New Tanganyikan Hardscape

[SupersoNick95]

I was experiencing some aggression issues in my 40 breeder Tanganyikan tank so I applied all the info I’ve learned from people like Zenzo and prime time aquatics on hard scaling for African cichlids. Rather than focusing on getting the best Tanganyikan biotope I decided it’d be better to provide my fish with the most ideal environment for their  behavior. Most of my cichlids are rock dwellers except for my brichardi and Ophthalmotilapia.

full stock is:

• Leleupi
• brichardi
• Julidochromis marlieri
• Gold compreciceps 
• Neolamprologus tretocephalus
• neolamprologus Buescheri
• ophthalmotilapia ventralis

attached is a before and after picture of the hardscape. Second time around I opted for some cheap lava rock from a local landscaping yard. It is much light than the original rock and everything in the tank weighs about 60 pounds. Much much less than the original rocks.

after just one day the behavior has changed for the better. There is still the normal chasing between cichlids but there is no longer any specific targeting by one fish to the other. Seeing the rock dwellers behave as they would in the wild is such a treat. I would recommend lava rock to anyone trying to create the environment for Tanganyikans or Mbuna. 

Edited March 12, 2023 by SupersoNick95

[Theplatymaster]

@SupersoNick95

i like the new look!

its got more height to it, and due to the colors of the rocks, when i first saw the picture i thought it was a reef tank.

very nice way to add some color to tank!