# Slate/rock - where to place



## Kmontoney (Jul 10, 2017)

I have ordered some slate and rock and plan to rebuild my peacock tank. Is it better to put everything against the back wall or down the middle of the tank where they can swim in front and back? Would love some opinions. Thanks!


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

What are your tank dimensions?


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## Kmontoney (Jul 10, 2017)

36L x 13W x 26H


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

Oh man, I wouldn't add anything else to that tank and buy a bigger aquarium. That's already much too little swimming space for peacocks


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## Kmontoney (Jul 10, 2017)

The slate is only about 2 inches in depth and the peacocks are about 2-3 inches. There is plenty of space for now. We will upgrade later as needed. Meanwhile, my question is about the placement.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

I like stacking rocks closer to the back or right up against the back glass as it allows seeing the fish in front of the rocks.


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

I believe I did answer the question about placement. It's never a good idea to "upgrade later" because you have a whole new tank to cycle and potentially more problems. Plus once they start becoming sexually mature, very soon, the aggression will also start. You need, at the very least, a 48" tank for some of the smaller peacocks that are less than 6" but a 60" tank is ideal for mixed males.


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## Kmontoney (Jul 10, 2017)

Thank you Deeda, that's what I was thinking as well. I trust your opinion so that is what I'll be going with!


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

You're welcome!! I will say that I do not have an artistic eye at all and tried multiple variations when stacking rocks so they both looked good and didn't topple over when bumped into by either myself or the fish.


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## Kmontoney (Jul 10, 2017)

Me either! I have been looking at pictures online, watching videos etc...

What is your opinion on plants? I haven't had them but have been thinking I'd like to add.


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

Yes, anyone can give an opinion on where to stack your slate in any old aquarium but Deeda is not experienced with Malawi Cichlids and how to set up a proper habitat for them. As a fish keeper she should admit to that and not advise another inexperienced Malawi cichlid keeper to set up territories in a tank that small


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I will throw in another couple of thoughts. I agree a 36" tank is too small for many peacocks. Maybe you have Kandeense or one of the exceptions to this rule? Three inch peacocks are ready for a 48" tank.

And I don't like to stack against the sides because it is harder to maintain under/behind the rocks. I always leave the width of the Python between rocks and sides.

Also peacocks like some rocks, but not too many. There are some peacock cave-dwellers, but maybe yours are not the cave dwellers and you can reduce the amount of rock in your tank.

I know you did not ask about suitability of tank versus stock, but we want to be sure future readers will get all aspects of the topic. When I first joined, I thought it confusing that CF would award tank of the month to tanks with crazy stocking, and then turn around and recommend something completely different in stocking threads. I was told tank of the month is appearance only...not an endorsement of the stock in the tank.


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

I originally asked what size tank you had so I could advise you on the best way to scape for your peacocks. I learned a long time ago that sometimes the advice you get isn't necessarily what you want to hear but it's the right thing to do and like DJ said, the experienced keepers have a responsibility to make sure future readers get the best advice possible as well. The advice I gave you was 100% pertinent to the question because it would be ill advised to recommend setting up territories in a tank that is already too small for the stock you have. I wouldn't have you compound an already unstable environment so your fish end up suffering for it. As far as plants are concerned, I wouldn't recommend that either because peacocks like to dig and your plants would always get uprooted.


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## Kmontoney (Jul 10, 2017)

I appreciate everyone's feedback and am aware of my tank size/stocking situation. Full disclosure:

I had an all male peacock tank with 6 species. I boring get them all at once from what I thought to be a reputable
fish store (not pet store). Within a week they were covered in velvet. I took the fish back to the store where the owner is treating them. During this time I am cycling my tank with bleach and getting everything going again. I purchased all new sand/slate/rock and even filter. I had planned with getting the tank ready for my fish to return.

Today I called to check on my fish and was advised that 3 had already died. Based on your comments and the fact that I cannot accommodate for a larger tank for awhile, I am considering cutting my losses and making an mbuna tank. I can always do my peacocks down the road when I am ready to add a larger tank to my home.

Does this route seem acceptable and if so, what stocking suggestions would you have?

Thanks for everything everyone!


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

That would be fine honestly, I'd go with a couple of species of shell dwellers or something that stays small for the best environment overall. You should be cycling your tank with plain ammonia though, not bleach. Bleach will kill your beneficial bacteria that are responsible for cycling the tank. DJ knows loads more than I do about non Malawi Africans and keeping mbuna in smaller tanks.


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## Kmontoney (Jul 10, 2017)

I was told to cycle with bleach to ensure killing off all the velvet. I am literally starting all over.


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

Have you been adding bleach? Leaving the tank dormant for a few weeks and feeding the bacteria with ammonia would have been sufficient to get rid of the velvet and not killing off the beneficial bacteria. If there's no host the parasite starves and dies. Was this the LFS that gave you the advice?


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## Kmontoney (Jul 10, 2017)

Unfortunately yes it was. I mentioned to him that I would be treating with copper and he said bleachbis what he does so I assumed he'd know what he was talking about. Needless to say, I won't be returning to his store!


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

Yeah I would avoid that place and can't understand why he would suggest such a thing. As long as you don't have any fish in the tank, the oodinium should die off on their own without a host to feed off of. I'm sure you will probably have to restart your nitrogen cycle now, good time to do a fishless cycle with ammonia and I believe Deeda has a link to a how-to


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

You could do a single species of a timid peacock like Kandeense, but then drab females. I don't mind this but some do. There are very few peacocks that work in a 36" so you may not want to substitute. I tried stuartgranti and was not happy with it.

For mbuna, I would do 3m:9f Chindongo saulosi (formerly Pseudotropheus). Again, I would not substitute.

Tanganyika options, one species of shellies like multifasciatus and a pair of small peaceful julidochromis like Gombe.


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## Kmontoney (Jul 10, 2017)

Daniel, since I have cycled the tank once with bleach, what would you recommend I do next? Will the bleach kill all the velvet? I am terrified of anything remaining. Should I drain and do another bleach cycle? Sigh....


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

I assume it would kill everything in the tank, but at this point, you might as well just strip it down to a bare tank and let the substrate dry in the sun for a week. Wipe down the inside of the tank and filter with 1:1 bleach water, get rid of all the old filter media and start from scratch with new filter media. Set the tank and filter back up and redo the nitrogen cycle using ammonia and the instructions on Deeda's link in the signature.


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## Kmontoney (Jul 10, 2017)

Sounds like a plan!! Thanks for all the info.


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