# messing up tank



## brute34 (Sep 23, 2011)

i have six small african cichlids in a 55 gallon tank and just recently put black sand in it and im having a problem with them picking it up with there mouth and carrying it to the side of the tank and stacking it and uncovering my air tube lines and all of that and have fixed it many time anything i could do


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## fjr (Sep 3, 2011)

not a whole lot you can do.cichlids are famous for this.no matter how many times you fix it the way you want it they will fix it the way they want it.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Agreed,lol.They seem to think you need decorating lessons.

I have read some do this as a way to prepare a site to spawn at,so be sure to look for any females fattening up with eggs and males displaying.


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## madtyke (Sep 26, 2011)

That's cichlids for you, always wanting to move the furniture around


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## BlueFinn (Aug 19, 2011)

Cichlid love to dig it good for there gills and finding food mix in the sand. You can't stop them from digging. They are making somewhere to lay there eggs and place to hide there fryes. If you want to stop them from digging to the glass i use a flat sand stone under the sand. Where ever they dig. It will stop them from digg to the glass. Here link to Home Depot.

Outdoors - Garden Center - Landscape Supplies - Pavers & Step Stones at The Home Depot


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## lilvic21 (Sep 11, 2011)

Use some sucken cup retainers for your air hose. They will keep them in place. They are kind of hard to move for a fish.


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## meBNme (Oct 7, 2011)

Take a piece of PVC pipe, coat it in tank safe silicone, and cover it with some (dry of course) sand that you are using for your substrate.
Let it cure 72 hrs.
Now, run your hoses wires etc through the pipe and place it in the substrate.

Even if they uncover the pipe, it will still just look like a lump in the substrate.
You can also cover the bases of any fake plants or other things you want to stay hidden.


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