I ordered my fish!!

Congrats on your order. My labs did do some digging but not too bad. I haven't had dens so can't help you there.

rgr4475 said:

Congrats on your order. My labs did do some digging but not too bad. I haven't had dens so can't help you there.

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Thanks. Do they dig down to the glass? I heard egg crate is a little pricy so I don't want to buy it if I don't need to, but I also want to do it right.

you can put the rocks right onto the glass if you'd like... stops the labs digging and toppling a pile.

Egg crate was $12 at Lowe's for 2' x 4". I hate the way it looks when they dig down to it, but it gives me some piece of mind!

Congrats on the new fish!

Egg crate isn't very pricey. 13$ or something? In the grand scheme of things it is one of the cheaper things you'll buy for your tank and it will give you piece of mind. And who knows if you'll get new fish in the future that will dig even more.

My dems don't dig. Yellow Labs do some digging. My Acei are the worst and keep digging down to the egg crate. Makes my tank ugly :? But I still love em.

I guess brinkles beat me to it .

wow, thats not too bad at all. I will definatley get some tonight!! I'm so excited!!

W00t! Congrats! Nothing like the anticipation of getting new fish/setting up a new tank.

Be sure to post up some pictures when you get them in.

Congrats on the fish order! Nothing more exciting than buying fish... well ok maybe buying a whole new setup AND fish

Enjoy!

thanks!! It was exciting at first, choosing the fish, doing all the research etc. But then my first couple lists got shot down, then I found the saulosi that would have worked perfect, but then I couldn't find any saulosi. Then I was really frustreated, but then I found out the Labs and Dems will work, so now I am back to being excited!!

I got the new back ground today and will try fitting that in. I'm kinda glad I have to empty the tank because it will be alot easier putting that on when I can move the whole tank.

I can't wait to get my fish!! :fish: :fish:

i dont mean to thread hi-jack but what is the exact use of egg crates? to stop falling rocks from cracking the bottom? wouldnt the sand protect it? id be more scared of the front or sides of the tank cracking from a falling rock then the bottom. *** had mbuna forever and never had to use egg crates for anything.

II25tolifeII said:

i dont mean to thread hi-jack but what is the exact use of egg crates? to stop falling rocks from cracking the bottom? wouldnt the sand protect it? id be more scared of the front or sides of the tank cracking from a falling rock then the bottom. I've had mbuna forever and never had to use egg crates for anything.

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I'm new so I don't fully understand it all either. I think it does a couple things because I was going to use it, but then I wasn't, but then one of the mods said I should (I forget why ), but because I'm new and don't exactly know what I'm doing I'm going to listen! :thumb: :thumb:

It is to help distribute the weight of the rock along the bottom and to protect it from cracking from falling rocks. Some fish dig and can topple a pile of rocks causing a major problem when water if gushin all over the place. It kinda acts like a snowshoe, so no one single point has to take all the impact or weight from a large rock. Some people don't use it, but for the price I sure would and do.

As for the sides there is still a risk there, but its seems to usually be a "glancing" blow since the water slows the falling rock down.

zoie was worried about placing the rocks directly on the glass.

I've never used eggcrate. No issues. My dems dig more than my labs.

dielikemoviestars said:

I've never used eggcrate. No issues. My dems dig more than my labs.

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Oh that's good. I already bought it, my husband just cut it, my rocks are all out and my tanks almost drained, so I guess I'll just use it. :lol:

I'm more scared of a slimy rock slipping out of my hand when I have to take them out to catch fish and put them back in, that's why I put in the egg crate. My tank is 30" deep!

I am still fairly new to cichlids and tanks with lots of rocks, but I am using the egg crate and it makes me feel a little better about piling 200 lbs of rock on that glass bottom! The chances of a crack are small apparently but wow if it did crack that would be a major bad day experience. I think it helps to stabilize the rock and distribute the weight so why not? My mbuna occasionally dig down to it but not often. I have about a 2 in. average layer of common sand and the egg crate is almost always covered. I got some busted pieces real cheap at Lowe's. Since I had to cut it to fit I didn't care of the corners were knocked off.

I'm running a 75G (4 foot) tank and so far (since last June) it has been a totally positive experience. I have not lost any of my mbuna and have had severel spawns (two, maybe three fish currently holding). I am at the stage of wanting to remove my extra males (all fish raised from juvies) and sharpen my stocking toward a final adult setup.