting to me, so if something will appear in my tank won't be a problem. I'd like to have some _Hydra sp._, I think they are very beautiful.

Here you are some photos.

_Dreissena polymorpha_, this is the big one (1 cm), and there is another very little one. Here there are also two _Theodoxus fluviatilis_. Bigger ones are less than 0,5 cm; others around 0,2 cm and I put in the tank 8 of them.










_R. auricularia_: very beautiful with golden spots on its body, but I took it out of the tank immediately because it goes under little rocks pushing them away messing up the tank.










I'm afraid there aren't enough algae-diatoms on my tank glass to feed snails, they move on the aquarium glass only.

_Theodoxus fluviatilis_










_Ancylus fluviatilis_



















And this one. It looks like _Bithynia sp._ It hasn't moved much since I put it in the tank but it is alive.


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## Aquaticz (Dec 26, 2009)

lol .... u had me until the snails showed up


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## knm<>< (Mar 18, 2010)

I like the snails. I tried to establish a colony of snails in my 75 gallon tank, but the sunfish eat them as soon as they move into the open. No matter how big they are, they become a snack!


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## jamblor (Jan 2, 2015)

Great looking tank, I really like the contrast of the plants and dark rocks.


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## stefano-bonalume (Dec 3, 2014)

Thanks for the comments.
I think snails are very important because they clean the whole tank (glass, rocks, gravel, rocks..), eat uneaten food and dead leaves, and some of them could be a snack for fish. 
I like to watch snails moving around in the tank as I like to watch fish swimming around, they are both interesting to me.


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## stefano-bonalume (Dec 3, 2014)

Some days ago I made another partial water change and then bought 5 _Caridina japonica_. 










And yesterday I bought this beautiful _Betta splendens_. It is constantly flaring at the back glass, probably because it sees its own reflection. 
I searched up a bit and read lots of people asking about new bought bettas always flaring at the glass, but after some days or few weeks they all calmed down, flaring only sometimes.










I noticed some little single white spots on _Bolbitis _leaves. I think they are _Theodoxus fluviatilis_ eggs.

2 pics I forgot to post:


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## Regenesis (Apr 12, 2011)

Beautiful tank! What kind of camera do you use?


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## stefano-bonalume (Dec 3, 2014)

Thank you! I use a Nikon Coolpix S600.
Plants are slowly growing and I finally got some blue _ Planorbarius corneus_


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## stefano-bonalume (Dec 3, 2014)

Not a good pic but I just wanted to show you how the tank looks like.
I removed the bigger rock. I love its texture but it gave me the impression of flattening the scape and make it look smaller. 

I transplanted some _Cryptocoryne parva_ where there was the rock. 
_C. parva _is doing well. Frow what I read on the net it seemed to be quite difficult to grow and I expected that it would die, but it's slowing making new leaves and long roots.

I put a little wood. I like that it comes from the back and then goes into the sand.

All _Microsorum 'Trident'_ leaves are grown in the tank. No one old leaf left.

And I moved some _Anubias 'Nangi' _from the rocks where I tied it to the front\left side. I think it is filled better and is more balanced now.

I want to cover the filter and there is some _Ceratophyllum _in front of it but cuttings are still small. Maybe a friend will give me some _Limnophila sessiliflora\heterophylla._










Now there are some snails (_Theodoxus, Blue Planorbarius_), 3 _Caridina japonica_, 1_ Betta splendens_ and 5 _Paracheirodon innesi_. I bought neons because my betta was biting his own fins and I read that it could be bored. 
Solutions could be change the scape, but I like it, so I bought 5 neons and since when i put them with the betta, fins are growing back.


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## knm<>< (Mar 18, 2010)

I don't know, I feel like it looks flatter now, more so than before. Maybe the big rock would be better if you moved it farther left and back, just in front of the bolbitis.

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## stefano-bonalume (Dec 3, 2014)

I can't put the rock in front of the Bolbitis, there is not enough space. The rock would be very close to the front glass. And I don't like it.
I think that with more "green" on the left part of the tank, it will look better. That's why I moved _Anubias_ and planted _Ceratophyllum_.


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## stefano-bonalume (Dec 3, 2014)

Update. Here it's a bit messy. Ceratophyllum needs to be pruned.
I took this pic and then I removed the rock with Microsorum 'Trident' because new leaves became brown or with brown spots some days after emerging and new Bolbitis leaves was growing over it, stealing light. I read leaves get brown spots because of hard water, but I can afford to use it only. And I don't want a plant with contantly partially brow leaves. I'll try to grow it emersed, I don't want to throw it away.
Maybe I'll move the Bolbitis that now is in the back centre, on the left. I like the contrast between the "bushy" part and the empty part. 
I don't know if I should buy some small Anubias or Cryptocoryne wendtii to plant in the left front side to eventually cover the base of Bolbitis.










A Caridina japonica is full of eggs, and I know, they'll all die in freshwater.










And a pic of Blue Ramshorn Snail eating a pea with a lot of babies.


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## stefano-bonalume (Dec 3, 2014)

Took 2 quite decent pics of how the tank looks now. I made some changes and added some Creeping Moss (Vesicularia sp.). I didn't find pics of what it looks like in a tank, but I think that if it will creep, it will be ok. Ahah

Don't pay attention to the right part, I put there Aegagropila linnaei pillows because I didn't know where to put them and I don't have another tank. Maybe I'll keep 2 or 3 and the rest will be sold if I find someone who wants them. 
I kept some Ceratophyllum demersum so I have a fast growing plant.

The final idea is the "bushy" part on the left with Creeping Moss reaching the right part with plain sand only.










Photobombing Betta.


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## stefano-bonalume (Dec 3, 2014)

Trimmed some Bolbitis leaves. It hasn't lost any since I got him, so some are quite old with brown areas. I put Microsorum 'Trident' rhizomes between Bolbitis rhizomes, I'll see how it grows there.
Creeping Moss is growing.
Remember that the final idea is the left planted side only.


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## stefano-bonalume (Dec 3, 2014)

New addiction to the tank. A very little pieces of Monosolenium tenerum - Pellia Liverwort. I know, It won't grow into a carpet but forms quite round pillows. 
I tied those few pieces on 2 wire mesh. 
When it starts to grow, I'll think about where to place it. Maybe it could look good as a transition between Bolbitis and Creeping Moss because it is taller than it.


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## stefano-bonalume (Dec 3, 2014)

Here's how the tank looks like now.

Plants:
Bolbitis Heudelotii
Anubias 'Nangi'
Cryptocoryne parva
Aegagropila linnaei
Creeping Moss (Vesicularia sp.)
Ceratophyllum demersum
Microsorum 'Trident'
Monosolenium tenerum

Fish:
1x Male Betta splendens
7x Paracheirodon innesi (2 of them are Gold Neon Tetra)
2x Pangio kuhlii

Invertebrates:
3x Caridina japonica
1x Physa sp.
1x Neritina pulligera
Planorbarius corneus 'Blue'


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## ChemGuyEthan (Apr 13, 2014)

Nicely done.

If I didn't know the size of the tank (or if the fish weren't in there for size comparison) I would have thought the tank was much larger. You did a very nice job giving a sense of scale in a smaller package.


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## stefano-bonalume (Dec 3, 2014)

Thank you very much. That's a big compliment!

Because the tank is not very big, most fish keepers would say that there are too many fish in the tank, but they swim and live in different zones, so they have enough space. 
Only sometimes Betta looks interested in Neons, but they hyde in the Bolbitis for few seconds and then come out again. 

I had to take out Monosolenium tenerum because ramshorn snails were eating it! I tought they wouldn't eat it because they don't eat live plants. Maybe it tastes different because it was in another tank before, I don't know. 
I'll try to grow it in a cup for a while and then reintroduce a little portion in the tank. That's a pity that my ramshorns like it.


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## mootay (Feb 16, 2015)

Just curious where you got the blue ramshorns.. thought about ordering some off [Ebay Link Removed]

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## stefano-bonalume (Dec 3, 2014)

All sellers I could find on the net were from Germany. They must be a popular selection there!
I got them from a guy in a facebook aquarium group. He lives in Italy, too, so shipment has been cheap and fast. In italy no one sells Blue Planorbarius\ no one sells Planorbarius in general ahah. And very few people are interested in keeping those aquarium snails. They are often considered as a pest. But my ramshorns are not reproducing very fast. I feed them less that I can so they aren't inclined to lay new eggs. Maybe because now it's summer and it's very hot, or maybe because I give them little food, but it is months since I last saw their eggs. 

It's all about balancing how much do you feed your fish and how much uneaten food snails get.

Anyway I'm happy to have them because I like their shade of cool grey, and the shape of the shell. Young ones have a less thick shell and you can clearly see inside. They always have a little air bubble inside. Their young shells are transparent\white and shine like pearls. I love them. Baby or Adult. 
The only "problem" is that they ate a little piece of Monosolenium tenerum. I didn't think they could eat it because they don't eat other plants.


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## Daisy Mae (Jun 21, 2015)

I like your tank, Stefano! 
I am a big fan of some blank space but somehow I have a bad habit of overbuying plants then I have a bunch of them in there that are temporarily occupying my planned empty spaces. Hopefully I will learn eventually. I am inspired by your success. I too like snails and have several in small containers throughout the house, now there are lots of babies. And yes, the aquarium store guy looked at me funny when I asked for the "pest" snails.


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## stefano-bonalume (Dec 3, 2014)

Yes it's hard to resist and not put other plants where there is still space, but I try to resist. I like that open space in my tank and I'll try to mantain it.

I'm happy about how my little tank looks like now. I never thought I could be able to do a "clean" aquascape. I know, there are lots of tanks that are way better than mine, but I like mine very much because it has few plants species and it is very low tech. Lights are usually on for about 8-9 hours a day. I change almost half water every two-three weeks and put a cheap aquarium plants liquid fertiliser when I remember (and it's not often ahah). 
Plants seem to grow even in those conditions. 
I like slow growing plants because the tank doesn't change very quickly and I have not to transplant\prune often. I just like to watch how things evolves.


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## Daisy Mae (Jun 21, 2015)

stefano-bonalume said:


> Yes it's hard to resist and not put other plants where there is still space, but I try to resist. I like that open space in my tank and I'll try to mantain it.
> 
> I'm happy about how my little tank looks like now. I never thought I could be able to do a "clean" aquascape. I know, there are lots of tanks that are way better than mine, but I like mine very much because it has few plants species and it is very low tech. Lights are usually on for about 8-9 hours a day. I change almost half water every two-three weeks and put a cheap aquarium plants liquid fertiliser when I remember (and it's not often ahah).
> Plants seem to grow even in those conditions.
> I like slow growing plants because the tank doesn't change very quickly and I have not to transplant\prune often. I just like to watch how things evolves.


So true! I don't mind the slow growth in my tanks, it means I can just sit back and enjoy without doing too much maintenance.


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## stefano-bonalume (Dec 3, 2014)

New pics. Changed the little wood with a new one I liked because it was decomposing and snails\shrimp ate most of it.
This new wood is dry and it will take some time to soak. I think it is Carpinus or Fagus wood. It have bark still on it, so when the bark will start to fall off, I'll take the wood out and take off all the bark to accelerate the process. Snails and shrimp are constantly eating on it.

Creeping Moss is growing well. I'm satisfied with its growth habit. It really creeps, growing horizontally.
I'm thinking about to cut a "L" shaped mesh so I have a big single piece of mesh I can fit in the tank where moss is now, instead of many little mesh. All those little mesh would take some time when I'll have to trim and put new young moss stems on all of them.

I found one gold neon tetra dead, and my Betta is getting old. It is less active and passes most of the time laying on the filter. It is not sick, it looks healthy. It still eat and swim, but before it stayed on the filter at night only. Now it looks like it gets tired of swimming after a while.


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

You should check your parameters and monitor the betta for disease/parasite etc, whatever got the tetra might be effecting the betta. 
Bettas live more than 1 year, veiltails (what you have) can live as long as 5 years! Though a more average life span is 2.5-3 for properly cared for vt. Some of the newer splendid types have shorter lifespans from bad genetics and a lot of inbreeding to get desired traits but still average 1.5-2.5 year life spans with proper care. Bettas are typically sold at 3-4 months old.. and maybe survive 1-2 months in pet store death trap cups so at the oldest you might have gotten you bettas at around 6 months old, if healthy it still has a few years left in it.


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## stefano-bonalume (Dec 3, 2014)

It acts like an old betta. I don't think it has any parasite. But I can't be sure. 
I think it is going to die in some weeks.
I threw some peas in the tank for shrimps and snails, and my betta went to see them. He always ate at least one cotyledon, but today he is only laying near them. He still eats his food, though.


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## stefano-bonalume (Dec 3, 2014)

The crowntail Betta lasted only one week. His last day his color was faded and his fins were clamped. I have decided to not buy bettas for a while. They are too stressed at the lfs and I want to go for something more tough.
Was thinking about a single male Apistogramma cacatuoides, but I read that they can reach 5 years, and I want a kind of fish which doen't last too long, so i can change fish type "quite often". That's my idea for now while I'm typing, but I could change it. 
So I bought 10 Paracheirodon simulans and a male Guppy. Maybe you would think the tank is overcrowded, but I think it's ok, they have places to hide and, most important, none of the fish species is aggressive.

Next week I'm going to trim the moss on the big mesh and put cuttings where the mesh shows up.

Sorry for the very bad pics, but that's just to show how the tank -and the mesh- look now.


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

if you want short lived fish make sure you have a secure lid and buy killifish.


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## stefano-bonalume (Dec 3, 2014)

I don't want extremely short lived fish, but a fish that can live 5 years is too much for what I want now.


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