Creating natural, functional cichlid display tanks

fishhead0103666

Alligator Gar
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MFK tends to be a little overrun with the type of spotless, sterile, hospital-ward-looking tanks that just leave me cold.
Well this type of forum was founded on big fish in big tanks and decor hinders maintenance so it’s not surprising it’s like this. I will say that both styles of tanks have their own beauty in their own ways.
 

jjohnwm

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Well this type of forum was founded on big fish in big tanks and decor hinders maintenance so it’s not surprising it’s like this. I will say that both styles of tanks have their own beauty in their own ways.
Well, I guess that's my point. Of course decor hinders maintenance; so does keeping big fish! Tanks would be much easier to keep clean without decor to get in the way, or without big fish making a mess. They'd be even easier without any fish at all.

No doubt there are folks who like the look of a pristine box of water, where the only "decor" is the large number of big fish bumping into each other all day long. I sometimes think that they are going for a Zen Stone Garden thing using fish instead of stones; no matter which angle you look at it from, you can't see all the fish at once because some are always behind others...:)

I was just complimenting Stanzzzz7 Stanzzzz7 for bucking the trend, and creating something completely different from the standard MFK "non-scape". Of course they are a bit more work to create, and maybe to maintain. If it were easy...everybody would be doing it.
 
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Stanzzzz7

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To each their own. At the end of the day they are all fish in a glass box.
My personal veiw is, if the fish is to big for decor then the tank is not big enough for the fish.
I know opinions differ, I've argued my point countless times before.
As much as I love fish, large and small. Its the ones I believe I can accommodate reasonably that I choose for my set ups. Reasonable to me means territorial boundaries, refuge, stimulation, room to exercise and a place to spawn. I also like to create something that at least partially resembles a home from home.
At the end of the day I do what feels right for me. Everyone is different in their approach, education, commitment and empathy for their aquatic pets. This is how I keep mine.
 

Stanzzzz7

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Terrific thread! I'm so thankful that it was brought back up to the top, as I've never run across it before. It's always wonderful to get some great new ideas; it's also nice to receive justification for some things I've done for a long time, but always had to hear my wife complaining that I was cheap (true, but irrelevant...).

MFK tends to be a little overrun with the type of spotless, sterile, hospital-ward-looking tanks that just leave me cold. The designs in this thread are a breath of fresh air. :)
Thank you, I appreciate it.
 

totoro

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This is very interesting thread, and I agree that fish act more naturally when the tank is decorated with natural looking materials, be it real or fake ones. Some plecos eat wood though, for them real bogwood is food. For Eartheaters sand is a way to execute their natural habit, sifting. It is mesmerizing to watch fish take sand in their mouth and (boof) spit it out.
 
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