I had a few very scary minutes take in one of my tanks. My 55 gallon with my big man (breeding male JD) and his partner in crime Nasty Girl (big mans 9.5 inch female boss synspilum)
After I put my boy down for his afternoon nap I decided it give their tank a quick scrubing and small water change. I have neglected it for a few weeks now and it was filthy. Those two are quite the pigs.
Anyway. I removed one silk plant to soak in hotwater for a quick brown algae cleaning and vaccumed the gravel scrubbed the glass. Left the rest of the tank untouched
All went well. Minimal effort and no problems or upset fish. Cool
About 2 hours later I noticed nasty girl digging out here cave again. Some gravel from my cleaning fell into the cave she likes to frequent. She cleans and cleans until the bottom of the cave is glass. which works out nice because my son likes to watch her from the bottom of the tank. (cast iron stand)
I was sitting watching TV and heard a noise. I had no clue what was going on. So of course I check Charlie first. He's asleep. Check both dogs. Nope. Check upstairs nothing. Check everywhere downstairs nothing. Hummmm Wierd???
About 15 minutes have past since the noise. I sit down to watch TV. I notice the 55 is in complete disarray. The entire cave structure (15 pounds of slate and various rock) has collapsed.
With a loud SH_T!!! I run over. Big man is fine in his log but nasty girl is nowhere to be seen. She is under all that rock. Completely covered. She must have moved the wrong gravel and then bumped the entire structure while taking it out of the cave.
I removed the big piece of slate and BOOM! with an explosion of slate she came flying out. Bounced off the top covering glass and went and sat by the filter. She's abit cut up and has no real color, but is no worse for wear.
Turns out that her cleaning actually saved her. It pinned her on her clean spot while the slate and rock fell over her and was stopped by the gravel. It is a little over 2.5 inches deep. So the gravel took the brunt of the weight and left her a little pocket.
I reset the caves, cleaned it out for her and solidafied it with a piece of driftwood. She won't go near it though (geez I can't imagine why?)
So big man has moved in. It's now his. Well until she gets her nerve back and throws him out.
D_nm cichlids and their digging.
After I put my boy down for his afternoon nap I decided it give their tank a quick scrubing and small water change. I have neglected it for a few weeks now and it was filthy. Those two are quite the pigs.
Anyway. I removed one silk plant to soak in hotwater for a quick brown algae cleaning and vaccumed the gravel scrubbed the glass. Left the rest of the tank untouched
All went well. Minimal effort and no problems or upset fish. Cool
About 2 hours later I noticed nasty girl digging out here cave again. Some gravel from my cleaning fell into the cave she likes to frequent. She cleans and cleans until the bottom of the cave is glass. which works out nice because my son likes to watch her from the bottom of the tank. (cast iron stand)
I was sitting watching TV and heard a noise. I had no clue what was going on. So of course I check Charlie first. He's asleep. Check both dogs. Nope. Check upstairs nothing. Check everywhere downstairs nothing. Hummmm Wierd???
About 15 minutes have past since the noise. I sit down to watch TV. I notice the 55 is in complete disarray. The entire cave structure (15 pounds of slate and various rock) has collapsed.
With a loud SH_T!!! I run over. Big man is fine in his log but nasty girl is nowhere to be seen. She is under all that rock. Completely covered. She must have moved the wrong gravel and then bumped the entire structure while taking it out of the cave.
I removed the big piece of slate and BOOM! with an explosion of slate she came flying out. Bounced off the top covering glass and went and sat by the filter. She's abit cut up and has no real color, but is no worse for wear.
Turns out that her cleaning actually saved her. It pinned her on her clean spot while the slate and rock fell over her and was stopped by the gravel. It is a little over 2.5 inches deep. So the gravel took the brunt of the weight and left her a little pocket.
I reset the caves, cleaned it out for her and solidafied it with a piece of driftwood. She won't go near it though (geez I can't imagine why?)
So big man has moved in. It's now his. Well until she gets her nerve back and throws him out.
D_nm cichlids and their digging.
