# Mbuna caves



## graybot (Apr 24, 2011)

Hey everyone. 

I recently re-scaped my 75g Malawi tank, and thought I'd share what I have found to be the most successful cave layout to help with Malawi cichlid aggression. This tank has been running for two years, and I've been able to keep an all-male mbuna stocking list with minimal losses (4-5 fish per year, usually new arrivals) I've also been able to keep together fish of wildly different sizes (less than 1" with up to 7"). Currently there are ~35 fish, mostly mbuna with 4 large haps and 3 synodontis petricola.

The detail that makes this work is that almost all of the caves point outwards, towards the front of the tank. This way the cichlids can live in crevices and caves side-by-side without seeing and thus provoking eachother. Particularly territorial mbuna will dart out to chase fish in the open water, but generally dart immediately back into the caves once the offender has moved along. You can see great color on the mbuna that display this behavior (polit, flavus, various afra) that otherwise wouldn't be seen if they didnt have individual caves to themselves. There are less deliberately placed labyrinthine rock piles on either side of the tank that work as "escape zones" that fish that are being chased can escape to and lose their pursuer. 

I reorganize the rocks 3 times a year or so... Usually when I have to remove a fish that isn't working out or when I get bored with the layout/social structure. If a particular fish is becoming too dominant and taking over a specific area for too long, I make sure not to make a cave large enough for that fish in the same area next time. 

This may seem like a pretty crazy amount of rock, but if you are going to break the basic rules of stocking and sex ratios, it's pretty vital to have this many caves. Just a few wont cut it- only the most dominant fish get caves in that type of setup, and the weaker fish are left to fend for themselves, usually with poor results.

Let me know what you think!


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Looks great!


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Very impressive.Good looking too!


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## choutman (Mar 6, 2012)

very cool I like the caves and the plants on the top thanks for sharing


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