LESSON LEARNED: Bettas and dwarf crays are a BIG NO NO!
So my cray died for no reason that I could figure out. I decided to replace him with 2 new crays in this tank and decided I was going to see if my Betta could move back in as well since he did so well with the amanos without any problems.
I'm going to post my conversation with Morainy here because I think it may be helpful to somebody at some point.
I gave the crowntail another shot in the eheim thinking maybe he was over pecking at the crays. The crays have had a few hours to adjust without the betta. Soon as he was back in his old home he went behind the cray and started nipping at it. The cray jumped in terror. Betta pecked again and this time the cray attacked back and took off one of his fin rays and a big tear in his anal fin. Yikes! He (betta) seemed scared this time, but was still watching the crays from a distance. I didn't want to risk injuring the betta anymore and stressing the crays so I decided to leave the crays in the eheim and will be finding another housing unit for the betta. He is recovering from his ordeal(s) in a big tub right now a little worn out looking, but I think he will be fine. Might have to start up my old 3 gallon eclipse tomorrow.
I moved a few cherries into the eheim and my shoal of chilis. It looks fantastic. The colours of the chilis are really popping here! Ever since I moved in some gold white clouds into my ebi a few weeks ago they have hidden themselves away in the plants. The white clouds were way too active for them. They now have nothing to worry about in their own tank!
So I figured the cray looking rather clumsy and colourful was much more tempting to the betta than the plain and fast moving amanos. Lesson learned!
UPDATED PHOTOS:
The vals continue to spread, but also continue to break off and die as well. I've stopped excel because I heard it melts them. I don't know why, but they turn yellow and mushy after awhile. I recently started dosing potassium. I have had to pull out some new shoots and replant them where they were thinning.
The crays and chilis are very entertaining. The cray holds onto his pellet and tears at it. The chilis gather around him and eat all the bits that fly off. It almost looks like he is feeding them!
Love how the red pops against the green. Creepy amano molt dangling from the plants. The buggers creep me out!
Right now there are 2 dwarf crays, 2 amanos, 3 cherry shrimp and about 12 chili rasboras in the tank! It may be a little overstocked in terms of numbers, but the chilis and shrimp don't have a huge bioload...I think.
Oh and the lampeyes started disappearing one by one. I had a very aggressive female and it eventually took them all out while the amanos cleaned up the bodies.