When to move otos back

Hi all. So I remade my 360l tank, which meant catching all the fish out. After some time I realized I have 5 otos left after the three years I have had them (though lets be real I started with more). I moved them to a prepared 10l box, which was full of brown algae, moss, floating plants, sponge filter and a coconut shelve. I even added a jackfruit leaf for them, in case that helps.
I remade the tank, changed the substrate, scrubbed the walls, planted/replanted the plants, washed/added the wood.

Now I am reluctant to add the otos back, there is nothing for them to eat at this point. But the 10l box is also not a super safe space for them, they are stressed every time I make a water change and I have to do that daily, due to the size of the box. I am making a repashy gel today, but I wonder, when will it be safe to add them back to the big tank? Also what should I do to make them more comfortable there, add leaf litter again? I removed one of the plants they used to hang out most on, my big crypt that had long leaves. Now I have just swords.
I am unsure which option is safest for them and will appreciate tips

If the water conditions are still the same (and temp match from the 10L box to main tank, should be fine! You could add the things you wanted them to eat in the 10L box to the big tank with them, then they have both what you put aside for them, and the larger water volume.

Adding more leaf litter and being mindful to use some stuff like repashy for them, especially in the early days, should be good! You know what you're doing! Even though it never hurt to ask and to brainstorm.

Tanks looking lovely, BTW! Hope you're pleased with your re-scape, and that it all went as smoothly as possible!

AdoraBelle Dearheart said:

If the water conditions are still the same (and temp match from the 10L box to main tank, should be fine! You could add the things you wanted them to eat in the 10L box to the big tank with them, then they have both what you put aside for them, and the larger water volume.

Adding more leaf litter and being mindful to use some stuff like repashy for them, especially in the early days, should be good! You know what you're doing! Even though it never hurt to ask and to brainstorm.

Tanks looking lovely, BTW! Hope you're pleased with your re-scape, and that it all went as smoothly as possible!

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I like how it turned out, I still have two more plants to add in some ceramic pots and waiting for the palm "nut" to sink in, but otherwise yes. I wonder how the tank will do though, the substrate that may mix, the plants that may lose their emersed leaves, the plants that will or will not work. Only time will tell how this will hold up.
I had one more willow tree, way bigger stump, but when I went to prepare it I realized it smells so bad!!! So most of the wood remained the same in the end. It is just so clean now almost unnatural
Also a lot empty now, I am waiting for my big school of fish once the tank settles in, so now it is just 4 bolivian rams, 6 pearl gouramis and my remaining 7 rummynose tetras. The otos wont be visible much after adding, and the 4 remaining kuhli loaches ( I wanted to buy more but the stock at the fair was just not good) wont add much either. It is something else

I really love the look of it! The swords at the back, lilies at the front - and makes sense to have swords in a planted substrate at the back, sand at the front where the bulb plants will mainly be using the bulb and their leaves... I just like it overall! Is the floating plant water sprite? I'm not 100% sure, and it's one I've not tried yet!

If ammonia/nitrites/nitrates are all good, I'd think otos are better off back in the big tank than in the 10L. Especially with the amount of biofilm and microcritters that will still be on the plant leaves. The glass might be clean and sparkling, but they'll graze from plants and hardscape too! And especially if you've seen yours eat added foods like repashy before, I would personally think they're better off in the big tank, and will find plant leaves and things to graze on, while being less stressed than in the smaller box.

What big school of fish are you gonna get?

Take photos of the tank every week or two apart, and you'll be stunned at the amount of new growth! When you see the tank daily, it's easy to miss, even if you know there's new growth. But when you actually see photos from two weeks apart, it really brings it home just how much they do in that short a time!

I love the scape though! What are you using to divide the planted substrate and the sand? I wanted to do something similar with one of mine! So any tips or tricks gladly accepted!

AdoraBelle Dearheart said:

What big school of fish are you gonna get?

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I have almost decided on cherry barbs as they came across as the most live, fun, small and compatible ones, but I do not have them yet, so things can always change

AdoraBelle Dearheart said:

Is the floating plant water sprite? I'm not 100% sure, and it's one I've not tried yet!

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It is Limnobium laevigatum aka frogbit, it just got very large. But I started with normal size plants, you know the ones you see, four leaves, small tight, and it turned into these monsters in my other tank

AdoraBelle Dearheart said:

What are you using to divide the planted substrate and the sand?

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Well, I presoaked the clay substrate and the sand in advance, scooped out the old sand using a dustpan and scooped the new clay substrate in, with the dustpan, piled it up high on the glass, put in the sand substrate, piled that high to the other glass wall, and put in the wood in the place in between and filled it with water. Nothing put in, nothing separated it, just the wood. I will report back in future how this worked out, especially after a gravel vac

Ok otos and kuhlies are back in the tank, boy was that a lot of work to catch them, they werent this pale when I bought them. I had same issue with rummynose, but they colored back up within 15 minutes, so will watch the otos and kuhlis ( prone to ich) like a hawk. The palm "pod" developed a slime coat which the otos would appreciate. I would much more appreciate if it sank, especially given I boiled it for a while as well.
I added a lot of leaves and some alder cones too, so there will be munching biofilm at one point or another.
Botanicals, am I right...