I have just been over to the Hospice to check out the tank. They had called to say it could do with a clean. Our club set up and maintains a 4ft tropical in the main lobby. I have not seen it for ages as one of our other club members, who works in the hospital, has been kind enough to do the maintenance for the past year or so. I needed to see how much cleaning it needed, as I understood Sally had done a water change a couple of weeks ago, what fish were still in it (they had let us know the large catfish had died - he had come with the tank and was over 10 years old I believe) and whether it needed plants.
Well, I counted;
17 black widows, 1 baby bristlenose (added recently apparently to replace the catfish), 1 rummy nose, 1 very large and bright cherry barb, 2 lemon etras, 1 harlequin and an angel.
The Anubias I originally added has taken off and spread well. I think I will have to pinch some back for my own tank as mine died out. There is a bit of Java fern on the log and patches of cyano. I think I will trim my rotala and add that along the back to give more plant height.
I was given some fish the other day after their tank seal gave way so I will add them as well. There's a penguin tetra, 4 black widows, 2 large tiger barbs, a few neons, 1 harlequin, 1 zebra danio, 1 silver shark (not sure if I will add that one but not sure what to do with it) and a couple of bottom dwellers.
Another member has offered small Ancistrus fry so we might add more of them as well. The large group of widows looks good but I am wondering if we could do with a bit more colour.
James, another member, and I will go over again this weekend and I will supervise while he cleans (I can't bend to do it myself. James even cleaned out my 3ft for me the other day ) and adds the other fish.
Once my 3ft is empty I can lend it to my sister who has a goldfish in a bowl (fish belongs to boyfriend who did not know any better) and wishes to give it a bigger home.