Open swim space VS Hides and territories

[Clslogic]

Having lots of territories and places to hide has been a big part of my success. With your stock, I'd strongly suggest using as much decor as you can. With fishes as territorial as that, why deny them territory? Having decor breaks up the line of sight, they don't have to stare each other down all day every day. "He was looking at me cross ways." I like wood and strawberry pots, not so much stacked rocks. I don't want anything that can fall and hurt a fish. As you probably know from your tank, most of my fishes are strong and super fast. I'm pretty sure rock stacks would never last in my tank.

By the way, just because you have decor doesn't mean the fishes won't have plenty of swiming room. I try to keep the plants, wood and pots mostly on the bottom half of the tank. The entire top half is totally open. I find most of my fishes want to hang out in their "house". They all come out to eat. The dovii is the main one that NEVER hides, swimming around where he pleases all day. I think he thinks the entire tank is his "house".

Ive been waiting for updates on your tank for a while. moar pics!!!!!

 

[Legomypleco]

Hides is not a noun unless you are talking about skin.

 

[nifeman]

I believe caves and hiding places raises aggression in cichlids because it creates territories for them to claim.

 

[boldtogether]

The hiding places in my African tank got to be a hassle to remove trouble makers and cleaning. I found a happy medium with a single rock layer and drift wood on top. I positioned the "caves" so I could see through to the back. The fish all have "homes" but I can see in wherever I want. The swimming freely is done primarily in the upper half of the tank. I think your fish will benefit from a more open tank as the get bigger with objects to get behind rather than in or under.
Just my 2¢.

 

[dlp40]

i like to have a lot of hiding places when my fish are small but as they grow i move the hiding places out. I don't mve out all of them just the ones not in use by the fish.

 

[takinap]

Thanks for the info terd. When I noticed all of the decor in your tank I started thinking about mine. I will keep adding plants and new driftwood and keep the top open as you said, seem to make the most sense. And LOL at looking at me cross ways, one of my favorite shows. BTW how do you get some amazing growth on your driftwood? I would like mine to look like that. Thanks everyone i appreciate the input.

 

[terd ferguson]

Ive been waiting for updates on your tank for a while. moar pics!!!!!

I did an update a week or so ago with pics and a couple of videos.

I believe caves and hiding places raises aggression in cichlids because it creates territories for them to claim.

I have found the oposite to be true. As long as you provide territory for evey fish. I feel denying territorial fishes territory leads to frustration which leads to nuisance aggression. Besides that, witohout hiding places, fishes will be staring at each other all day every day.

Part of my success has been to go against "conventional wisdom" when keeping lots of "incompatible" fishes together. You can check my sig line for my stocking. I believe in keeping the fishes happy by giving the what they would want. Like warm water, live foods, plenty of places to claim as a territory ("houses"), providing mates and allowing breeding.

Why fight evolution and instinct? To deny these things makes a tank more like a prison than a natural enviornment. We're all already keeping fishes in tiny boxes. I try to make them as happy as I can. Having all five Parachromis together with five breeding pairs and no murders lets me pretend I know what I'm talking about.

Thanks for the info terd. When I noticed all of the decor in your tank I started thinking about mine. I will keep adding plants and new driftwood and keep the top open as you said, seem to make the most sense. And LOL at looking at me cross ways, one of my favorite shows. BTW how do you get some amazing growth on your driftwood? I would like mine to look like that. Thanks everyone i appreciate the input.

You're welcome. The growth on the driftwood is just algea. Leave the lights on in your tank for weeks at a time and you can have some too.