Building an African Cichlid Aquascape with Rocks

In this video I show the full process of building a rock bank aquascape for my African Cichlids! I have a variety of colourful Lake Tanganyikan cichlids that I'm planning to grow out in the tank. These type of fish love hard scapes, as they don't require any plants. The peninsula design of the tank makes it perfect to create a rocky bank up one end for these fish who love to go in and out of the caves..
This scape was a HUGE process as I had to remove the previous riverbank scape that Jason from Australian Biotopes created. Although I absolutely loved that scape, and appreciated what Jason did SO much, I explain in the video the reason why I went for the change. I really hope you enjoy the video and hopefully love the new scape too!
Timestamps:
0:01 - Why I took down the Riverbank scape
2:42 - Planning my aquascape (the beginnings)
7:03 - Buying and choosing my rocks
9:16 - Setting up the spare tank and filter
10:35 - Taking down the Riverbank scape
13:57 - Building the new scape
16:47 - Picking up my fish from MAD Aquariums!!
17:56 - How to use rock glue in an aquascape
22:42 - Adding my Freshwater AI Primes to the brace
25:09 - The new AI Primes on the tank
26:03 - My scape, fish and filtration
28:39 - Feeding my Tanganyikan Cichlids!
Remember to give the video a like if you enjoyed it!
I'd love to hear your feedback!!
What do you think of the new scape? :D
I'm really excited to grow these guys out and see how they go together.
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If you enjoyed this video you might like to check out:
Building a RIVERBANK in my aquarium
• Building a RIVERBANK i...
Catching Australian Rainbowfish for my Aquarium
• Catching rainbow fish ...
Moving a HUGE Fish Tank
• Moving a HUGE fish tan...
I also have playlists on both my Lake Malawi tank, and the Peninsula tank, documenting their progress.
Lake Malawi Tank Playlist:
• My Lake Malawi Setup
Peninsula Tank Playlist:
• Peninsula Setup

[@sobieski478]

The tank's beautiful. You did great job, Kaity. Well done!

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you so much :) I appreciate it!

[@jsiqueblue4948]

Great job with the lighting I absolutely love it

[@Kaityscichlids]

Hi everyone!! I really hope you enjoy the video of the new scape 😊 I normally like to reply to comments when I first post a video, but I've got to go to bed. If you leave a comment I will reply to you when I wake up in the morning 😄 Happy fish keeping! EDIT: Wow, thank you so much to everyone for all of the lovely comments!! It absolutely made my day waking up to read all of the positive feedback. It means SO much to me, and I appreciate it so much when you take the time out of your day to write something. Thank you

[@Aquariumikan7]

Amazing

[@MiGatoNoMeHabla]

Hello, if the Thropeus are eating algae from the smooth surface of the rocks, they are the sheep of Tanganyika, that is why I told you that the Bolcanica, being like this, was not the most suitable, but it is fine. If the calvus is Altolamprologus Calvus black (I thought about whether to have that or the mandarin comprissceps, all the Altos are very beautiful), there is also white, shell and the Altolamprologus compressiceps gold heat, chaitika, Mandarin... The Leleupi, over time, you will probably have to remove the others if they form a pair, they are very territorial and aggressive or the same, two pairs form two territories to see how it evolves. Perhaps some shells and some conchicola that were not colonial like Neolamprologus ocellatus, brevis, were placed in a corner opposite the rocks... I found it very funny when you say you don't have patience 🤣, the same thing usually happens, I'm a little more patient hahaha. Thanks for responding and bother with the suggestions. By the way, almost all people say that Tanganyika fish are more interesting or fun in behavior than Malawi fish. I won't give you any more blame and I'll put down problems that you're going to hate me 😅🤣 and thank you for reading me and I'm still keeping an eye on the evolution of the aquarium 🙂

[@GenXHeart]

Thank you Kaity! I was able to learn so much both from Jason's original river build and now from your make over! The tank turned out lovely! I'm still researching how I want to get back into the hobby and I have to compliment you. You are troubleshooting so much on your own I am so impressed. Also I'm learning quite a bit reading the comments - as well as finding it amusing how one person says the video is too short and another just right. Ha ha! And you handle it with such grace. You're an absolute inspiration!

[@Kaityscichlids]

@@GenXHeart thank you SO much!! I really appreciate that, that's really nice to hear 😊🙏 And that's also very exciting that you're looking at getting back into the hobby - I hope it goes well for you!! It's a great hobby to be a part of 😁

[@JPReptilesCanada]

Beautiful setup and great selection of fish. The only issue you might encounter is the Tropheus. They really are primarily a veggie eater with occasional small supplementation with a little protein here and there. So they may eventually develop bloat and die off due to their dietary differences from all the other fish you selected. They also are less tolerant to water quality parameters than the other fish. They need pristine water all the time. I was doing 60-80% water changes on my colony of Ikola’s twice a week to keep them happy. So they may be a little challenging to keep healthy amongst all the other tank mates. They are also EXTREMELY fast swimmers compared to the others and are hyper little beasts, so they will inevitably get the lions share of the food you drop in the tank which could also contribute to bloat. Very challenging fish. But I’m excited to watch the progress and see the results.

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you so much Jordan :D And oh my goodness, that's hectic!! I'm really glad I've got them with the sump then, because the pothos is definitely helping keep the nitrates down a lot. I really hope they do well as they grow, because they are such beautiful little fish. I've noticed them eating some of the algae which is good to see. They chow down on the Thera A food, which isn't a herbivore food, but it also isn't too high in protein, so I hope they will do ok with that in the long run

[@JPReptilesCanada]

@@Kaityscichlids that’s awesome I love the pothos idea. Tropheus are a fantastic fish. Honestly everything you did from scape to fish selection is beautiful! You nailed it! I wish you amazing success with it. Keep up the great content! 💪

[@SequoiaElisabeth]

What an adventure! I can totally relate. They make an aquascaping foam to hold the rocks together. Nice to see you got it all sorted. Godspeed!

[@bucephalandra.godzilla]

Looks incredible !! Sometimes you've just got to change things to make them what you truly love, theres nothing wrong with that. You did an amazing job

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you so much :) I definitely agree!! I think sometimes you've got to try new things to learn more about what you love, and be willing to change when needed

[@jamesgoodyer3319]

Beautiful tanks! Stunning fish

[@Ajay_kiranV]

Thank you so much❤ for your post...my dream tank😊

[@Kaityscichlids]

I'm so glad you enjoyed it! :D

[@johnjr47]

Awesome Tank, new scape look great, you position the rocks in the right place !!!

[@Kaityscichlids]

Yay, thank you so much :D I'm really glad you like how it turned out! It was a bit sketchy at first but we got there lol

[@jamieparr6962]

Your new Tang tank looks fantastic, really well done 👍. Thanks for documenting it all, I really enjoyed watching the process. Seeing your tank makes me miss my wild caught colony of Tropheus moorii Mpulungu that I kept and bred in the past. One day I’d like to keep them again, they’re such amazing fish. Enjoy your new setup, it’s a ripper, and thanks for taking us along for the ride 👍.

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you so much Jamie!! 😁 I'm really glad you enjoyed it 😊 And Tropheus certainly are beautiful little fish! I'm really loving my ones and am looking forward to seeing them grow

[@aqua.scape69]

I absolutely love the new scape. You did a wonderful job. I especially love that lava rock. Great work and thank you for sharing your journey with us. I turned out great. ❤❤

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you so much 😁🙏🙏

[@MFarid92]

looks incredible

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you 😊

[@craigholowellphotography423]

Another awesome video Kaity, love the new tank you did an amazing job 😊

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you so much!!

[@wilpie6607]

I just love your scape, hope I could build one by myself someday. Thank you for this idea :D

[@Evilmitchaquatics]

That looks great Kaity those lights give a great shimmer in the tank and the contrast between the rocks and the sand look fantastic 🙏 also the smaller rocks you have added around make it pop too nice job great video

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you so much 🙏 I'm really glad you like it!! And I'm glad you appreciate the lights too 😁 I think they make a big difference!

[@nicoliroos4865]

Well done Kaity! Your tank looks beautiful 🐟

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you so much!! I'm really glad you like it :D

[@tinchytarantula]

Another great Scape really did a great job

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you so much 🙏

[@domingo-7]

Very pretty.i like it👍

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you 😊

[@murphinator666]

Side by side, those aquariums complement each other so well.. the video was fantastic also. Get to 50k subs.. I want a shirt 😅

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you!! I'm really happy with how it turned out in the end :) And that's so great to hear! I'm going to get this merch sorted out ASAP

[@papajeffe1521]

Now, all you need is a Lake Victoria tank to complete the set! What a great tank Kaity! Great job.

[@rezalrahim5258]

Completely agree. Time for Kaity to get a third tank 😁

[@Kaityscichlids]

Hahaha, I would be lying if I said the thought didn't cross my mind too! I was like well I've got 2 lakes, I may as well go for 3 eventually... I just need a bigger place now lol

[@dubaialabajwa786]

Wow 😯 so amazing 🤩 😊

[@TheHobGoblin]

Well done! Its a stunning tank.

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you 😊🙏🙏

[@brianbuczynski3555]

Yes please keep making videos. I wait for yours to come out ! :)

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you :D :D

[@LK50634]

very awesome video what a beautiful tank and aquaescape great pickup

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you so much :D

[@LK50634]

Your welcome anytime my friend

[@gaivscaesar]

Fantastic, it's inspiring me to look into doing a tank like this myself

[@Kaityscichlids]

Yayyyy, that's awesome! 😁🙏 I think you most definitely should hehe

[@hepley4043]

Your videos are so relaxing to watch

[@Kaityscichlids]

That's great to hear :) Thank you!

[@jennyvillena6091]

Nice one!

[@Xenoaquaria]

Trying out different styles of tank layouts and different species of inhabitants is part of the hobby. Eventually we all will find our own niche!

[@Kaityscichlids]

Most definitely!! I think it's good to try new things - then sometimes even if it doesn't work out, it helps you recognise what you do like :)

[@ZackGreensReptiles]

Tank looks great, I typically use black sand however love the contrast of the white sand with black lava rock.

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you so much!! 🙏 I wasn't sure how it would look at first but I definitely think mixing the smaller bits of dark rock into the white sand helped it have a good mix of contrast and blending!

[@ryanramsaroop4074]

Wonderful journey, you're the best ❤

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you so much!! I really appreciate it :D

[@HoiHoiBRO]

Beautifull

[@thebloodyenglish6620]

Honestly my favourite scape out of the one's you've had 😊 Just a little heads up it might be worth stirring up the sand, like litteally getting your fingers deep in a giving it a light stir up, when doing your water changes to release gas as you have some sections where the sand is really deep. I know it's a pretty similar depth to the river setup but that one had a "healthier" substrate being mixed with different sized gravel which allows the gas to constantly but slowly be released as it wouldn't of been able to pack down. But with the pool sand it's fine enough and consistent enough in shape it will pack down trapping gas, letting it build up until it's released quickly in large bursts which can poison the fish. Mixing up the sand with your hands once or twice a week will let the gas be released before it's built up to dangerous levels. And for future reference to avoid having to do that extra maintenance if you're doing area's with deep substrate then have it be a mixed substrate (like sand, fine gravel, corse gravel and I actually use crushed up larva rock in the mix too). If you want the clean look you can just cap it with half an inch of the pure fine sand on top with everything below that being a mix like that.

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you!! That's so awesome to hear :D And ahh, thank you for the tips! I didn't even think about mixing different grades of gravel to help prevent that. The substrate is so deep on the intake end I think I'll need like a pole or something to dig into it lol. I'll definitely keep that in consideration and watch for it

[@thebloodyenglish6620]

@@Kaityscichlids A stainless steel Mixing Paddle might do the trick depending on the space between the rocks and the glass though you can get smaller/narrower ones that you'd normally attach to a drill. It's basically a strong and relatively long, but not too long so still easy to handle, metal pole which has "flares" (not sure the right word) at the end for stirring. I'd imagine once you shimmy it down so the base at least is a inch or two in the sand then twisting it around by hand will be pretty easy and be an efficient way of mixing/disrupting/turning over the sand to release the gas (more efficient then using a cylindrical object at least).

[@bigkeg9173]

Congratulations on a job well done 👍😊 30:38

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you so much!

[@sevastipternitis5814]

Great job on building those tanks, I love those fish. I wanted to get those too but I'm not sure if they get along with my tetras, Bolivian ram cichlid, and German blue Ram?

[@BONP1E]

That setup is awesome. I got Malawi s because of you. Now I need another tank.....sick

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you!! And yayyyy!! Now you definitely need a Tanganyikan tank :D

[@nghiatruong6071]

Beautiful . I want my tank to be like this .

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you 🙏 I'm sure you can!

[@cjrisktaker4261]

Dope tank!

[@ChaoHuang]

Massive effort but the end result is worth it! Hopefully the Tropheus don't get too territorial as they get bigger, keep us updated.

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you so much Chao!! I most definitely will 😁

[@feltotem1521]

Congratulations on your new scape it looks amazing, it is a lot of work 😂 but the results shows.

[@Kaityscichlids]

Hahaha, it most definitely is 🤣 Thank you 🙏

[@damor4878]

Well done Kaity. Can see you have put a lot of work into it. Nothing wrong with the length of the vid either. In fact its probably the way to go for showing those new to our hobby just what is involved with setting up a big tank. I would suggest some shell dwellers but Leleupi and Tropheus dont really get along with them from my experience. Could be worth trying a couple though.just dont forget the shells!

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you!! I was really hoping people would enjoy seeing the whole process, so I could show the amount of back and fourth it can take - especially for someone who is not experienced in aquascapes like myself. I'm not a huge fan of the shell dwellers for some reason, but I might consider them at some point. Ironically I think it's their shells I don't like too much lol. But we'll see...

[@toddanderson5607]

Awesome tank, it inspired me to redo mine and add elevation with rocks. What kind of lid do you have on that tank?

[@pascoerusso8615]

Hi Kaity again another awesome video , i love the rockscape , i would have loved to help you out with it all . love the lake Tanganyikan cichlids ...🤗🤗🤗

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you so much :D I'm glad you enjoyed it!! I'm really liking these fish so far :)

[@ugocardia3004]

Un opera d'arte!❤

[@alfredogama9791]

Video really good

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you!

[@Abilly1r]

Looks great! Love the lake T fish. No shell dwellers though? Man rescaping this massive tank looked tough :) good job

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you Andrew!! Yes it was tough lol, and I wondered why I went into the weeks exhausted. No shell dwellers at the moment, and I'm not too sure if I will get any yet. I'm not too into the shellies for some reason. But maybe one day

[@garageaquatics2023]

Now that was a huge undertaking, Kaity! Personally, I really enjoy putting a tank together, but having to take one down . . . . I haven't had to do that yet. Well years ago when I was a kid. But not recently. 🙂This was really a great project, Kaity, and it came out really well. Also, in the past I've heard that having larger number of the African Cichlids tends to reduce their aggressiveness. I'm thinking your tanks prove that. Just a thought. BTW: I originally started following you as @ronlafond. Since then I started this channel. You are one of a few who inspired me to start a "fishy" KZbin channel too. Thanks for that, and have a fantastic weekend! ~Ron

[@Kaityscichlids]

Oh my gosh, that is so awesome to hear Ron!! I'm so glad I am one of the people who inspired you to make a fish KZbin :) It's so much fun having others share their passion online too. And thank you so much! I definitely think having more helps with the aggression, especially lots of different types too. I'm looking forward to seeing how they progress, hopefully they will continue to get on ok

[@amf9335]

Well Done. I should send you some footage of my planted Peacock and Hap tank

[@khoichau815]

Everything look great!! You're awsome! Can you give me some advices that what did you do with the water, it looks crystal clear

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you!!! For this tank I've got some Seachem Purigen in the sump which is probably helping to make the water nice and clear 😊

[@nicosenecaut7542]

Like this one 👌👌👌👌

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you 😊

[@26Tackle.reviews]

you just need a guy to move all your rocks then kick him out the door 😂 love the scape looks good! maybe a tall tropical plant at the open end! something like Vallisneria americana or another vallisneria! tuff plant and not normally eaten by herbivorous fish!

[@Kaityscichlids]

Hahaha that or I REALLY need to start hitting the gym if I want to be a rock aquascaper lol. Thank you heaps :) Plants and I don't mix very well, but I think a bit of green would definitely compliment the tank nicely. I'm kind of hoping the rocks grow some green algae because I think that would look super cool!

[@STILLKINGSTON73]

Hello can you list the name of the company where you got those lights

[@Kaityscichlids]

They are from Aqua Illumination 😊 Freshwater AI Primes they are called

[@MatthiasBruder-xn1ik]

Tanganyika ❤❤❤

[@MRFIREMOUTH]

I saw Cyanobacteria on your cichlid tank. You need more flow. Add a wave maker to increase flow over your rocks. It will help greatly

[@ZackGreensReptiles]

How much room do you lose on the end with the overflow?

[@Ayj517]

Lav kayaları yararlı bakteriler için en ideal yer. İyi uykular.

[@Kaityscichlids]

That's so true! That's another great benefit of them

[@-AndrewR]

👍🏻👍🏻

[@Flyingdinosaur69]

If you shop around a bit for your volcanic rock you can find some super porous bits. It saves a tonne of money. I find the stuff that pet superstore in stafford (maybe their other stores) gets to be drastically lighter than anywhere else I've found yet. Most will actually float for a bit.

[@Kaityscichlids]

Oh that is a great idea! I didn't even think about that! It would make a huge difference finding the more porous ones

[@ChrisWijtmans]

how about adding Atya gabonensis in that tank? ( a big blue african shrimp). IT will add some colour the tank. And maybe a couple of pieces of drift wood on the bank with some anubis. I think that would go well in there.

[@Kaityscichlids]

Oh that is so cool! I've never even seen those before 😮 They look awesome!

[@ChrisWijtmans]

@@Kaityscichlids sorry typo. Its anubias not anubis. Their roots grab on pieces of wood. so they are very easy for you. Also anubias can have flowers! they can go fully underwater or half underwater. I dont know why you dont like planted tanks so maybe anubias is an easy plant for you. They are also africa. So with your african fish and adding big africa blue shrimp and a couple of easy anubias on pieces of wood maybe you will like it.

[@wa77os79]

NICE...im in the process of changing my 4ft tank for shell dwellers, but not keen on your black lava rock (dont get me wrong your tank looks great,but not for me).im going for a black background with white rocks..keep the vids coming..🐟

[@Kaityscichlids]

Woohoo, Tanganyikan cichlids for the win! :D White rock with a black background is beautiful too, that will be a great contrast. You've definitely got to pick what's right for you!

[@davidhart4789]

Love the new tank and watching how you built it up with the rocks. Now you had me scared when you were standing on a chair, I’ve seen them flip or break when someone is standing on them!! Please invest in a small ladder instead of a chair. Love your channel and would hate to see you get hurt ❤

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you so much David!! I have a ladder but I rarely go get it from the garage! I think so many people have said it now that I better start using it or I'll be testing fate a bit too much lol. I will definitely make an effort to be safer :) Thank you for all your support!

[@yuiyuiyyuiy3200]

😊👍

[@spp2000]

I've always been a bigger fan of Tanganyikan community setup compared to Malawi. Have you noticed any aggression at all yet? Also what sand have you used? Looks like ADA LA plasta.

[@Kaityscichlids]

The sand is Unicorn Pool Filter sand! So far the tank has been less aggressive than the Malawi Cichlid tank. I notice some chasing here and there but nothing very brutal. They are all quite young though so it might change as they get older

[@renepaloa]

I will be the luckiest man, if my partner has a hooby like this HAHHAHA

[@paulrichardson2229]

It does seem such a shame to pull down the river tank after so much work but im glad in a way you decided to change it, no point in keeping fish that you really not interested in, glad you went back to keeping more cichlids, enjoy your new setup

[@Kaityscichlids]

Yes, very true!! It was definitely sad to take it down, but I think in the end it'll be for the best

[@stevmstng5165]

👍

[@georgeallen2124]

Looks great! But not sure the pothos does much? Would the ammonia difference be maybe cause the fish are much larger in the first tank? Plus a sump has more filtration? Just a thought

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you!! The difference the Pothos makes is with the nitrates rather than the ammonia. The filter can turn the ammonia and nitrites into nitrates, but it can't do anything with the nitrates, only a water change/plants can reduce those. Definitely though the fish being smaller and producing less waste from the beginning would be helping, but for the nitrates to be so low after a few weeks of no water change I think the Pothos must be doing something. I would have to take it out though and test it to know for sure though

[@georgeallen2124]

Oops; I meant nitrates; you’re right!

[@riaan6321]

Hi Kaity, I really like your videos…it’s different from the other freshwater fish/planted channels I follow….it feels more genuine without the always presence of “this channel is here to make money as the primary objective”. Hope your channel grows and keeping it real :-) I’ve been in this hobby on-and-off for the last 30 years and I’m by no means an “expert”, I don’t breed, sell, do setups for other people or complete in competitions…I do it because I like it and it calms me. My setup(s) are not the best most expensive cutting edge or manicured. Anyway, I’ve been using Aquavitro seed from Seachem with great success for any new or semi new setup. There are other brands as well…just thought I share this little tip. It can save your loved fishes in a catastrophe. About the never ending hunt for hardscape….I’m not familiar with lava rock, but just be on the lookout that there are no soluble copper or other poisonous elements in it. A simple trick for example to test for pH altering rocks is to pour household vinegar on it and if it reacts you know it’s raise the pH.

[@riaan6321]

Oh, I forgot….nice solve on fitting those AI Prime16 lights, just be mindful of the amount of air the cooling fans need to move to keep the LEDs and circuitry cool enough…meaning, keep an eye on how often and for how long the fans run as compared to the same lights on the other tank…the distance between the fan intake screen and the beam to which it’s fitted.

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you so much!! That's great to hear 😊 And thank you for the tips and the heads up. I'm hoping the lights will be ok because there's a bit of space between the fan and the bar but I'll definitely keep an eye on them

[@ПеченьеСахарное-л3ч]

Are you getting up early? I have a constant problem getting up early.)

[@ПеченьеСахарное-л3ч]

Are you tired of the old landscape? And where is the old fish?) It turned out to be a very beautiful view in the aquarium!)

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you!! Yes, I just decided it was time for a change 😊 I've got them in my quarantine tank in the garage for the time being and they will be heading to a new home

[@themarkedman72]

who could Kaity a thumbs down, shame on you haters!!

[@sheikhshakib55]

She is queen

[@derunihal]

Hello, what are the tank dimensions?

[@erutherford826]

First? Great scape!

[@Kaityscichlids]

Well done!! 👏👏👏 And thank you 😁

[@calvin6429]

when are you gonna do saltwater?

[@Kaityscichlids]

Maybe a big fish only saltwater tank one day 🤔

[@torgbr8169]

❤❤❤

[@Torfmoos]

Just some Tipps from me who had allmost every Specius you hold in your Tank and breaded them (esp Tropheus) for decades. To hold Tropeus stressless you should know that the strongest male will chose a stone for the middel of his territory and push all other of his kind out of it. Nornaly another Stone will mark the bordere of it. So in your case you will have two terretories and the strongest male will take the right rocks, nornal is 2/3 of the space as it s for allmost every chilid that are torritoral. Same for the 1/3 that is split in again 2/3 and so on till there is no space left. Same for Chilasoma and Julidochromis or Neolambrologus spec. Back to Tropheus, the males will also push the Females out and will chase them. Nornaly the Females flie into another Terretorie and the male who hold it will go for the male first before go on the female. So Females build a swarm at the border of the males places to avoid been chased to death. Tropheus and all other Fish you hold didn t need any Sand cause there is no Sand in their normal habitat! It s made out of round smooth Stones in any kind. You may look underwater pic on Google. Tropheus are Algie eaters as you can see at the shape of their mouth. They have teath to scrape them from the stones. So your lavastone will not feed them nor give them a place to lay eggs. Cause that is the center of the place the mail guard. In your case the "White Stone" will be the only place the will choose or use. Put some normal round and smooth(!) Stones out of your garden to it in the free and not sand space and your Tropheus would thank you for it. Tropheus never go higher than the highes Rock so it s good you have one the allmost reach the surface. Than your Females and the weaker males that hide between them will use the whole high as space to flee or stand. As said Tropheus eat algies and nornaly only algies. To digest them they ave a long intestine that is not made for protein! If the food holds too much Protein the will get constipation, stand on a place and shake, Medication is the only way th rescue them (laxative) or they will die in just 6 houres ( i learned the hard way). So your other Chilids like the Chilasoma or neolamprologus ( don t know under witch name you use in Aus) need protein. I had good results in case of health and breeding with frosen shrims (lancton or Artemia) don t know exactly how you call it in English. So the thing that is eaten by flamingos and made them pink. Another fortune for the fishcolor esp for Leleupi and Tropheus. Hope it will help a bit and you may have so much fun with your tanganica chichlides as i have with them for decades. Feel free to ask and sorry for my bad english. sending lovely greatings from Germany

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you so much for all of that information!! That is so cool 😱 They sound like such fascinating little fish with such complex behaviours. And that's nice to know about the rocks, maybe that's why they didn't like it when I covered the smooth rock. They are such beautiful fish so I really hope they do well 🙏

[@Torfmoos]

@@Kaityscichlids Yes - Lava rocks look nice but esp for Tropheus they are useless. Use the free space at the front for more! Rocks or stones. don t need to stapel them high just put 2 or 3 of them. You could use smal sand strips to border the terretories. Additional it give the Leleupii and your Princess of Burunde places to hide. It s ok to hold then with Tropheus but they need small places to hide the Tropheus wil not use (cause they are too small ot ending in a Cave. Tropheus didn t like Caves with only one entrance. they will use them only to cover when there is a shadow above them ( like Pelikans, Otter or other Birds like seagulls or Fisheagle in their natural habitat). And as someone who has bread Tropheus, there are about 100 or more different Colors of Morii in nature so its not nesseccery to creat new ones. For breading it s a bit sad that you choose two typs holding them together. But i can understand it. They are rare and all look beautiful. And you don t have 42 Tanks to seperate them :) Not meant to effending you just my Oppinion. Hope you will have a lot of fun with your Tanganica Tank. And don t put more Tropheua esp Dubaii in if you would avoid Stress ( you will have when moving stones after a while. So don t wonder what s happend afer cleaning or removing/ add Stones ) My Males recognice "their Stones " even after moving to a new tank every time.

[@pulsar150dtsi6]

Hi ,kaity. Which filter is best for 5 ft tank. Sump or canister. Tel ur opinion

[@pulsar150dtsi6]

Ur tank looking always neat and clean

[@eddiesaquarium5606]

🇬🇾🇨🇦🇬🇾🇨🇦👍👍❤️

[@sirwilliam7988]

Oh Kaity. You did such an amazing job. That shimmer from the AI primes is money. I cant wait to see the Calvus whan they get bigger. I absolutely love it. Way to go sweetheart.

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you so much!! I'm really glad to hear you like it 😄 I'm really happy with how it turned out. And I'm super excited to see those guys grow too!!

[@florentincioaba7989]

Bravo from Romania Dracula land 🎉❤

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you

[@aidaenni]

Amazing aquarium @aidaenni

[@aquariusgine6829]

Wow, this is possibly one of the most beautiful scapes I’ve ever seen. It’s so different yet similar to the Malawi tank, each beautiful in their own way. I started my aquarium journey with a plantless tank, but was struggling with diatoms so much about half a year in that I decided to switch to a planted one. This particular scape has awaken my interest in hardcape tanks again!!

[@Kaityscichlids]

YAY!! That is so great to hear :D I really do love hardscapes, I think they can be so beautiful with the different types of rock and interesting fish. My Malawi tank had a lot of diatoms for the first few months running, but then eventually the brown was replaced by a green algae. I'm hoping the same will happen for this Tanganyikan tank too

[@WhiteSandsMbuna]

I remember my first 100 gal cichlid tank. I got it set up and was shocjed to see the price of gravel. I bought the cheapest acquarium gravel I could find, ajd barely covered the bottom with it. Later I added white pool filter sand. Now, i havw a 150 gallon cichlid tank that is 6 feet long. I moved that original gravel over, added 100 lbs of pool filter sand, and a big bag of lava rock. The lava rock is an excellent lightweight substrate filler. It also houses the bacteria that break down nitrates. It is easy to crush with a hammer.

[@evilone543]

Nice. I’m slightly disappointed you didn’t keep the river scape, but I know you like the Africans a lot more. I think overall it turned out well. It’s different enough from the other tank to be interesting too.

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you so much :D I'm glad I was slightly able to convert you over enough to still appreciate it lol

[@Urjfhskioeuwjd]

Yep. By the way, Chemi Pure Blue works much better than Purigen because it eliminates the need for UV filters. Also, a 100- or 50-micron water polishing pad works better than Poly-Fil because it captures green water algae whereas Poly-Fil doesn't. Hope this helps.

[@Kaityscichlids]

@@Urjfhskioeuwjd thank you!! That is very helpful

[@Krishore_Aquatics]

Very nice upgrade. Wow, the hardscape is extremely beautiful, and the thickness of the sand makes the hardscape more natural. The fishes are poping and bringing life to the tank Thank You Very Much for the video

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you so much!! I really think these Waterbox tanks compliment a hard scape style well, especially because it gives it a bit more of a saltwater tank look I think too. I'm definitely finding that I'm appreciating the tank a lot more now with the more interactive fish :)

[@Bandit_Aquatics]

That set-up looks awesome. Nice to have that contrast between both tanks. Well done you 👏🏼

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you so much :) I feel like they match a lot better now!

[@tuco86x]

So is Lake Victoria next Kait?!

[@Kaityscichlids]

That's what I'm thinking!! I need to complete the trio 😁

[@manpreetsinghsidhu5031]

I love your Malawi Cichlids tank...too beautiful! The colours of the peacocks just pop against the holy rock.

[@Kaityscichlids]

Yes that tank has grown to be gorgeous! It started out quite bland but after about a year the fish really started to fill up the tank and look more colourful

[@snrn911]

What a lovely tank this turned out in the end! Loving the complete rockscape! 😍❤

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you so much :D I'm so glad you like it!!

[@mrcarl5481]

This is so amazing 🎉 I’ve been looking forward to this so much. Great tribute to the river aquarium, it was awesome too and you did so much to promote nature river scapes and can see how grateful you were. Sadly when we don’t have aquarium galleries like Joey we occasionally have to sacrifice some types of aquarium, but it’s important for our enjoyment of the hobby to keep what we love 🥰 You did such an amazing job, overcame many tricky things with the rocks and lights, but you were so resourceful. I’m super proud of the achievement, when you couldn’t move the rock I wish I’d been there to help but in the end you didn’t need it! Amazing, so happy for you 😊 Hope you got some good sleep you deserved it 😂

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you so much!! I'm so glad you enjoyed it :D I knew lots of people were waiting for this video, so I really went on the grind to get it out this weekend, and definitely had a great sleep afterwards lol. And yes, VERY true! It was a great experience having the river tank and learning so much about native fish, which I knew nothing about. Plus this current scape wouldn't exist the way it is right now if it wasn't for that! It's cool how life works out that way sometimes :)

[@rgarcia1563]

No julidochromis? You are missing out! One of the best tanganykans!

[@Kaityscichlids]

I went for those "Lepidiolamprologus attenuate" guys instead because they have that long body shape, but I thought they looked really unique. I do like the julidochromis ones though!

[@oscardean6351]

Personally I would’ve left the scape as it was but add a cave, so the fish could actively go inside of the structure and utilise the crate as a cave. Good idea.😂 I would’ve gone for South and Central American cichlids .Just because African cichlids live in a rocky place, doesn’t mean you have to always follow the theme exactly, you could’ve just added a few rocksand bog wood to what you already had. I think it looked awesome. 👍

[@Kaityscichlids]

I definitely think it looked awesome, but I kind of wanted to change it to the white sand and have a bit of a darker hard scape. It would definitely have been a lot easier to do it that way though 😂

[@Smalltimetanks]

Not sure if you rent or own you're place or if you got a solid flooring! But if you got space under your floor you should put a floor support beam down under ha ha just something people don't normally talk about weight on floors:)

[@Kaityscichlids]

That's very true! Especially with big tanks like this. I'm renting at this place, and the foundation is solid concrete. BUT the flooring on top is vinyl, and from last time we moved the tanks we noticed the tank feet do leave some small indents in the vinyl, but the owners are aware and we've got some spare to replace it with if needed

[@_Jeremyxlewis]

I started off with cichlids 15 years ago a😮no moved into planted tanks but lately I really enjoy the minimal hard scape and fish focus tanks. Looks great

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you! I love looking at planted tanks, but I definitely think if they're interesting and colourful fish hard scapes can be super beautiful yet simple too

[@saputramaulana7731]

Di Hawaii Honolulu Jungle Rumah Pukul 23:33 Malam 🌙🌃⛰️🏞🌳🌲🏡 Saputra Maulana Bobok Tidur-Tidur 🛌🏻💤😴💻Laptop TV KZbin Kaity'S Cichlids 🍃🐠❤

[@sunkencitysps1826]

Love the scape, I think you should add some Lamprologus ocellatus and shells in the open space of the tank.

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you :D I'm not sure about adding shell dwellers yet, because I'm not a huge fan of their shells... But I will consider it haha

[@unifiedvision999]

One good way to get rocks, depending on where you live, is to just go for a hike and pick up rocks here and there. Construction sites of any type are particularly fruitful. Having an odd combination of rocks together simulates glacial deposits, which mixed together all sorts of rocks in the northern part of Europe and America.

[@Kaityscichlids]

I just looked glacial deposits up, and that is really cool! It definitely makes it interesting having lots of different colour combinations together, and also a bit more natural too I think

[@TheSunIsMyDestroyer]

mad aquarium employees bringing in good vibes 👍

[@Kaityscichlids]

They most certainly are! 😁

[@MrMagixRedux]

Hi Kaity, Welcome to Tanganyikans!! By far the best type of fish species. I'm excited to see how they go in a community tank, generally they don't fair too well except specific species. Like any fish tank it's pretty important you have an alpha fish to establish tank dominance. I think your variants of fish you might run into some troubles, however, like all fish keeping it's all about the experience! I'm sure your LFS will help out if you need help. The tets are quite and aggressive species, once they pair off especially but they will become the alpha species. My only real concern is the tropheus once they get 8cm+ as they don't commonly interact with other tang species very well, or in fact themselves a lot of the time, but once again i'm sure you could get another tropheus tank when that time comes. Either way, there are some really dedicated tanganikian breeders over east with some fantastic exotic tanganyikians that fetch a lot of money (even more now since covid) but there isn't too many dedicated breeders left and the demand for the species isn't very large in Australia anymore. It would be great to see you do some tours of these breeders if you continue to enjoy them. Thanks for the content.

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you so much!! Yes I'm really not too sure how they're all going to fair in the long run, but I'm looking forward to seeing how they go and adapting as needed. They are lovely little fish and I'm loving them so far! It's going to be really cool seeing them grow

[@KoolBeans426]

Love the channel. What is the white substrate, sand or gravel or....? Have a great day from the USA.🐡🐠