I have no idea why you are not doing this... GO VERTICAL!

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Thanks Spiro, and Mbuna are rock dwellers

Mbuna (pronounced mboo-na) is the common name for a large group of African cichlids from Lake Malawi. The name mbuna means "rockfish" in the language of the Tonga people of Malawi.[1] As the name implies, mbuna are the cichilds that live among piles of rocks, as opposed to the utaka, cichlids living in the open water like many other haplochromines.
 
Just out of curiousness howd you manage to get the plants to adhere to the surface of the rocks?

Seems like you'd have to time them until their roots (if they ever) got a hold of the rock...
 
I attach the java ferns and anubias to a small rock with AC glue (super glue) and then just place it on the rock sculpture just like the reefers do with their corals. Javas and anubias do not need to be placed in the substrate.

ft anubia on rock.JPG

ft java fern on rock.JPG

ft plant on rock close uo.JPG

ft rocks and plants.JPG

Just like Redear says, "lava" rock has an incredible amount of surface area for bb and algae growth. I don't know if this is a good analogy but if you could spread out the tissue in your lungs it would cover a tennis court. You get the idea?

Also, I have never seen any of my fish including the loaches scratched by the rock.
 
MonsterFishKeepers.com