JettsPapa

Cryptocoryne spiralis looks somewhat similar, or you might find another crypt variety that you like.

Black neon tetras, if you're interested in a single species.

I used it in my first tank (at least it was play sand; I don't remember the brand name). It had quite a bit of very small gravel in it. I'm a big fan of using pool filter sand. It's a little more expensive, but it's more uniform, and if you get a good brand it needs little to no rinsing.

Hello, and welcome to the forum. I agree with the others about not adding any fish. I'd suggest adding one more male and several more female shrimp. More live plants would be good. Something like java moss or susswassertang would be good. I see the tank has a heater. If you want to maximize offspring that's okay, but for just shrimp you really don't need it. Here is a link to some basic shrimp keeping information I put together a while ago if you'd like to take a look:

Cattail. (I'm in southeast Texas, and it's pretty common.)

I believe it's somewhat difficult when they're young, but much easier when they approach maturity (much like most gouramis).

I would not recommend a dwarf gourami. It's difficult to find one that's healthy and won't kill everything else in the tank. I don't disagree with honey gouramis for the centerpiece, but pearl gouramis are rarely aggressive toward other species if they're kept in groups instead of single. Here's my recommendation: For the centerpiece, 3 pearl gouramis or 5 honey gouramis, with females outnumbering males. Ten or so of your favorite mid-size rasbora, tetra, etc. I'm a big fan of serpae tetras, especially in planted tanks, but there are many good options. I also like black neon tetras, lemon tetras, and pristella tetras, and they have been pretty much trouble free for me. 6-8 of one of the smaller Corydoras species or. a pair of Bolivian rams for the centerpiece, skip the corys (since the rams spend most of their time near the bottom), and up the mid-size shoaling fish to 15 or so.

Most of my sponge filters have a lid from a to-go cup with a hole in the center for the straw floating at the top with the air line passing through the hole. It still allows for some water movement at the top, but cuts back on the splashing, and it floats up and down to stay on the surface. It works well, and I like the price. If it gets cruddy it's easy enough to replace. By the way, I'm not smart enough to figure that out myself. I saw it on an LRB Aquatics youtube video.

I wash mine just like I do the rest of the household laundry, but they also aren't used directly in the tanks. Only for wiping up spills and drying my hands.

I like these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B088C13CRK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1. They're 15" long, so almost 50% longer than the standard ones, and they seem to be well built. The ends fit together well enough to grab and remove hair algae.

My work tank is just a 5.5 gallon, and I change one gallon every week or ten days, so hauling that much water isn't a problem.

I also have a small office tank. I bring water from home for water changes. You might try that.

I don't have time to look for it now, but I saw a video where @Cory used a shop vac to remove a bunch of it.

It's this one.

I would stick to the neocaridinas. I've corresponded with someone who is much more experienced than I am at keeping shrimp, and he said that while it's possible to keep both in the same tank it's not for beginners, and neither one really thrives.

If it was me I'd probably just stick with the rasboras, but if you want something else I'd suggest a trio (1M, 2F) of honey gouramis, or maybe 6-8 Corydoras pygmaeus (not both).

A few years ago I was at the place I posted about above and the guy in line ahead of me was telling the lady what he wanted on his taco. He pointed to the bin with the cilantro in it and said "Put some of that parsley on it please." I didn't bother to correct him, and the lady behind the counter probably didn't hear him, so she loaded him up with cilantro. I've often wondered what he thought about his parsley.

The best come from my local convenience store that has a food counter. When I stop in around 6:15 to get breakfast every morning they have at least two people making food and two more serving it, and I'm pretty sure they all grew up speaking Spanish. Great food (including tortillas they make right there from scratch) and nice people, which is why I stop every morning. Technically they're burritos, and not tacos, but I don't care.

I don't know. I can try to post better pictures this evening.

I used pool filter sand in mine. Plants do just fine.

I start my standard 20 gallon tank with 1" of dry cow manure, then 1" of potting soil, and topped off with 2" of pool filter sand. I didn't do anything to prepare the bottom two layers.

Most common "pest" snails only eat dead plant leaves.

I use pool filter sand in my tanks with blue shrimp, and Black Diamond sandblasting sand in the tanks with red or yellow shrimp. I don't see why black shouldn't work just fine for orange ones.

Yes

Mine arrived yesterday. It is much appreciated, and @Zenzodid a great job selecting the items.