the effect of mirrors on cichclids

[RLHam3]

Hey so i've heard of breeders adding small mirrors to tghe outside of their tank to increase fin length in apistogramma, to breed dempseys, and to increase nuchal hump size in flowerhorns.

Does anyone on this forum use mirrors with their cichlid tanks and what effects do they have on the fish?

 

[we4wieners]

I used a mirror on my SB RD Flowerhorn for quite awhile. He was always very active with it. He beat the hell out of it constantly. However, when I took it out, he seemed to become very depressed. he would sit in the corner until I put it back in. It was almost like he became dependant on it. It was one of those bird mirrors that you habg in a bird cage. Just dropped it in the middle of the tank and hung it from the middle brace.

 

[RLHam3]

So maybe i'll wait until the cichlid pair have bonded for a few weeks/months before putting the mirror in, so that they are more attached to each other than to the mirror?