# Help with lake malawi tank!!



## sasquatch-exists (Feb 25, 2009)

I'm looking to put some natural rocks and native plants in a lake Malawi set up.
Does anyone know what type of rock is in lake Malawi? Does anyone know of any native plants?


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## rarefaction (Aug 6, 2009)

It is my understanding that Malawi is nearly plant free.


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## ridley25 (Jan 5, 2008)

The rocks in Lake Malawi are largely granite. While it is mostly plant-free, the river estuaries are choked with plants and many cichlids call these areas home. I'd be lying if I said I knew what kinds of plants, though...I've only heard them described as vallisneria. No idea what specific kind.
If you can get your hands on the DVD: "Malawi Cichlids Feeding Behavior, A Seminar by Ad Konings," you'll get all the visual inspiration you need to try to replicate the lake in your tank. Wonderful footage.
Here's a screen grab:


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## sasquatch-exists (Feb 25, 2009)

wow thanks!!!


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

most of the time it's refered to as val, corkscrew val, jungle val, if you're looking for fake, tetra makes a good one,if you want real you'll have to look around, try dr foster smith, the lake isn't comepletely baron, but very sparse in most areas, there are some fish, like the malawi eye biter that actually feed in areas with val, looking for hiding fry, i think looking at videos is a good idea though

now being as they are rift lakes I would actually say the rocks are largely sedimentary, I haven't actually researched the geology of the area, but knowing the process involved this is what i would assume


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

While I would agree with a willingness to get as close to real as possible, I personally would find it terribly confining in my choice of fish. The closer you look at your particular fish the more you may find compromise necessary. One of the big interests in Rift lake fish are their special traits. Many of them simply will not be found together if one wants to get it real. The correct rocks, sand, plants, for one will not be right for many others. I believe that you may be following a very difficult path trying to find the "correct" item to put in your tank. Each fish has a special niche and very few others will be found in that exact special spot in the order of things. I hope you will not see this as critical of what you want to do. I encourage you to follow where your heart leads you. I've never been accused of being exactly right in my fish keeping world. 

I never thought I could see past it being a basic glass cage with a big black filter on back and a glaring light overhead. :thumb:


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