Freshwater Underwater Galleries AUG6423 Cichlid Stone, Large Boulder

Decorations:

Caves, Hideouts

I'd sooner call this a cave than a stone because that is what it is. The Underwater Galleries AUG6423 Cichlid Stone is large enough for small cichlids to enter through the hole and hide from larger fish.

This "stone" cave is made of some type of ceramic or plastic. It is thin. Dropping it on a floor, certainly a tile or any hard wood, will almost certainly result in shattering so it must be treated with care. It has an unusual texture, which almost feels like it will rub off or disappear in time, although I haven't seen that happen yet. It is larger in size than expected although the hole for entry is circular and quite small. The bottom of the stone is quite flat and will probably rest well on gravel although it may not be perfectly flat enough to place on the bottom of an empty tank.

I have placed the Underwater Galleries Cichlid Stone into a tank and don't think that the appearance is convincing as a stone. It is best covered with moss, plants or other aquarium ornamentation. It can look better with similar colored gravel or stone. Reports are mixed on how much the fish will like and adapt to it so results will vary. I would not use this stone in an aquarium that is smaller than a 10 gallon tank, which is probably the minimum for any cichlid, even small. It is more suitable for a 20 gallon tank, 15 gallon tanks probably being the smallest I would think suitable for this stone, which would probably take up close to 20% of the bottom surface area of the tank.

The stone comes well packed in foam and there are also multiple sets. The smallest stones are large enough for dwarf crayfish and may even be larger than they prefer, usually enjoying the comforts of a "cozy" small cave area that is half filled with substrate. Bettas may find it good for cover although the roomy interior is not the "cozy" surrounding that some fish enjoy - although people might.

The round opening is somewhat smallish and round. As most fish are much larger vertically than horizontally, by nature, it may challenge larger cichlids, perhaps for whom this stone cave may not be made. Bettas should be able to fit inside, even the larger bettas and half moons, but only because they can easily compress their soft fins.

Take a look at the photos of the Underwater Galleries Cichlid Stone and compare it to a 16 ounce bottle of water. You will notice that the opening is slightly larger than the mouth of the botle. While the roomy interior gives a maximum amount of room for fish to enter, realistically you would prefer more areas divided inside the hiding area so that each fish, if shared, would have its own private space. In addition, make sure that the stone picture appears as the stone you see in the Aquarium Space photos. May sites will sell a variation of the stone cave and what you see may not be what you get.