Just recently, some of my larger africans are starting to destroy my tank. They are uprooting plants, flipping over rocks, swishing around the gravel, etc. Anyone have any ideas on how to stop this? I have a feeling it has something to do with them getting ready to breed or something. I'm open for suggestions. Thanx.
Africans Destroying tank!
- Thread starter Mturner615
- Start date
How big is the tank? What kind of fish?
Its really normal behavior. Depending on plant species you can tie them down to rocks/wood but other then that keep replanting. Try and secure rocks better, hopefully they arn't flipping large rocks? Could always switch to sand instead of gravel, but probably won't do much.
Its really normal behavior. Depending on plant species you can tie them down to rocks/wood but other then that keep replanting. Try and secure rocks better, hopefully they arn't flipping large rocks? Could always switch to sand instead of gravel, but probably won't do much.
I'm not sure of the exact type of the chichlids. I just know that they're "african" chichlids. It's the tank that I got the job of maintaining. I know we have a few yellows ones and a blue/black one, and some that are orange/red/yellow, and the largest one is kinda like a greenish yellow color. As for the plants, they are fake plants.
I got a few africans in my 55 and they do the same thing. but I think it is normal behavior. they have been doing that since they got settled in the tank. My peter davis does it the most. he likes to get a mouthfull of sand and dribble it accross all my rocks. I guess he is just redecorating. I kinda like it. makes the bottom of the tank more natural then just being perfectly flat.
Now I heard from the guy that we got the fish from, that the africans are wanting to breed. He recommended that I go and buy a whole coconut, drain the milk, and then add it to the tank. He said that they will eat the coconut meat, and then use the empty shell to create a "nest," so to speak, and this will help reduce their distructive activity because essentially that is what they are trying to do, create a nest.
What do you think?
What do you think?
Sounds like a bunch of BS....sorry.
Africans dig. It is what they do. Which is why you'll find that most african setups do not include plants - especially when it comes to mbuna, which is what I assume you have. You can't change their behavior, they're going to do it basically no matter what you do - void of actually stripping their tank entirely.
It also doesn't mean they are getting ready to breed. It means they're alive. Again, assuming you have mbuna (or even haps or peacocks, also from Lake Malawi), they don't build nests. Females hold eggs/babies in their mouths, there is absolutely no need for a nest. They just dig as they see fit, regardless of male or female, species, age, breeding or no...
Basically what I'm saying is, you had might as well get used to it
If you're really so determined, you can do as Matt suggested and tie or weight down the fake plants so that hopefully they'll stay in place even as the fish dig. That's about all you can do.
Africans dig. It is what they do. Which is why you'll find that most african setups do not include plants - especially when it comes to mbuna, which is what I assume you have. You can't change their behavior, they're going to do it basically no matter what you do - void of actually stripping their tank entirely.
It also doesn't mean they are getting ready to breed. It means they're alive. Again, assuming you have mbuna (or even haps or peacocks, also from Lake Malawi), they don't build nests. Females hold eggs/babies in their mouths, there is absolutely no need for a nest. They just dig as they see fit, regardless of male or female, species, age, breeding or no...
Basically what I'm saying is, you had might as well get used to it
If you're really so determined, you can do as Matt suggested and tie or weight down the fake plants so that hopefully they'll stay in place even as the fish dig. That's about all you can do.
Yeah that coconut thing doesn't sound right. If anything i've never heard of cichlids using the coconut shell except south american dwarfs.
Its kinda like assuming a fish will nest on the perfectly flat surface you yourself put in the tank. They just don't do what you want. I've found that my Malawi species, especially my Mbuna and peacocks don't really make a nest. They just spawn on the substrate like it is. There are tell tale signs when they are getting ready to breed. The males will start dancing and shaking their stuff like crazy for the females.
The digging is more or less them getting bored or looking for crumbs in the substrate. Very natural.
Its kinda like assuming a fish will nest on the perfectly flat surface you yourself put in the tank. They just don't do what you want. I've found that my Malawi species, especially my Mbuna and peacocks don't really make a nest. They just spawn on the substrate like it is. There are tell tale signs when they are getting ready to breed. The males will start dancing and shaking their stuff like crazy for the females.
The digging is more or less them getting bored or looking for crumbs in the substrate. Very natural.
I swear i took away all their shovels
haha that coconut story definitely is entertaining. As such everyone else said.... my guys do the same thing. I keep a few plants b/c i like to see them, but they are out of the way so the fish typically leave them alone. The rocks don't ever move, if they did move them, i'd be scared on how they got super powers and I'd start marketing fish growth formulas. As for the gravel, you'll get used to it. It is rather funny actually, get some flagstone and other types of rock, and pile them up so that they have caves to swim through and hide in, and they will dig tunnels (under and around the rock) in the bottom and leave you mountains of gravel that they dig out.
haha that coconut story definitely is entertaining. As such everyone else said.... my guys do the same thing. I keep a few plants b/c i like to see them, but they are out of the way so the fish typically leave them alone. The rocks don't ever move, if they did move them, i'd be scared on how they got super powers and I'd start marketing fish growth formulas. As for the gravel, you'll get used to it. It is rather funny actually, get some flagstone and other types of rock, and pile them up so that they have caves to swim through and hide in, and they will dig tunnels (under and around the rock) in the bottom and leave you mountains of gravel that they dig out.
-Solid Orange - Red Zebra (Metriaclima estherae)
-Solid Yellow with Black dorsal fin - Yellow Lab (Labidochromis caeruleus)
-Black stripes, red and yellow stomach - Zebra Obliquidens (Astatotilapia latifasciata)
-Large yellow fish with blue face and white on dorsal fin - Venustus (Nimbochromis venustus)
-2 tone blue fish - Either johannii or interruptus (Melanochromis johannii or Melanochromis interruptus)
-Light yellow fish with the yellow dorsal fin - No idea. Looks like a mixed species.
The venustus will be the largest in that tank. Its a Malawi Hap. Also the Zebra Obliquidens is from Lake Victoria, but should be fine in that tank.
-Solid Yellow with Black dorsal fin - Yellow Lab (Labidochromis caeruleus)
-Black stripes, red and yellow stomach - Zebra Obliquidens (Astatotilapia latifasciata)
-Large yellow fish with blue face and white on dorsal fin - Venustus (Nimbochromis venustus)
-2 tone blue fish - Either johannii or interruptus (Melanochromis johannii or Melanochromis interruptus)
-Light yellow fish with the yellow dorsal fin - No idea. Looks like a mixed species.
The venustus will be the largest in that tank. Its a Malawi Hap. Also the Zebra Obliquidens is from Lake Victoria, but should be fine in that tank.
Thanx for the answers everyone. I recently just re-organized the tank bc some of them were getting to territorial, so I changed it up. I added some new bubbles and more rocks, and a few less plants. I should have some new pictures of that tank, and new pictures of my glo-fish/danio tank which will also be actinic lit once I'm done. So lemme know if you're interested in seeing them, bc then I'll post 'em.