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Since this section gets alot more traffic, please don't move this post Mods? Generally, how heavily planted do these aquariums have to be? I'm torn between doing a 90 gal. SA or a Malawi Biotope. Thanks ahead of time!

FOTB

It's really a matter of person opinion. Yes it should be planted, but to what extreme is completely up to you.

Well not totally. If you keep some species such as German rams, having it heavily planted provides more hiding places and the fish will be more comfortable. Funny how with Germans the more they can hide the more you will see them.

Silly cichlid indeed.

Yeah, many of the sometimes-timid fish are like that. Cories will be happier and bolder if there are plenty of hiding places. It just gives fish peace-of-mind.

Anyways, were there any cichlids in particular that you were looking at? Many of the dwarf cichlids appreciate fairly heavy planting, but of course some larger species love to uproot and destroy vegetation. For dwarf cichlids, a good level of planting, driftwood, and rock caves wouldn't be a bad setup. The fish would definitely feel secure in that environment.

Also, what else, if anything, were you planning to keep in there? The other fish might have different needs from the cichlids.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

I would do a SA setup, with lots of plants at the back & open swimming space in the front.


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This is a good site for biotope information.

Last edited by Theresa_M at 25-Mar-2005 10:02

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There is water at the bottom of the ocean

Define SA:

Rio Xingu: non planted, fast, clearwater river. Sand substrate. Geophageus, apisto, snakehead cichlids

Brazilian Amazon: vegetation choked still blackwater. P scalare, P leopoldi, festivum, basketmouths, geophageus.

Peruvian Amazon: moderate, tall plantage. Much rockwork and woodtangling. Checkboards, p scalare, p altum, flag cichlids

Maumore/Guapore Bolivia: Cichlasoma dimerus, gymnophageus, microgeophageeus, apistogramma, eartheaters. Sparse plantation, with much woodwork. Mild current.