sand

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laura65536

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Sep 3, 2007
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Nebraska
this is my first cichlid tank, had it up for about a month now, and these fish are driving me nuts with the sand...they tank a mouthful of it like they are going to eat it, swim up to the top of whatever rock they were under and spit it out. Every time I change the water I swish it around and get the sand back to the bottom, and they just do it all over again, is this normal for mbunas and is there any way to stop it from happening, I'm afraid they are going to get hurt eating sand, doesn't seem like it would be good for the digestive system....
it's black tahitian moon sand if that makes a difference.
 
This is perfectly normal. They are making pits - which are their "nests" They will not stop doing this, and they are not eating it, either, just moving it around.
 
As was said this is completely normal. In fact it is likely one of the reasons cichlids became so popular. (IE there behaviors besides just swimming.)

It is one of the main reasons people get so concerned about large rock formations, ie you must set up your rocks before putting the substrate down otherwise things might shift when they start moving everything they can.
 
well I didn't know about that at all, I have my rocks sitting on top of the sand, but I was afraid they'd fall and hit the glass so I put them all together and used some of that aquarium epoxy stuff to hold them together, I'll never be able to clean between them without taking them out, but I'm glad I did that now, from the looks of it, if I hadn't they would have shifted and fallen....
 
what does that do? sorry if it's a dumb question....
 
Well the idea is that people are afraid of rocks falling on the glass...

But the truth is that if you ever measured how fast a rock falls in the water starting from rest and falling at most 2 feet it isn't enough to crack the tank (especially since the rocks never actually just fall but really just slide down like an avalanche). Plus if you have any substrate all the forces will be absorbed in that and not the sand. So in other words it really isn't needed. But if you need the peace of mind go ahead and do it. But seeing as you already made it so it is impossible for rocks to fall it would help you in any way.
 
no I place the rock on egg crate so that if the fish remove the sand underneath the 300lbs that might rest on a few small sharp corners will be spread out and will not be pressing on a tiny point... I am not too worried about the falling rock... I never used it until I moved to sand... but seeing that it could break the bottom with the support being removed I feel safe now...
 
Ok so there might be a little stress from sharp points, I forgot about that. But remember that really the rock is usually about twice as heavy as the water, so your 300 lbs of rock piled up across the back of the tank or what not really is only ~150 lbs, and if somehow you can put all that force on just 1 tip it would likely be bad, but it isn't ever just on one tip... BUT I concede that the piece of mind is needed for some people. (I am a physics grad student, and I have actually modeled this stuff for fun a few years ago and decided it wasn't a worry.)

Anyways brent65536 to use egg crate or not is one of those debated topics that has no right answer... IE both have there down sides. But anyways I will drop the subject, you get the picture one why people suggest it now.
 
I understand your point totally, but with people using older tanks and all the other unknowns, that if you do not understand all that goes into the putting pressure on your better safe than sorry. I fun believe Ikevi that you are totally right, but since neither of us have the ability to inspect his tank for flaws to factor into the equation. It is best as you said to let him decided.

I love that we have the group intelligence to discuss this and not just say you do or don't need it.... why I stay here and recommend it to everyone I meet in fish
 
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