Best for cichlids?

Question
I have a 125 gallon I plan on stocking with African Cichlids and I wanted to know what kind of rocks should I put in the tank for shelter/looks? My friend was saying Tufa rock. I also hear volcanic is good. Do you have any suggestions? (My water tends to run on the basic side rather than acidic).

Answer
Hi Dustin,
 Either of those will be fine. The one thing to be careful about "volcanic" rock, i.e., lava rock is that it can sometimes contain a lot of sulphur which is really bad. For that reason, a lot of people often go with heavier rocks (granite, and similar things).  Be VERY careful when placing rocks in the tank -- dropping a rock into a glass bottom tank does not end well.  Also, be very careful not to slide the rocks along the bottom -- that can create scratches, and scratches can cause breaks down the road.  Be very sure that however you place the rocks, they cannot be underminded by digging cichlids, causing them to shift or fall.

-- Ron C.
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
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