Some of these aquarium decorations can turn out unsafe, because they may have sharp edges that can pierce the fish and cause injuries as they slide through. At the same time, you should not overlook the fact that your aquarium should always make an aesthetic statement to its viewers.
Aside from that, you need to be familiar with the mechanics and chemistry that will be going on after you add the decorations to your aquarium. The following comprehensive guide can be used as a checklist while buying aquarium rock for your cichlids:. If you have a small tank, you should not go for a large-size rock that is going to displace water and take considerable space, leaving your tank inhabitants with little space to swim through or shoal. On the other hand, if you have small cichlid species, do not go for too big stones with equally too large caves.
The little fish will not feel safe in such an enormous size and they feel too insecure to roam through it confidently. When the aquarium lights are on, white rocks reflect much light that could prove too bright for your fish. This can hamper their movements. If your tank has little or no shade it is best to buy the dark-colored rocks. Darkly colored rocks sit well on white aquarium sand, for example.
The weight of the rock also matters. This is what you should think of while deciding the appropriate rock weight:. Most cichlids love to play around and once in a while they are going to bounce or pounce on objects.
For that simple reason, the rock you choose should be heavy enough to stand its ground. A smaller, lighter rock may be tossed about, thus proving unfit for its purpose. If you have active, territorial cichlids, get them sizable rocks. Smaller species can comfortably swim through lightweight rocks without creating a scene. Where the fish originally came from is one more factor you must never overlook if you want to successfully simulate their biotope.
Here is what you should make sure to get right when selecting rocks that make your cichlids feel at home:. In lake Malawi where a great portion of aquarium-suitable cichlids come from the rock is mainly limestone but sandstone can also be used.
South American cichlids come from various water bodies, too many to be listed here. Mind that cichlids can thrive with any type of rock and recreating their natural environment is not vital. Rough, sharp-pointed rocks can wound your fish. Some aquarium rocks such as limestone are cichlid-friendly by definition and do not need additional treatment. If such razor-like rock forms part of a hideout cave, you can imagine what will happen to your fish when they swim through.
So here is what should guide you when you balance between the right rock and the overall beauty of the aquarium:. You should balance between small and large ones, and try to imitate a natural-looking environment. These are their hideaways and well-chosen aquarium rocks are usually the best structures for that.
Here is what you should bear in mind when choosing rocks that can act as hideaways for your cichlids:. It helps a lot if the aquarium rocks have caves or holes where cichlids can swim to relax, hide from intimidators, breed, or even hunt for food.
If you have territorial fish species, you should use rocks to create some caves for them or buy ones with ready-made caves. Cichlids are notoriously aggressive and having a hideout significantly reduces stress levels in the aquarium. The crevices and caves are also significant in that they serve as colonies for beneficial nitrifying bacteria.
You can introduce dangerous bacteria into your tank by the simple act of choosing the wrong rocks. The fish-keeper might blame some fertilizer or fish food for this when the real culprit is the contaminated rock they happily put in there just the other day. You should only use thoroughly cleaned or sterilized rocks for your home aquarium.
This means that you must first make sure the seller has a good reputation in the proper handling of the product. Do not buy from little-known merchants since some of them may sell rocks that carry algae spores or parasites. On the other hand, while it is true you can pick up a rock anywhere hills, beaches, riverbanks, riverbeds, etc.
You can pick a rock from an area that was recently sprayed with pesticides, for instance. A rock that seems beautiful and suitable for your fish tank may happen to have a short lifespan. This means that soon it begins to show signs of aging, darkening, and crumbling bit by bit while releasing harmful chemicals in the process. Avoid rocks that have metallic-looking streaks in them , as those are often veins of metallic ore, which could be very detrimental to your fish if anything is soluble in the water over time.
Jagged rocks should probably be avoided as well , since they have the potential to inflict injuries on your fish. Some aquarists prefer smooth river rocks, some like flat stones stacked, and others prefer oddly shaped rocks to ensure a more secure stack with less possibility of rock falls in the tank. If the rocks are relatively clean no algae , then this can normally done by making stone soup and boiling them immersed in water for 20 minutes or so.
We do not recommend beginners to take this on. Buying your cichlid rocks, although more expensive upfront will e worth the investment versus the disastrous consequences of getting the above wrong. Larger rocks should be placed first as the base, and these should be well buried in the substrate. Remember that some cichlids are active diggers, and if you have any of these, this must be accounted for or you may have avalanches down the road.
In this manner, you can build some very cool areas and focal points. For those with particularly large species or who are worried about collapse, you can also buy sealants that are aquarium safe and can be used underwater to glue your rocks together. While rocks are great in tanks, another trend that has become popular over the last few years involves rock alternatives, particularly as a tank background. The big advantages here are the reduced weight and a much lower chance of rock-falls damaging the walls of your tank.
They typically look something like this.. FinFanatic AC Members. Feb 26, 0 16 52 Livermore, CA. I set up my mbuna tank with pea gravel from Home Depot and rocks I found in a field. If look around hard enough, you might just find what you're looking for. Or, you may even find something you weren't even thinking of using!
If you really want slate, go to a local landscaping store or even your local hardware store. Rounded river rocks make very nice displays too though, I prefer them over slate displays any day. Thanks for the advice, I think you guys have converted me. That setup with the rounded rocks looks awsome. Plus I live like 2 blocks from a river that I can collect rocks that are basicaly exactly the same as that. The only other thing im worried about now is the water isen't to hard in my area Vancouver, BC So I should probably use a substrate that would help out with that correct?
Like aragonite sand or what ever thats called? OK, We might have just run into a problem, I was going to place the tank on an Ikea lack coffe table but just realised that I have it under the tank that the edges don't match up.
Huge rock caves might be too big for smaller fish to feel secure. And, if they get startled or upset, big fish can easily knock over lighter rocks. This beautiful blue-gray stone is really popular with aquascapers. This gorgeous sandstone looks a lot like petrified wood. I really like the interesting textures it adds to the tank, lots of long ridges, and the quartz sparkles when the light catches it.
Depending on the piece, it can have some sharp or rough edges. I did need to gently file it down with a rasp in a few places. You can find some flatter pieces that are good for stacking and cave building.
I love slate. If you have smaller fish, you can pile slate to make smaller caves. For bigger fish, you can stack bigger rocks to build up the sides and then use the slate for the roof. These cute caves look like natural stone at first but are actually made of ceramic. I like that you can spread them out all over the tank, or make a messy pile that looks a lot like natural lake cichlid habitat.
These come in a variety of sizes that are good for dwarf cichlids and smaller African cichlids, like Mbuna. I used a few of these for German blue rams and they loved them.
This is pretty awesome since real holey rock is super expensive and puts off tons of calcium and carbonate.
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