Rocks : Are they necessary?

polkadot · Post by **polkadot** » 22 Jan 2003, 16:52

I'm changing my tank from a rock setup to one that's all wood. Was wondering if leaving 1 or 2 pieces of rocks would do any good? Am I right to say that rocks are mainly for deco purposes and building caves?

Post by **Silurus** » 22 Jan 2003, 16:54

Depends on the plecs you keep. Some of them come from habitats with a predominantly rocky substrate.

polkadot · Post by **polkadot** » 22 Jan 2003, 17:26

I'm keeping a variety of the different plecos in this tank. I understand that some came from environment where there's rocks, eg zebra pleco, but assuming I dont look at the biotape point of view, what good will the rocks give?

Post by **Silurus** » 22 Jan 2003, 17:27

Substrate for algae to grow on, so that the plecs can graze on them?

polkadot · Post by **polkadot** » 22 Jan 2003, 17:29

Hmm, good suggestion. I have now driftwoods in the tank, will that be able to substitute for the rocks?

Post by **Silurus** » 22 Jan 2003, 17:34

In my experience, algae doesn't grow as well on driftwood as it does on rocks, unless you're talking about the horrible black hair-like stuff that no fish ever touches.

polkadot · Post by **polkadot** » 22 Jan 2003, 17:36

Thanks for letting me know that! I think i'll leave a slate just for algae growth?!!

stibolt · Post by **stibolt** » 22 Jan 2003, 18:20

- some sort of pelcos also need driftwood as a part of their daily diet. . some people think that they need the vitamins found in it.

polkadot · Post by **polkadot** » 22 Jan 2003, 18:24

Thanks stibolt for the advice, I have plenty of wood now in the tank so they can chew all day long!

P/S, I though the purpose of wood-eating in plecos is because it helps their digestive system? Never know wood contains vitamins for them!

Post by **Silurus** » 22 Jan 2003, 18:58

<i>Panaqolus</i> (and maybe some <i>Panaque</i>) seem to utilize wood fairly heavily as part of their natural diet. Studies have shown that they have cellulolytic bacteria in their guts to digest the wood, so I think they get more than just vitamins from the wood.

Yann · Post by **Yann** » 22 Jan 2003, 19:46

Well!

More than what sort of pl*co you are planning to keep , I would like to know what type of rock it is???
Cheers
Yann

stibolt · Post by **stibolt** » 22 Jan 2003, 21:16

Hey you.

It´s true. . it´s the digestion. . I just looked it up in my Catfish Hobbyist book. .

polkadot · Post by **polkadot** » 23 Jan 2003, 01:45

Hi Yann, It's those neutral rocks. Did I get the name right!?

Post by **Silurus** » 23 Jan 2003, 01:51

Polkadot,

Did you mean granite (the gray ones)? Granite is OK.

polkadot · Post by **polkadot** » 23 Jan 2003, 01:56

Silurus, I wish I had a pic to show you. Its not granite, but more of a reddish brown to light brown tone. I've test its effect on water and it just stay neutral, so i presume it's like other neutral rocks.

Post by **Silurus** » 23 Jan 2003, 01:58

This the one you picked up at the beach? May be sandstone.

caril · Post by **caril** » 23 Jan 2003, 03:01

i'm using the rocks that i picked from the beach in my tank now...
nothing went wrong at the moment and they look great under the light.
light brown in colour and u can see layers on it. looks like sedimentary rocks???

Post by **Silurus** » 23 Jan 2003, 03:03

Yup, sounds like sandstone. May be a bit too soft. Not sure how well it would stand up to constant grazing by plecs.

polkadot · Post by **polkadot** » 23 Jan 2003, 03:23

Too soft as in the material of the rocks?

Post by **Silurus** » 23 Jan 2003, 04:18

Yeah, sandstone is kind of soft. Some are soft enough to be broken by your bare hands.

mokmu · Post by **mokmu** » 23 Jan 2003, 12:21

How about petrified wood? Are they okay?

TKP · Post by **TKP** » 26 Jan 2003, 05:50

This is my rock,now over 10 plecos living in this rock.

polkadot · Post by **polkadot** » 26 Jan 2003, 11:29

Hi TKP,

What kind of rock is this? Been looking around for these kind of rocks with holes but all are those volcanic or lava rocks with very rough surface..

Post by **Silurus** » 26 Jan 2003, 12:18

Mokmu,

Petrified wood is generally OK. I've seen in used in tanks without ill effects to the fish.

TKP · Post by **TKP** » 28 Jan 2003, 15:15

Hi polkadot,
I don't know what this rock is, I bougth it from LFS.

caril · Post by **caril** » 28 Jan 2003, 15:21

i bet its damn heavy though...

looks nice too, with a lot of hiding spots.