Who Gives A Fish Forums

I had the best experience with Lamprologus ocellatus - they may not be the smallest, but they've got huge character. I had one male and a few females, and it was amazing watching them build and guard their homes. The males are quite the charmers, grabbing a female and forcing her into his shell for ...

Wood's fine in the tank, I just don't want tannins. I've had a big enough taste of them with my mopani pieces.

Fry are indeed fun, I can see why you'd want them. A bigger colony does bring more movement to the tank. My multis are pretty active, especially with multiple males in the mix - it's like ...

I've got a decent-sized colony of multis in my tank - it's 2.5 feet long, 15 inches wide, and 12 inches tall. I've found that they're pretty territorial and don't take kindly to other fish being around, so personally I'd advise against adding dithers like danios.

Also, I'd recommend against using ...

To be honest, 1.2 cm just isn't enough for an UGF, regardless of the fish you're keeping. Most UGFs need at least 1.5 - 2 inches of gravel on top to function properly.

UGF not the best choice for cichlids that love to dig.
How deep is the gravel on top of the UGF?

I've had luck with Java fern and anubias, they seem to hold up to cichlids pretty well. I just zip tie them to the wood or rocks, keeps them from getting uprooted. Had both in with my africans and americans, no issues.

Got plants, what fish you got with them?

I put new wood or plants from the lfs or fellow fishkeepers in a vinegar water solution with some 'no planaria' for good measure, then give it a good rinse. Next, I pop it into a tank with loaches for the day, just to be extra sure.

Anubias and Java ferns are pretty hardy, I've got a few varieties of Java ferns myself - regular, Windelov, narrow leaf, and Philippine. Also had some success with Bolbitus, Crypt wendtii and Val, all seem to do alright with minimal fuss.