The picture is from shortly before I had to dismantle this tank in 2022 because I was moving cross-country with my SO.
I took this little world that I assembled apart, piece by piece. I packaged my fish for surrender to the LFS that I had purchased them from and cried from beginning to end. I poured my SOUL (and a lot of money) into this tank. I took my shrimp and a betta (from another tank) with me 2500 miles across the United States in one of those little plastic tanks with the vented lids.
2 years later, I unexpectedly had to move another 2300 miles back the other direction, but to another state. My betta lived several long, happy years before finally swimming in the big tank in the sky. I have only had a 10g with the shrimp since then and my new tank is less than impressive because you just can't do much in a small tank in a small apartment and at some point, the hope is that we are able to find a house and that would require yet another move.
I just wanted to share with people who get it. To go from this lush, abundant ecosystem to something that mimics but doesn't compare is really hard and I'm still grieving. I'm going to rescape my 10g with what I have on hand and go fish-shopping next week. My goal is to have an end product that I love even a fraction as much as I loved this one. Wish me luck!
Posted by hoppar3n
1 Comment
Yay to the rescape – something that you love and that inspires you to enjoy it until the time is right for another large tank. I have to say I love my littles almost as much as my bigs. I try to stick with smaller plants like buce and small crypts and sword reni. Slow growers like laganandra and Piptospatha are also lovely in little tanks. If your parameters allow, eriocaulon vietnam is also a nice small statement.