You must ensure that the caves you choose or build are the correct size for your fish. If the pantyhose gets snagged, that rough edge could harm your fish and needs smoothing before adding it to your tank. Top tip: To test rock surfaces and cave entrances, place a piece of pantyhose over your hand or fingers and run the nylon over the rock. However, it’s much easier to simply choose something that’s already silky smooth.

Now, you can smooth out any sharp edges using a metal file or a rasp, provided you go slowly and carefully. The last thing you want is to have your cichlids rubbing against an abrasive surface whenever they enter a cave. So, you need to check EVERY DECORATION you add to your fish tank for sharp edges or rough surfaces that could injure your fish.

Safety First!įish are very prone to injury from unsuitable tank decorations, especially species with trailing finnage. However, there are a few things to be aware of when selecting rocks and caves for your tank. You can choose either natural or artificial rocks for your cichlid tank either is fine. So, now that you know cichlids need rocks, how do you choose suitable caves and stones? The mom and her brood return to the cave between excursions. Once the eggs hatch, the male and female fish escort their tiny babies around the tank, defending them against other fish that get too close. The male Kribensis stands guard outside the cave entrance while his mate tends to the eggs inside. Many cichlid species, such as Kribensis, use caves when spawning. Having somewhere to hide prevents fish from being injured if a scrap breaks out and helps keep stress levels to a minimum, preventing disease outbreaks. Some fish species are quite shy and like to hide away, especially when larger fish spawn and aggression levels in the tank increase.Ĭaves and rocky overhangs make the perfect hideouts for these timid fish. For example, Mbuna African cichlids often pick a cave and defend it against other fish attempting to move in. Often, cichlids choose caves formed by rocks as their territory. This keeps stress and aggression to a minimum, as it stops individual fish from trying to defend the entire tank. So, if you provide the fish with caves and rocky outcrops, they will claim specific parts of the tank. Now, that doesn’t mean you can’t create a community, but you must provide the fish with rocks and caves to accommodate their natural behaviors.Ĭichlids use rocks to mark out the boundaries of their territory. Most cichlid species kept in home fish tanks are very territorial. But do your cichlids really need rocks in their environment? Territory So, a display of aquarium rocks and caves looks great in your fish tank. Variable quality and a few users reported some rough surfaces.The cave is easy to clean and safe for use in fish tanks. The cave is designed to resemble a sunken piece of bark and blends beautifully with plantings and other decorations to create a realistic-looking feature in your tank. Between backgrounds and wood, these aquarium decorations are bound to be the perfect items to make your tank feel complete.This large resin cave is ideal for use in tanks with large cichlids, such as Flowerhorns. It's created from the dried husk of the Cholla cactus and generates biofilm for algae-eating fish and shrimp. Not only does it add visual appeal to the tank, but it also provides a spot for your small fish to find food and shelter. There's also the SubstrateSource Cholla Wood Aquarium & Terrarium Driftwood. Aquarium wood is great because it's super easy to put next to any of your other fish tank decorations.

It sinks to the bottom immediately and provides a safe place for your fish. This wood's made of the hardest and densest wood available. You can blend any of these backgrounds with some aquarium wood, like the Zoo Med Mopani Wood. If you're in need of a pop of color that aquarium backgrounds can offer, a coral or tropical one could be a perfect fit. The best part about aquarium decorations is that mixing and matching are encouraged, which ends up creating something that's fun and unique. To give your at-home tank more of a realistic feel just by adding a few aquarium decorations, you can pick out a classic ocean or freshwater background and decorative aquarium wood. An aquarium background can help zero in on what's inside and give your tank a complete look. Aquarium backgrounds and wood can make your fish tank go from average to impeccable.

Cichlid aquarium decor