I am fairly new to the Chiclid world and have an 80 gallon tank with about 10 juvenilles, about half are male and the other female. The big problem is the crushed corral substrate, THEY MOVE IT, DIG HOLES IN IT, ETC.....and I am having to fix it constantly, in fact all my work setting up the tanks decor is now futile it seems and it's getting worse!!!. Can anyone suggest an alternative substrate that they can't disturb like a fixed gravel bottom or even something like a mat that would still be attractive for the tank floor. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Substrate for African Chiclids
- Thread starter Ed1954
- Start date
Digging is what cichlids do. It's a normal, apparently instinctive behavior. Preventing your cichlids from digging would probably not be very good for them...
I have a number of african cichlid tanks, and I try to arrange them in such a way that, even with digging, the tank still looks good. (I try to approximate a Malawi rock field on the lake bottom.) To do this, I layer the bottom of the tank first with something to protect the glass. Sometimes I use a layer or two of Plexiglass, sometimes a layer of a flat stone like slate. Then, I build up a substantial amount of rockwork, covering most of the tank bottom. This not only looks nice, but covers most of the tank floor. Only then do I add substrate -- I like crushed coral and/or aragonite sand for their buffering properties. This way, the fish can dig and move gravel to their heart's content, but the tank still looks good.
Plants? I don't bother, partly because they don't fit the biotope and partly because they'll just be uprooted.
I think you're much better off suiting the decor to the fish, than trying to get the fish to fit your decor.
Good luck,
Jim
I have a number of african cichlid tanks, and I try to arrange them in such a way that, even with digging, the tank still looks good. (I try to approximate a Malawi rock field on the lake bottom.) To do this, I layer the bottom of the tank first with something to protect the glass. Sometimes I use a layer or two of Plexiglass, sometimes a layer of a flat stone like slate. Then, I build up a substantial amount of rockwork, covering most of the tank bottom. This not only looks nice, but covers most of the tank floor. Only then do I add substrate -- I like crushed coral and/or aragonite sand for their buffering properties. This way, the fish can dig and move gravel to their heart's content, but the tank still looks good.
Plants? I don't bother, partly because they don't fit the biotope and partly because they'll just be uprooted.
I think you're much better off suiting the decor to the fish, than trying to get the fish to fit your decor.
Good luck,
Jim
Well, what exactly would that mean , not good for them, make them sick?, shorten their life?, kill them?
I think what I will do is remove them (chiclids) and take out all the crushed coral and decor and make some kind of a "floor mat" with a "fixed" crushed coral substrate with maybe silicon glue as a base. That way it is still there but they will be unable to move it. I think as long as they have plenty of caves and hiding places all should be fine....at least I hope so!
Thanks Jim for your input!
Yes, cichlids dig like crazy - some a lot more than others. I have "Yellow Labs" and "Blue Zebras" and they are less of diggers than most. There is no safe substrate that cichlids wont dig in. You can get really big rocks as a substrate that is not really attractive and your cichlids may get upset since they can dig.
I also have implemented underground PVC tubes which seems to help - it is like a cave for them. Also, can you build caves for them - they love caves. They also may dig under the caves (if made of clay pots or of the sort).
I too like crushed coral (I also have flourite with mine because I have plants which are not impossible to keep with some types of chichlids). You want to get a substrate that will not harm your fish when they dig with their mouths because they might swallow gravel, chip their teeth etc.
I think you are better off with the crushed coral and let them arrange the tank until they like it. If it does not look good rearrange in small portions - it is kind of like negotiating with a child with give and take.
Good Luck
Aries
I also have implemented underground PVC tubes which seems to help - it is like a cave for them. Also, can you build caves for them - they love caves. They also may dig under the caves (if made of clay pots or of the sort).
I too like crushed coral (I also have flourite with mine because I have plants which are not impossible to keep with some types of chichlids). You want to get a substrate that will not harm your fish when they dig with their mouths because they might swallow gravel, chip their teeth etc.
I think you are better off with the crushed coral and let them arrange the tank until they like it. If it does not look good rearrange in small portions - it is kind of like negotiating with a child with give and take.
Good Luck
Aries
Ed1954 said:
Cause them stress, which could make them more likely to get sick, live shorter lives, or even die in extreme cases.
Ed1954 said:
Could be all of the above... well, maybe it won't kill them, at least not in the short term...
What it WILL do, though, is prevent them from behaving normally. As a result, the fish won't act in a way that is natural and comfortable for them. You may have worse territory disputes, you likely will get less (if any) breeding behavior, and you may have stressed fish that won't show their best colors, most interesting behaviors, or live as long as they could otherwise.
Jim
You could try sand, it might look better when arranged. I have many adult mbuna and none seem to like to dig. My biggest digging fish are my ocellatus who excavate the whole tank around thier shells.
I think it looks really natural when a fish digs. And if you dont like those big piles, then take some of the substrate out of the tank. It probebly means you have too much. You shouldnt have any more than 1".
I would advise against putting a 'mat' down instead of gravel/sand/crushed coral. The substrate acts as a storehouse for bacteria and waste, and without it all that gunk would just sit on top, looking even worse than piles of gravel.
-Diana
I think it looks really natural when a fish digs. And if you dont like those big piles, then take some of the substrate out of the tank. It probebly means you have too much. You shouldnt have any more than 1".
I would advise against putting a 'mat' down instead of gravel/sand/crushed coral. The substrate acts as a storehouse for bacteria and waste, and without it all that gunk would just sit on top, looking even worse than piles of gravel.
-Diana
I agree about the looks with Diana - i think the mat would look worse and end up nullifying any positive qualites the substrate would normally have.
Also, as to not allowing them to dig - I have no idea about the adverse affects on the fish. It can not be good because that is what they do in nature - it is instinct. Taking it away could be bad news. How bad of news depends solely on the personality of the individual fish.
Sometimes I like to "mess" with my fish by undoing one of there digs. They then look at me like I am an idiot and at that second continue to dig again.
Also the crushed coral is good for chiclids because it buffers the water naturally I think.
Just my $0.02
Also, as to not allowing them to dig - I have no idea about the adverse affects on the fish. It can not be good because that is what they do in nature - it is instinct. Taking it away could be bad news. How bad of news depends solely on the personality of the individual fish.
Sometimes I like to "mess" with my fish by undoing one of there digs. They then look at me like I am an idiot and at that second continue to dig again.
Also the crushed coral is good for chiclids because it buffers the water naturally I think.
Just my $0.02
I second the sand. I use play sand from Lowes and my mbuna looooove to forge nests and excavate underneath rocks, creating large mounds and almost turning the tank into a quasi-battlefield- complete with trenches, 'foxholes"(hahahahaha), forts and of course rock caves.
I firmly believe they should have their human made enviroment mimic their natural habitat as much as possible. Preventing them from digging is like preventing a greyhound from running.
Good Luck!!!!
I firmly believe they should have their human made enviroment mimic their natural habitat as much as possible. Preventing them from digging is like preventing a greyhound from running.
Good Luck!!!!
I have heard of a couple people using plexiglass that has sand/gravel silicone it. This wasn't used to prevent digging but to limit the substrate so it wouldn't hold detrius.
I personally like the fish digging. It gives you something interesting to watch and its neat to see them behaving naturally. But if you don't want this try the plexi cover with substrate.
I personally like the fish digging. It gives you something interesting to watch and its neat to see them behaving naturally. But if you don't want this try the plexi cover with substrate.