Though I normally don’t bother with planted tanks, if you follow the blog, you know I took the dive and set up a 40g breeder last summer (2024). How is this cichlid related? Keep reading.
While not nearly aquascaped as beautiful as those who focus on aquascaping and such, I don’t think it’s too bad.
Update #2 was done in September of 2024. Since then, I have added some liquid fertilizer regularly and some root tabs. Clearly, that has all made a little difference.
I have to say it is a bit of struggle keeping algae at bay. I manage that by leaving the light off for several days at a time. Then, when I allow the light on, it’s only on for about two hours each day for three or four days.
I also don’t do any CO2. Doing so, coupled with more light, would certainly make the plants fuller and probably greener.
As for plants, it contains Amazon swords, vallisneria, anubias, cryptocoryne, and some hair grass. It also contains two fish species – some danios and a single, adult female Amatitlania nanolutea. She’s gorgeous but has a slight mouth deformity. Nonetheless, below is a short video of her.
I will probably be introducing another adult, female nanolutea soon. I have two females and a male together in a 20g long. I’ve been waiting for a pair to form, which I think has happened over the past week.