# Rockwork...what do you think?



## chinds78 (Jun 22, 2011)

So I put together my rockwork yesterday and I was wondering what everyone thought and if you have any suggestions. I plan to add a few plants in the next couple of months as well as the fish. This is going to be a 45G mbuna tank.

Ok, hopefully this link works...


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## chinds78 (Jun 22, 2011)

YAY! It did!


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## mbuna17 (Aug 1, 2011)

It looks ok but i think you should stack the rocks up a little higher.


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## chinds78 (Jun 22, 2011)

I would like to, but I'm worried about them falling over.


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## The King Crabb (Jun 28, 2011)

If you stack them right, you won't need to worry about that. Have the lower rocks be flatter so that no matter how much the fish dig they won't be able to move that particular rock, then go from there. :thumb:


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## heyzeusbrains (Jul 12, 2011)

+1 for more rocks. You said mbuna tank right?


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## chinds78 (Jun 22, 2011)

Yeah, mbuna.


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## heyzeusbrains (Jul 12, 2011)

They like a lot of rocks... I'm thinking 3-5X what you have in there now. I would also consider painting the back of the tank black if you don't have something else in mind.


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## chinds78 (Jun 22, 2011)

I'm not sure I want to stack them much higher. They are already a bit precarious. I will consider ti tho.

You can't tell in the photo, but the back of the tank is already mirrored. I think if I add some more rocks, the plants and fish it will look pretty cool.


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## chinds78 (Jun 22, 2011)

Should I maybe add more larger rocks?


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## biglove (Jan 4, 2010)

more rock=happy mbuna!


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Larger rocks would be good, but also don't try to "build" structures...those are usually what is precarious. They don't need caves with a back and a roof. Just spaces between rocks. Think of cubicles in an office. Each male has a choice of patches on the substrate surrounded by rocks. Females hover overhead and swim into and through the "cubicle walls" to escape from aggressors.

That one rock pile on the left looks like it might be a structure? And the one in the middle? The one on the right looks pretty sturdy and more like what the fish will like.

I'd say 2X the rock you have in there now at least.


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## heyzeusbrains (Jul 12, 2011)

I'm not sure of the footprint of your 45G or what kind of mbuna you have in mind, but your tank is probably on the small side for most mbuna, so the rockwork is going to be especially important.

I have a 38G yellow lab tank (36 x 12) and I was able to improve relations in the tank considerably with the addition of more rock...

When I place my rocks I just try to stack them up as sturdily as possible, I don't worry about making caves for them... they will find their own caves.


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## chinds78 (Jun 22, 2011)

I guess I was trying to make caves. I will re stack and see what I can do. I have a few more rocks, but just couldn't find a place for them in this setup. My tank is 36"W x 12"D x 24" H. Its a weird footprint I know, but it was what I could get for cheap.

I plan to get a few yellow labs and demonsoni. I'm thinking a 1m/5f ratio for both. I was told that 15-20 would be a good number for this tank, but that seems like a lot to me. If I go for 15 I would probably add some acei.


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## newforestrob (Feb 1, 2010)

aceis need at least a 4 foot 75 gal.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

A 36" tank is good for a single species of dwarf mbuna like demasoni, or demasoni and a trio of yellow labs.

But you want 12 demasoni...they need to be in groups of 12 or more to manage aggression. And the 36" footprint limits you to 12.

Agree you want a 75G (48" x 18" rectangle) or larger for acei.


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## chinds78 (Jun 22, 2011)

Oh, I didn't realize that acei got that big. Do they need to be in groups of at least 6?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Acei like to be in groups of 5-6.


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