My apologies for not reading through all of this thread but I am on board with Sciencefiction if this is dirt or soil based tank.
Bout all you can do other than provide good flow/filtration throughout, is frequent water changes of at least 50%.(maybe twice a week as fishes grow larger.
Will need to keep filter material clean more often maybe once a month to start ,and see what the material look's like.
Would maybe only feed these fishes once every other day or every two day's.
Earthworms,Frozen krill,Talapia bits, frozen shrimp or prawn, Keep rotating the pellet foods every now and then but maybe floating ones, that can be netted out if uneaten after a half hour.(No feeder fishes)
Between food's,fish poo,soil based tank ,and fishes movement throughout while foraging,or squabbling as they reach sexual maturity,good flow to keep particulates in water column for filtration to grab is preferable to allowing the crap to collect on the substrate .Is why the suggestion of keeping filter material clean in old tank water during water changes or bucket of dechlorinated water along with maybe twice weekly 50 % water changes.
Rig up a small pump and hose to move the water for it is way easier than moving water with bucket's.
They are some handsome fishes But were it me,(and it ain't) I might place them in larger tank sooner and perhaps more of a river stream theme rather than soil based planted tank.
Could still use plant's attached to wood or stones like anubia and or ferns as well as floating plants.
Would want large marble size substrate of no more than two inches to make cleaning the substrate more effective.
agree also with another filter like the one you have presently which will make part's,media,interchangeable.
Good O2 level's critical IMHO