Malawi Tanks.

[Dieses Madchen]

I keep looking at my Malawi tankscape and me and my husband have both agreed that there is something missing. It just seems to plain. If you can, can I see some pictures of everyone else's Malawi tanks? I want to see what I can do to improve the look of mine.

 

[gatorsean]

a dark background would help

 

[Dieses Madchen]

a dark background would help

currently on my list. should i do a dark blue, or black?

 

[trippytrance]

Black will make your fish colours stand out more IMO

 

[onidrase]

Feels like there is more lean on the right than the left, maybe try and balance it out, add more holes as well, perhaps

But I've got a love for symmetry, so I guess that's just more my own taste

 

[dh058977]

I know its not everyones fav but I went with ocean rock as I love it!

 

[Nick16]

add a plain black background, and some plastic plants with contrasting colours, then let the rock naturally green up a bit.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

So they will not destroy plastic plants?

I do like the ocean rock. But does it rovide a lot of caves? It looks kind of tight.

And I like the blocks that you used nick. It isn't as natural as I like, but I may have to invest in some flat rocks like that for easier building. I have been having issue with rocks being unstable

 

[Nick16]

you can use square rocks, just hide some and blend it in with plastic plants. i love the fact i have tunnels and caves, really helps sort territories.

of course they wont eat plastic plants, would you?

its only real live plants they munch.. you can get away with it whilst they are tiny but as the fish grow they munch them, hence lake malawi has no plants!

just make sure you bury them deep enough in the substrate / weigh them down / silicone them down as cichlids love to dig.

have you used egg crate to support your rocks like your supposed? e.g egg crate, then rocks, then substrate...

if you put the substate in first, then the rocks, you are asking for trouble as the fish dig the gravel out and undermine the rocks... which makes them unstable and thus you get a collaps, smashing the tank to bits!

 

[Dieses Madchen]

Well, I about to move my tank around. I am moving the Malawis to my 75g, and moving my jewel to the 55g, I will use the egg crates (after moving my sand out of the way) for stabalization. I know they will not eat the plastic, but someone told me they will rip them up. Would silk plants be okay? I prefer the look of the silk ones.

 

[dh058977]

So they will not destroy plastic plants?

I do like the ocean rock. But does it rovide a lot of caves? It looks kind of tight.

And I like the blocks that you used nick. It isn't as natural as I like, but I may have to invest in some flat rocks like that for easier building. I have been having issue with rocks being unstable

Yeah there are loads of caves and hiding places, I don't think the photo shows it very well! I esp like the fact that my fry can hide in the natural holes in the rock!

 

[Dieses Madchen]

It is a beautiful setup DH, I really like it. The main reason I didn't use that type of rock was financial. All of the rocks in my tank I found in the woods. I wish I would have looked into set up better. I didn't know I was supposed to use egg crates for support. Its a good thing I am moving tanks around. I can rescape and do it right.

 

[micko]

Don't keep malawi's but ocean rock looks far better IMO.

 

[elisew]

 

[Dieses Madchen]

o0o0o i like that