It’s been about two weeks since I moved the discus back to the studio tank, and even though the aquascape looks absolutely fantastic, it felt a bit… unexciting. The cardinals, Sterbai corys and bristlenose plecos are all doing great, plants are thriving, but I wanted a proper “character” fish in the home tank again—something the kids can walk up to, say hello to, and not have the whole tank go skittish. So I made the call to bring home Chunks—my royal acara—along with my electric blue acaras. Chunks is an absolute brute (I can’t even put my hands in his tank because he bites), but he’s also weirdly unbothered by noise and movement, which is exactly why I knew he’d be fine in an open, walk-around home setup. I transported them in a simple box with cling film and masking tape (MD fish freight, basically), got them in, and watched the usual “sulky” phase: dark colour, clamped fins, a bit of hiding. The big takeaway: give big cichlids time. Within hours he was exploring, and over the next few days he even made himself a little dug-out “lookout” spot—pulled some plants up, claimed an area, and then settled right in. Mission success. He’s home, he’s staying home, and now the tank feels alive again.