George Farmer may be a celebrity in planted scapes, but I haven’t found his Malawian cichlid set up a good example. He set up a rockscape and attached Anubias later but in subsequent video he gave up plants due to cichlid abuse. I have been a cichlid keeper much longer than George attempted cichlid, and I have no trouble combining cichlid and plants by knowing what to pick.
Mbuna that Farmer chose are the worst cichlid for small tank as they are super aggressive and plant destoyer. Their constant chasing and fighting is also stressful to watch. There are many small and mellow Tanganyikan cichlid that fit well in a 160L tank, and mildly aggressive Malawian peacock also do well, but I would keep males only for color and to prevent breeding aggression.
An authentic Rift Lake biotope meant round stone scape, not an ideal way to form caves as they are heavy and slippery. Rougher and lighter Lace and lava rock make better caves, and can attach epiphytes easier. In my 75 and 125 gal , I keep a variety of cichlids from Africa and America, including breeding colonies of Tanganyikans, Kribensis and Turkana Jewel cichlid and shoaling large tetra. My rockscape is fully covered with plants that hide the rock caves underneath where cave dwelling Tanganyikan thrive andbreed.
Mbuna that Farmer chose are the worst cichlid for small tank as they are super aggressive and plant destoyer. Their constant chasing and fighting is also stressful to watch. There are many small and mellow Tanganyikan cichlid that fit well in a 160L tank, and mildly aggressive Malawian peacock also do well, but I would keep males only for color and to prevent breeding aggression.
An authentic Rift Lake biotope meant round stone scape, not an ideal way to form caves as they are heavy and slippery. Rougher and lighter Lace and lava rock make better caves, and can attach epiphytes easier. In my 75 and 125 gal , I keep a variety of cichlids from Africa and America, including breeding colonies of Tanganyikans, Kribensis and Turkana Jewel cichlid and shoaling large tetra. My rockscape is fully covered with plants that hide the rock caves underneath where cave dwelling Tanganyikan thrive andbreed.
