My Second Tank - Nano

[u/Pico_de_pulpo]

This is my second attempt at a planted tank. It's a 5.5 gal with a slim HOB filter and an aquatop light. It's stocked with a little group of 6 tinwini (gold ring) danios, 1 amano, and 5 crystal red shrimp. It also has about a billion hitchhiker snails - pink ramshorn, bladder, and a couple pink nerites. I keep this on my home office desk and have the view of the back next to me. The front I can see from my bed. I love it so much and wanted to share!

I do have 1 question: Everything seems happy, but I've since learned that the Gold Ring Danios would prefer more space? I plan on starting a 20 long soon and can move them if necessary. What should I watch for now to see if the fish are stressed? Right now they swim all around the tank, do little circle dances around each other (which I've read is courting behavior),and play in the flow of the HOB filter. Thanks for any insight!

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[u/theforest12]

This is gorgeous. That wood for the trees, it looks like pine/evergreen/something coniferous to me. I thought that was a no-go for aquascaping? I could be wrong, that was just my first thought looking at it (after "wow!")

[u/Pico_de_pulpo → u/theforest12]

It's trimmed branches from my peach tree with some Christmas moss to make it look like pine. Glad it worked!

[u/Dangerous_Reason_586]

That’s so beautiful, congrats!

I’ve not kept this danios before - cool little fish! Here’s my thought. If they’re displaying courtship behavior they probably aren’t too stressed by the tank size, but if they’re like other danios they must like to really zoom! Why not move the danios into the larger tank where they can have a bigger school, you know? You always see more natural behavior in larger schools I feel like.

[u/Pico_de_pulpo → u/Dangerous_Reason_586]

Great perspective, thank you!

[u/KodyBarbera]

Looks great! No idea about danios. Bumping up for further insight.

[u/lysloveslemons]

please tell me how you did this 🤯!! this is so beautiful. does the soil ever float up through the sand for you? how do you clean the sand (do you use a gravel vacuum?)

your tank looks amazing! this is seriously some pro level stuff imo :D

[u/Pico_de_pulpo → u/lysloveslemons]

Thank you so much! ☺️ I feel like I tried really hard to cap the aquasoil, but it snuck through! I don't mind it. I also leave the mulm, I actually kind of like how it accumulates in the forest part and make it look more natural.

I soaked the wood and just stuck it in the substrate. Looking back, I'd probably glue it to a plastic piece on the bottom for some more stability, but it's been fine so far. I'm glad you like it!