granite chips

[wudman]

I use granite chips as substrate. My question is, can my mbunas breed with this as the substrate... its too big for them to push around. Do I need a finer substrate or sand?

[wudman]

These pics were taken a couple of months ago... Most of the fish are 3.5"-2". No breeding has taken place yet. Is the substrate the problem or do they just need more time?

[wudman]

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[rattlerz_1]

I have always used stacked up rock caves and a gravel substrate. My cichlids sure do seem to like gathering up the gravel in their mouths and moving it around to make depressions and hollows. I also have small clay pots upside down with a door I have cut out of them with an angle-grinder. They really like to go into those pots.I have a bunch of lombardoi that just breed like crazy!You probably should keep the bigger pieces of granite to make caves out of and use gravel for the substrate.

[SGypsyMermaid]

most mbuna spawn on flat surfaces, so they either dig down to the glass, or they use flat rocks. some of those rocks look like perfect spawning surfaces. give 'em time.:D

[Seedy]

Originally posted by SGypsyMermaid
most mbuna spawn on flat surfaces, so they either dig down to the glass, or they use flat rocks. some of those rocks look like perfect spawning surfaces. give 'em time.:D

I agree, but half the fun (to me) is watching them dig, so I would add some small gravel, or sand on top of your granite chips that they could play with...

[PedroPSK]

I agree with Seedy. My 90g has large gravel on top of crushed coral so there isnt too much digging as most of the fish there are still small/young. But my 55g is all crushed coral and has a few "bigger" fish (specifically a set of 3" Kenniys) that dig all the time! that is fun to watch. :wink:

[wudman]

Ive been doing 50% water changes every 3 days for a couple of weeks... Today my male kenyi began pushing around the granite chips and he has hollowed out a nice hole for himself in the back of the tank. I thought the granite chips were too heavy but i guess i was wrong... Im going to continue with the water changes and see what happens. Thanks for all the post!