Help me stock a new easy going 5 foot tank

You're looking for dwarf water lilies - I see you're in Gauteng, Dorry pets has them from time to time. Pet a Pond, near Wilgers Hospital, also often has them, as does Jungle Aquatics. I'd suggest calling, with covid a lot of supplies are a bit disrupted.

Maybe one of the online retailers that sponsor us here also has some?

 

I bought some neocaridina shrimp today and waited till just before lights out to add them. While I was adding them the neon tetras and cherry barbs managed to kill a few and eat them I quickly turned off the light hoping it will give them a chance.
Looks like its going to be an expensive live shrimp feeding though...

 

Ouch.... sorry to hear...

 

Yah neons, no especially if the shrimp are small. Made an impulse buy today, some galaxy pintos, and was about to add them to the neon tank and stopped in time.

 

The tank is settling nicely. Still have some algea on the wood but the glass, plants and rock are starting to clear up.

Been a bit busy with work so haven't really done much in the last 2 weeks. Its time to add another batch of fish and I need to start looking for some nano/small anubias that I can mount on the wood in the centre. I'm thinking of doing a bunch of smaller species rather than one or two larger ones.
I only have a cheap cellphone for pictures so sorry about the quality.

 

Its looking great @Beachless

Also think the little Anubias will fit in better

 

With winter approaching and the suns lower angle the one corner of the tank is getting some direct sun in the morning. I noticed recently that the otos seem to sun bathe together each morning while the other inhabitants seem to shy away from the sun.

 

Made a few small changes today. its a bit of a waiting game now for the plants to start filling in with a few small additions here and there.