Phew Thank Goodness That Is Finally Done

[Baccus]

Just spent the last 4 hours catching out predominately corydoras catfish, some otocinclus, Borneo suckers, Riffle Shrimp and Dwarf Neon Rainbows, Desert Rainbows, Threadfins and some Fly Specked Hardyheads along with a lot of Notopala snails out of my 4ft tank removing all the plants and rescaping along with adding more sand and gravel.
 
Now I am just waiting for the water to finish clearing before doing a head count of fish, shrimp and snails going back into the tank.
 
Even though the picture doesn't do it justice I am quite proud of the final look. I know the catfish will have a blast re-arranging all the sand but for now its looking good. In the back right corner there is a small rock wall that is holding back a thick layer of sand gravel mix that has just a couple of rooted plants planted in. The various rocks and timbers have mixes of Java fern, Anubis, Windelov java fern and Bolbitus.
 

 

[Ch4rlie]

Excellent, I know that doing this sort of thing is a LOT more work than people realise.
 
Your plants are looking lovely and a nice shade of healthy green, the tank looks good.
 
Good job
 
I look forward to you posting with the numbers of what you have :d

 

[Munroco]

Looking great

 

[Baccus]

Numbers, well I was in for some surperises.
33 peppered corydoras (about 10 juvi- lost count of just how many babies I recaught)
5 Emerald corydoras (Brochis splendens)
2 Mystery corydoras (never been able to work out their true identity)
3 Smudge Spot Corydoras
2 False Julii (probably wont increase their numbers)
2 Otocinclus (just ordered 5 more)
2 Dwarf Corydoras (C. habrosus - trying to track down more)
4 Borneo Suckers
Dwarf Neon Rainbows
3 Threadfin Rainbows (debating about increasing their numbers again to a proper school)
8 Fly Specked Hardyheads
5 Riffle Shrimp
1 Chameleon shrimp (put in with my other chameleons in another tank)
15 Notopala snails (probably a lot of babies I didn't see and are still in the tank somewhere)
 
Believe it or not the tank still appears empty of fish life, largely I think because the tank is not only long but also wide. What you cant really see in the picture is that behind nearly all the rocks and timber there is a lot of open floor space, as well as what can be seen from the middle to front of the tank. Its a very peaceful tank and I think that's one of the reasons I first fell in love with corydoras and some species of loach.
 
Now everyone is back in the tank I will try to get some more better pictures of the fish and tank.

 

[Akasha72]

looks lovely Baccus, the plants look especially healthy and lush. Won't be long before that amount of cories have the substrate nicely re-arranged! I keep trying to level mine out but the cories come along and re-arrange it lol

 

[LyraGuppi]

Beautiful! c:

 

[Baccus]

Just went through one of the tubs that I put all the fish and some of the plants into while I was stripping and rescaping the tank and guess what found another 2 juvi peppered corys and 1 chameleon shrimp. I still have one more tub of plants to go through and kind of dreading what just what might be hiding in there.

 

[Akasha72]

were they alive? Please tell me they were alive ...

 

[Baccus]

Yes alive and well and put back into the tank, they are tough little guys.

 

[Akasha72]

oh fantastic news

 

[Harlequins]

Looks fab

 

[Baccus]

After the success of doing over the catfish tank, I set my sights on rescaping and head counting fish in my other 4ft tank yesterday. It was badly over grown and getting algae issues.
The good thing is I now know that there are still 16 sterbai corydora in there and 12 dwarf chain loaches, the sole angel is left over from when I had a pair team up and banish him from their tank, the rainbows mostly Dawson River Rainbows are easily counted due to size along with the solitary Boesemani Rainbow,  and the endlers I am hoping are slowly dying out. At least the Angel and the Rainbows are doing a good job of reducing surviving fry numbers. There is also a couple of BN's in the tank, who are almost impossible to find at the best of times.
 
I might yet invest in more Anubis and add that to the tank, but that may be a while away yet, and the rainbows really do look better with tall planted plants rather than stumpy compact plants.
 
Any way here is the other 4ft tank.

 
A small bunch of sterbai and a BN pretending its part of the timber

 
Some of the endlers and a dwarf chain loach exploring

 
Now I just have a 3ft tank to overhaul which is swarming with cull cherry shrimp, just to make life interesting, and the deep freebie tank that has a bit of everything hiding in there.