Scattered vs. Organized?

[Big Vine]

I love my current aquascaping (55 gal. in sig.), which is obviously kinda scattered.
BUT, I'm wondering if having more elaborate caves (using existing rocks/driftwood) at opposite ends of the tank with more open space in the middle would be better for the fish?

Why the urge to change things, you ask?

Male ousted the female after their latest spawn (which also happened to be their first), and so I'm wondering if a new layout with more/bigger/taller caves at each end of the tank (with a more open middle) would help reduce any breeding-related aggression that might flare up again from time to time? You know---maybe give the female a better place to seek refuge on an as-needed basis?


What do you all think?

Thanks.
BV

 

[Big Vine]

Okay...hate replying to myself so soon, but someone over on the cichlid-forum suggested keeping things pretty much the same and adding a "Aquarium Systems' Fancy Plants - 'Giant Asparagus'" to the right side of the tank. (I think it might come in a mat/grid format similar to the stuff I put in my 38 gal. tank for the baby crays to hide-out in).

Anyway, he recommended floating it upside-down to dangle over top of and be intermingled in with the driftwood on the far right side of the tank. Not sure if I'm keen on the idea, but I suppose it would add some decent cover for the smaller fish and provide a better spot for the female to seek refuge in, if need be.

What say ye'?

BV

 

[FreshwaterJeff]

I agree with the premise of adding the plant, if not the execution.

I'd say creating more "open water" with unbroken sight lines would exacerbate, not lessen, aggression. But that could be wrong...

 

[Dino]

Generally, it's out of sight, out of mind.
The more you do to break up line of sight, the less aggression you will see.
Usually.

Dino

 

[SinisterKisses]

Not necessarily. Creating two very distinct and different territories at either end often works wonders to getting fish to coexist. As they get bigger anyway, you're going to want to create as much open swimming space for them as possible.

 

[Big Vine]

Your comments reflect my thoughts on the matter...
I see merits in both approaches (i.e. lots of broken lines of sight vs. two distinct cave territories with open space in the middle), which is why I'm torn as to what to do. I'm not keen on adding the plant thing.

Here's what a mod over in the CA section at cichlid-forum had to say:

Your sals are still small, but they will grow, and when they do the male will want that tank to himself. They have to potential of being super jerks. Their nick name (the mini guapote) is very acurate, they are tough fish indeed (also one of my favorites)

The smallest tank I successfully bred them in without the male killing or maming the female was a 75..... just food for thought The males need space as they're very territorial....

Just makes me feel all tickled-pink.
Therefore it would seem that I am screwed and should therefore revert to "Plan B," which is to have one salvini and several other CA cichlid individuals. (breeding-wise, I can just stick with my crays, platies, and angelfish down the road).

I'll start a new thread to figure out stocking plans and what to do next.

Thanks for the input.
BV

 

[SinisterKisses]

Or...you could just upgrade to a 75gal

 

[Cichlid-Man]

If you're gonna go to a 75, might as well do a 120!

 

[Big Vine]

Or...you could just upgrade to a 75gal

Hehe...not in this apartment! lol
I'll keep trying to figure things out in that other thread I started...see you over there.

BV

 

[sclabman]

if you're going to do 120, you might as well go for a 300! (if you give a mouse a cookie, right?)

you could add more rocks to the tank to create more caves and such along the back as well as at either end...

 

[fish_chic]

i would try both approaches. first do the the caves thing on either end with more open middle area. if that doesn't work then do the plants things. if that doesnt' work then go for the one salvini with other CA cichlids. can't hurt to try. cause it looks like you really want to keep both of them. just my 2 cent.

 

[Big Vine]

First off---on the tank upgrade situation...NOT gonna happen until we get a house.

Back to the topic at-hand...
I'm going to try a combination of several of the ideas that some of you guys have suggested, so thanks for the help!

My plan is to leave things laid-out as-is, but I'll also pick up more of the same kind of rocks of various sizes ('pagoda' stone, I think it's called?), along with some more driftwood. Rather than scatter it throughout the middle, I'll use it to build-up both ends of the tank.

This should leave enough in the middle for the breaking of lines of sight, and it will add better hiding spots at either end of the tank. As the sals mature and require more swimming space, I can always---if need be---move some of the rocks/driftwood from the middle and add it onto both ends of the tank to build-up the cave structures even more; thereby leaving more open swimming-space in the middle as the sals mature.

BV