# Cichlid Stones!



## omfgitsdenz

Does anyone own cichlid stones? Im thinking of purchasing the 15-pack for $50+, but before i go ahead and do so i wanna know if its recommended? Are cichlids usually happy with them? Are the holes big enough to fit inside for most medium to large cichlids? Do they really mate in them and etc.?


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## DJRansome

Mbuna will not mate inside them because they need a fairly large flat surface (the wall of the tank will suffice) to make their circles. I prefer the natural-looking, free alternative (rocks) but several fishkeepers here use them and like them.


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## koslonc

I have some experience using these stones. To answer your questions...

Are they happy in them? Absolutely - they make great hiding spaces.
Will they breed in them? No - not my Mbuna anyway.
Are they big enough for large Cichlids? Yes, the large stones are easily big enough for 6" cichlids

In my opinion, they can be made to look natural if:
1) you have enough of them to stack
2) you arrange them so that the rock openings not facing the front of the tank
3) you have algae growing on them

The biggest downside to these stones is that tank waste/debris tends to find its way into the rock openings and accumulate there, requiring them to be emptied from time to time.

Here is a pic with a stack of Cichlid Stones










Hope this helps.


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## Chubbs the Jellybean

From my experience, the medium and large ones are used quite a bit, but the small ones are only really useful for fry to hide in.

+1 to the comment about them not looking natural unless the holes face away, I have a few stacks that I used for electric yellows, but they preferred PVC pipe sections any day over the stones, oddly enough.


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## omfgitsdenz

Thanks guys for answering my questions!


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## PfunMo

I would think $50 would get you quite a large stack of real rocks that would work as well. Try landscaping supplies.


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## Dj823cichild

:thumb: I like them


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## SeanPrice

I would opt to go to a landscape company, I purchased roughly 60-70lbs or dif types of rock for a mere $15.

Alot of these types of rocks and flat rocks will run you around .25 cents on average


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## newcichlidiot

I use the cichlid stone and do like them, as do the fish. They will look more natural over time. One complaint I had heard was the water in the stone does not circulate well. To correct this I have drilled some half inch holes in a couple sides on each stone. The drill worked fairly well. The out side is a good circle where as on the inside it sort of chipped off. A good rinse and they were back in the tank. Also, they sometimes come in handy when trying to catch some fish as you just pick up the stone. Altho' not so good with holes in them, but you plug that with your finger. All in all, me and my fish like them. And they don't take up any tank space.


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## iLuvAngels

I just ordered a few cichlid stones the other day and didn't think to check here before I did so I am glad that most of the replies about them were positive :thumb:


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## Aura

My transcriptus and leleupi use the small stones with only one opening to spawn in. I only use a few and paint them to match the rocks in the tank.


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## iLuvAngels

That looks really nice Aura. I didn't think you could use paint on anything inside of a tank. What kind of paint do you use which doesn't harm or kill the fish?


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## Aura

I used a spray paint that's made for plastic -- Krylon Fusion. I had some left over from painting canister intake tubes and sprayed some of the cichlid stones that were going into a tank with dark gray rocks just to see if it would work. It held up well, so I got that reddish brown color to match rock in another tank.


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## cichbillyia

i just bought the 15pack a few weeks ago ... my cichlids love em ... 15 stones add up pretty fast in a 55gal tank ... but they work to keep the little ones outta site sometimes


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## iLuvAngels

I received my stones a couple of days ago. I only needed a few of them and am pleased with how they look in my tank.


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## master chi

DJRansome said:


> Mbuna will not mate inside them because they need a fairly large flat surface (the wall of the tank will suffice) to make their circles. I prefer the natural-looking, free alternative (rocks) but several fishkeepers here use them and like them.


 I have cichlid stones in my tank and the labs rusties and estherea all use them for spawning in fact it's the first place in my tank that I look to catch a glance at them doing the dance. As far as the post.The only thing is the small stones are really meant as shelter for smaller fish it acts very similar to holey rock in that the larger mbuna can't get in their. my syndontis cats use them as well. The thing for me about stones that makes it worthwhile, is due to their lightweight.Their much easier to rearrange the rockwork set up. Which by the way is a common practice with some mbuna keepers. They also can act as a fish trap,making it easier to catch fish. I've even used the cement and color mix on them to match my D.I.Y background to nice effect. They Are a Great second choice to real rocks.


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