A big shake-up is underway, and those panda garra are surprisingly tiny.

[bettaMagenta]

First job of the day was tackling the African tank - it's always a challenge. I used a 36" long handled net to catch the three large albino Corys and moved them to a holding tank with fine sand. I also removed the big white mystery snail and one of the Zebra Nerite snails, as we're expecting a battle between the assassin snails and the bladder snails in that tank.

While catching the Corys, I managed to get half of the black Corys out of the Asian tank. This required some rearranging - I had to remove the hanging plants from the top of the back side and temporarily take out a big piece of driftwood and one of the bamboo pots. I'd like to move the big Flying Fox as well to give the five new Panda Garras some breathing room. Those Garras are tiny, by the way - about the size of a medium male Guppy. The Tin Foil Barbs seemed a bit too interested when I added them, but an hour later, everything was still calm.

After a break for supper, I'll enlist Mrs' help from the viewing side while I try to catch the rest of the Corys and that Fox in the Asian tank. I'd also like to grab the last Zebra Nerite from the African tank so it can settle down before the new "Fantastic's" arrive.

These little guys are fearless - they're all still swimming around after several hours and a supper break.

[muddywave]

Good luck indeed, I feel you, catching fish with a net can be quite the ordeal. I recall my own experience moving my fish from a 15-gallon tank to a larger one, it was a real challenge, especially since I was converting the 15-gallon into a shrimp tank.

I had to remove as much as I could, but still, it took a lot of patience and effort to catch them all. I started out being very cautious, but as time went on, I found myself getting more aggressive with the net, just hoping the remaining plants would survive the chaos.

[bettaMagenta]

Just finished up in the Asian tank, managed to catch the last 2 Cory's, decided to leave the Flying Fox alone, they seem fine and are native to the region anyway. The Zebra Nerite snail is still at large, so I'll have to keep an eye out for it.

@BadgersSong, those tea plants you asked about are looking great, they always go dormant for a bit after a trim, but they're still nice and lush. Had them hung on one of the 10 gallons while I was catching fish, but they're back in the Asian tank now.

[BadgersSong]

My tea plants hung in there for a bit, but eventually the leaves changed color, started with the lower ones, and dropped off. Yours seem to be doing alright, nice to see.

[BadgersSong]

Those baby panda garra are just too cute. Fingers crossed the bigger fish won't bother them. I've never had silver dollars myself, but from what I've heard, they're not typically aggressive.

[bettaMagenta]

These are the Tin Foil barbs, not the Silver Dollars - they're in the tank with the Bichir, where the Panda Garra's wouldn't last a day if I transferred them. I can see why you might think they're smaller, the angle of the picture doesn't do their length justice - all 5 of them, ranging from 5 to 7 inches long.

[bettaMagenta]

Panda babies are thriving, swimming right up to the Tin Foils and snatching bits off their food as it softens. Those little guys have no fear, just darting around like they own the place. The biggest Hillstream Loach is the only one that gives them any grief, but even he's just gently shooing them away. They're starting to darken up already, they were really pale yesterday, nice to see that color coming through.

[bettaMagenta]

Just caught a panda baby cleaning the skimmer on one of the filters - these little guys are everywhere, from the gravel to the top of the tank. I was reading that they can actually climb out of tanks, so fingers crossed they stay put with all the plants in this tank, even though it's not covered.

First pic with the new phone, 10X zoom - still getting used to it.

[BadgersSong]

You've got some air space between the water surface and the top, I assume. A few inches should keep them put, but rest assured they'll make a break for it on any wet surface they can find. In their natural habitat, they're used to intermittent streams, crawling from pool to pool in search of better grazing. I recall a video from my own experience, during the first big water change after I got them - they seemed to be plotting their escape, looking for a way back to Myanmar.

[bettaMagenta]

My tanks have those plastic frames around the top with a ridge that sticks out, so it's not a smooth surface all the way to the top, I think that should keep them from climbing out.