# Thoughts on Mbuna Rock arrangement



## cichfeeble (Jan 12, 2010)

I am setting up a 2nd 55g and wanted it to be different from my first tank. The first tank is a 55g stacked high with lace rock (about 70lb) on top of small gravel.

So this time, I thought I'd do something with prettier rocks, more slab-like, and black sand - to have a different look. I bought what I *thought* was a lot of rock, but then when I got it home, realized it doesn't stack very high. The photo that I linked below is just me experimenting with possibilities (having trouble getting the image to embed in this post - sorry!). If I did 2 stacks instead of three, I could get some more height, but It's still not going to be very high.

I'm wondering if I made a mistake with this strategy, since the density of this type of rock, compared to lace rock means that it's going to be expensive if I decide to keep building it up.

The species I was thinking I'd have in this tank are: Maingano, Yellow Lab, Cynotilapia Hara

Thoughts?


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https://flic.kr/p/4842089063


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I'd make it higher, but even more importantly, more dense. You want either piles with very tight fish-sized nooks and crannies OR enclose many patches of substrate with "rock walls" to give every male 2 territories. The rocks outlining the territories are to break his line of sight to the fact that there is another male right on the other side, and give him a demarcation line to defend.


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## cichfeeble (Jan 12, 2010)

i get the feeling that the flagstone slabs were not a good plan. i had a vision in my head, but it just seems like it's a) not economical, b) will require a lot of effort, and c) won't be as successful as some of the other ways i could go.

i have a hard time deciding to pay money for rocks at the fish store. seems like a bad investment  but i also am not sure exactly where i want to go to collect. guess i need to think on it.


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## jrf (Nov 10, 2009)

If you have a source of free Ã¢â‚¬Å"wild caughtÃ¢â‚¬Â


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## cichfeeble (Jan 12, 2010)

DJRansome said:


> I'd make it higher, but even more importantly, more dense. You want either piles with very tight fish-sized nooks and crannies OR enclose many patches of substrate with "rock walls" to give every male 2 territories. The rocks outlining the territories are to break his line of sight to the fact that there is another male right on the other side, and give him a demarcation line to defend.


Thanks for the advice - I rethought the entire plan, and have decided that *most* of the rock that I linked in that picture is going to be for "decorative" purposes, and I bought about 110 pounds of tumbled bluestone slabs, which I guess are a kind of limestone. It will provide way more height, and way more tunnels and caves.

I'll post photos when I'm done. Still feeling very apprehensive about using a glass tank... but I guess I should get over that fear. I stress tested it for a week to make sure it wasn't leaking, and it was fine. For some reason, the acrylic tanks (like my existing one) worry me less.


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## apex82 (Jul 16, 2010)

Please post some pics when you get it all set up...


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## cichfeeble (Jan 12, 2010)

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https://flic.kr/p/4852567566

i just added the first fish today - moved 4 of my zebras (i *hope* 1m/3f) from my established 55g to the new one. i am sort of using these guys as "sentinels" to make sure the new tank is okay. then i'll move my labs and mainganos over there too.


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## Riceburner (Sep 3, 2008)

looks good...a bit too"structured" for me, but the fish won't care.


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## cichfeeble (Jan 12, 2010)

Everyone who looks at this says it's a bit too structured 

I guess that must be true.

How come you are able to post the image inline but I'm not?! Every time I try, I can't do it, so I've just been posting links 

I am thinking of doing some rearrangement, and potentially splitting into two distinct piles, since it's nice to have some straight-through view of the background. Plus, with the solid wall, it is inevitable that the fish will spend a fair percentage of their time hiding in the back.

Any other suggestions on what might be good to do with that assortment?

Basically, it's about 100 pounds of the bluestone blocks, and then the other assorted rocks are odd-shaped, and primarily there for decorative purposes (some quarts, some black/white striped, etc).

Thanks again!


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## Riceburner (Sep 3, 2008)

take your link, highlight it and then click the Img button above the post window.
will look like 







...without the spaces

maybe try making your base a triangle footing and angle the piles. Maybe use the rounded rocks in the mix instead of as stand alone. 2 different piles would break it up as well.

mine...


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