good rock for tropheus fry?

[cichlid1409]

need some ideas for good rock for my tropheus fry to hide in and not get eaten.... i dont want holey rock, so any other suggestions.

[Somefishguy]

only thing else that come to mind is lace rock... or just finding a way to stack rocks you like with holes big enough for them and not the adults.

[geoff_tropheus]

Any rock you like really, just scape with as many crags, and nooks, as possible. Use lots of overhangs to shadow the below.

In my honest opinion Holey Rock is the best for this because you can stack'em how you like, and then they have also the holes and creavices they naturally have in each piece.

just my .02...I know it looks like several people are getting out of the use of it in their tanks, but it really is very functional.

I like the more solid peices though, that may only have a couple holes, because it is a pain getting stuck fish out of some holes. They just will not come out.

That is one huge advantage to the slate and boulder stlye no stuck fish

[ssrprelude]

I like boulder style rock.

IMG]http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss309

[TaTeR ToT]

in my next troph tank i will definatly have that boulder rock.
it looks awesome!

[cameracorpus]

Mike,
I am starting to see benifits to the boulder style also. My research shows that it is closer to what is in the lakes, but that may be flawed. Apparently there are still enough nooks and crannies for fry. Like I mentioned the other night, the guy I got my Labs from had large substrate (kind of like Home Depot river rock) that the fry hid in, but I didn't like the way it looked. His tank is in an office on Staples by your place.
I'm considering going to visit the quarry on Holly to see what he has, if you want to hook up and go over in my truck. I'm also interested in the lava rock you mentioned, for color if nothing else.
You all have piqued my interest in the custom of putting a pile on either side of the tank. I haven't heard that before.

[TaTeR ToT]

i am using small pieces of moss rock with a few larger pieces in my 29g and the baby julies and the tiny lelieupi are doing great getting away from the larger adults.
its all personal prefernce really,imo

just make sure you have an assortment of sizes and shapes of the rock you want and arrange them with small medium and larger caves for the fish.

[cichlid1409]

only thing else that come to mind is lace rock... or just finding a way to stack rocks you like with holes big enough for them and not the adults.

lace rock sounds good, i remember the first time i saw a tank with that was over at tims that tank looks awesome!!

In my honest opinion Holey Rock is the best for this because you can stack'em how you like, and then they have also the holes and creavices they naturally have in each piece.
i agree holey rock is probably the best i just feel that its played out and been there done that

I like the more solid peices though, that may only have a couple holes, because it is a pain getting stuck fish out of some holes. They just will not come out.
I had that happen with a calvus i had and i ended up losing him because i puled all the rock out and didn't know he was in there til it was too late

Mike,
I am starting to see benifits to the boulder style also. My research shows that it is closer to what is in the lakes, but that may be flawed.
The lake is full of quarztite

Like I mentioned the other night, the guy I got my Labs from had large substrate (kind of like Home Depot river rock) that the fry hid in, but I didn't like the way it looked.
I don't like that look either but it is functional

I'm considering going to visit the quarry on Holly to see what he has, if you want to hook up and go over in my truck. I'm also interested in the lava rock you mentioned, for color if nothing else.
I'm down ...PM sent
You all have piqued my interest in the custom of putting a pile on either side of the tank. I haven't heard that before.
this type of setup is mainly used for trophs, we keep large colonies (to spread out the aggression) then place a rock pile on either side. two dominant males will control one pile each then the rest of the fish are left in the middle to "stay with the herd" for protection from getting singled out

thanks for all the help guys, keep it coming