Troph Aquascaping

[txfatcat]

I have looked at some of the setups on trophs.com and have seen misc. rock piles. I have seen the tanks EK does and has provided physical hiding places. I have lots of holey rock in my 140 and was wondering should I provide additional hiding places that are out of view or out of site for them to hide?

I have a few places but they are not large enough for these big guy to run and hide?

what are everyones thoughts on this?

[J-WS6]

Re: Troph Aquascaping

It's always best to separate your rocks into as many piles as you can. Most of the males want to guard a certain rock, and if they're all in one big pile, that's when you begin to have territorial issues. Is this a 5 of 6 foot tank?

[J-WS6]

Re: Troph Aquascaping

Some people may disagree or fear that things may fall, but I like to stack mine and make towers. It takes some patience, but eventually you can get the pieces to fit into each other without them collapsing. I would not advise leaning them towards any side of the glass, just play with it. I do this to utilize all the wasted space since most 150s are almost 30" high

See pic:

[rrocket2002]

Re: Troph Aquascaping

Careful if you do that.  The Livua like to move the substrate around and could cause your rock formation to become unsteady.

[J-WS6]

Re: Troph Aquascaping

I've had a giraffe in all my tropheus tanks that stirs up the sand pretty well and they don't fall. Just make sure you have a stable base. Again, not advising that you should strictly do towers, I was just expanding on the idea of making individual piles.

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Troph Aquascaping

Do however you like and if they like it then you are fine.

My Ulwile tank barely has much hiding space and they are fine.

[imagirlgeek]

Re: Troph Aquascaping

You may have to try several different rock formations.  Our rock piles are different in every Troph tank we have set up.  Some of the trophs like 2 big piles with something to break the line of site in the middle.  Others like 2 distinct rock piles.  One of our tanks has rocks spread out from one side to the other.  And another has several 'mini' piles.  We just keep working on it until they stop trying to kill each other.  

[geoff_tropheus]

Re: Troph Aquascaping

All of my tanks have a different setup.  Some have one continous huge pile, others have as many seperated piles that will fit.

If you having serious agression issues, what seems to work best is as many piles as possible with seperation.  Also, if possible, make the pile in the center of the tank the highest, so that line of sight is broken to some degree across the tank.

That is what has helped me the most.

Best of luck in your setups!

GEoff

[txfatcat]

Re: Troph Aquascaping

So far all is good and not seeing any agression issues.   I will continue to watch and see what happens. i may add a few more pieces of rock and go from there.

thanks for the help everyone

[armthehomeless]

Re: Troph Aquascaping

Can't wait to see the pics... you are going post pics, right?

[txfatcat]

Re: Troph Aquascaping

yes absolutely. maybe as soon as tonight. just being tied up with some problems at work for the last 18hours.



I have looked at some of the holey rock and have a plan to move them around a little. I am going to try and do that nce I get this issue resolved

[myjohnson]

Re: Troph Aquascaping

I have always tried two rock piles and it seems to work well.  However, I don't think you need extra hiding spaces.  Hope you don't mind me asking: why do you think you need more hiding spaces? 1) So the fry will live? 2) So the colony doesn't kill each other?

[txfatcat]

Re: Troph Aquascaping

Well if you look at frontosas they like to have a place they can escape too.  They come out when they are more comfortable. This keeps them from getting stressed and all freaked out.

just didnt know if it was the same with trophes. I have never really thought this hard about it.  I have just built something and they either liked it or the didnt.


I rearranged the tank a little to provide two seperate piles of hole rock.  It seems to be a littel better but i think they are still becoming aclimated to everything so it may take some time.

I am not seeing any real hard aggression. Just the normal chasing and playing that most all fish do.

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Troph Aquascaping

I have had my Mobas both ways, lots of cave and no caves.

I think they liked it more with no caves.

[txfatcat]

Re: Troph Aquascaping

Well here is a terrible picture but wanted everyone to see where I am at right now. I was able to work more on the stand last night. I m almost done with the trim work. Hoping to do the doors today or maybe tonight. I have to do some water changes and pick up more fish tonight so we will see what happens.

I am goin to get my other camera out and set it up on the tri-pod and see how they come out.