Does your aquascape have enough hiding spots for all your fish?

[Dburr1014]

So I get up at 5am every weekday morning to get ready for work.
I sometimes peak in the tank just to see any critters or look to see where certain fish hide. I'm sure a lot of you all do this.

What I find very interesting since moving everything over to my 150 a couple months ago is, I can't for the life of me find the purple tangs sleeping quarters!
He is not small. He's about 5 inches and fat. I have looked multiple times and with a flashlight.

I have sort of a nsa type scape but made sure there were caves and crevices so every fish feels safe.

How about you? Did you make sure you had enough sleeping quarters for your pets?

 

[stewy14]

mine has more than enough...

 

[ScottD]

I’m currently working on trying to figure that out in my tank as I do my aquascaping. Here’s where I’m at so far.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

My fish all have various hiding spots in our tank!

 

[exnisstech]

This is one area I think many people, especially people new to the hobby do not give enough consideration to. Fish need a safe place to rest and call their own. I Think it helps reduce stress and aggression. I only have one fish that doesn't actually hide at night which is my naso. She just kind of hangs out in a corner. Often I'll see her and my convict out at night so Maybe she doesn't need that much rest?

 

[JGT]

What do you think?

 

[Sophie"s mom]

This is one area I think many people, especially people new to the hobby do not give enough consideration to. Fish need a safe place to rest and call their own. I Think it helps reduce stress and aggression. I only have one fish that doesn't actually hide at night which is my naso. She just kind of hangs out in a corner. Often I'll see her and my convict out at night so Maybe she doesn't need that much rest?

absolutely agree! All my fish have good places to hide. Funny thing is my Naso hides very well at night in a cave she accesses from the back side. The only fish I have that does not hide is my female clown. The male recently bonded with my RBBTA, so he sleeps there, but the female sleeps in the corner of the tank out front right next to the nems.

 

[PharmrJohn]

With my upcoming build I can say I will definitely have enough places. In my last 90g build, there weren't enough. Even if I have to drill out caves in my rock, I'll do it. IMO, the aquascape absolutely needs to be functional. Above form if need be.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

What do you think?

lol yeah I think your fish have a couple places to hide

 

[PharmrJohn]

What do you think?

You DEFINITELY need more, LOL!

 

[Dburr1014]

absolutely agree! All my fish have good places to hide. Funny thing is my Naso hides very well at night in a cave she accesses from the back side. The only fish I have that does not hide is my female clown. The male recently bonded with my RBBTA, so he sleeps there, but the female sleeps in the corner of the tank out front right next to the nems.

Yes, forgot about the clowns. Sometimes there together in the nem and sometimes the female makes the male sleep in the corner. She must of had a headache that night.

 

[Budman93]

Funny enough in my 40g tank the only fish that sleeps in the rock work is my tailspot blenny. The valentini puffer sleeps in a corner behind the heater and my clownfish sleep up in the corner of the tank.

 

[JGT]

So I get up at 5am every weekday morning to get ready for work.
I sometimes peak in the tank just to see any critters or look to see where certain fish hide. I'm sure a lot of you all do this.

What I find very interesting since moving everything over to my 150 a couple months ago is, I can't for the life of me find the purple tangs sleeping quarters!
He is not small. He's about 5 inches and fat. I have looked multiple times and with a flashlight.

I have sort of a nsa type scape but made sure there were caves and crevices so every fish feels safe.

How about you? Did you make sure you had enough sleeping quarters for your pets?

Do you have a good view behind the rock structures? With all my rock, my tangs tend to just hang out behind the structure. I think because they are good sized it’s the only place they can fit.

 

[Dburr1014]

Do you have a good view behind the rock structures? With all my rock, my tangs tend to just hang out behind the structure. I think because they are good sized it’s the only place they can fit.

Yes



I do have a couple large caves, like under this coral.
It's hollow.

 

[JGT]

Yes



I do have a couple large caves, like under this coral.
It's hollow.

Probably in one of those. They are crafty.

 

[atoll]

I design my reefscape exactly for the fish I have or intend to keep. I am set against the minimalist type of reefscape as an unhealthy/ unnatural environment for many fish we keep. I keep it as natural as I can that includes my reefscape and more.

 

[Solo McReefer]

I’m currently working on trying to figure that out in my tank as I do my aquascaping. Here’s where I’m at so far.

I don't like rockwork so close to the glass

That I can't clean the glass off

There will be corals growing out from the rock, towards the glass as well. Cutting that distance in the future, or corals getting fragged there

 

[ScottD]

I don't like rockwork so close to the glass

That I can't clean the glass off

There will be corals growing out from the rock, towards the glass as well. Cutting that distance in the future, or corals getting fragged there

Thank you for the feed back, I appreciate it. Right now everything is at least 4” away from the glass, but trying to move them in a little more as I keep playing with it. I’m also planning on mostly softies for the tank. What would be a good distance off the glass in your opinion?

 

[Solo McReefer]

Thank you for the feed back, I appreciate it. Right now everything is at least 4” away from the glass, but trying to move them in a little more as I keep playing with it. I’m also planning on mostly softies for the tank. What would be a good distance off the glass in your opinion?

As much room as you need to use a scraper and an magnetic algae glass cleaner, to clean the glass

 

[Doctorgori]

when the whole NSA thing took root a lot of attention was paid to artistic design over habitat… I thought there was a lot of appeal to younger/newer reefers

I thought those sparse minimalist “gravity defying” rock scapes looked cool but were never practical for my mix of fish species ..

I don't like rockwork so close to the glass

That I can't clean the glass off

yeah, that and space behind the rocks for flow and detritus removal …I purposely direct wavemakers to blast away back there