Cory habitat preference changes.

In my 45g I have an assortment of Panda cories, C. Aeneus, and a 8.5in
common pl*co, Clown loaches and swordtails.

For "decoration" there is a mixture of live plants, resin rock
outcroppings, a resin tree stump, a 12" x 6" section of drift wood
(appears to be an outer section of a large tree: slightly rounded,
like an outer ring of a tree), black sand and white~ish/natural gravel
substrate.

The stump is in the middle, the wood on the right, and the
outcroppings on both sides. On the right, one outcropping points up
and is buried a bit, on the left they were stuck (suction cups) to the
side of the tank, however one has recently fallen and is laying on the
bottom.

I was going to remove this one, reattach the suction cups (I drilled
holes, and used silicon, let it cure for two weeks), but I've noticed
that the pandas have taken up residence under it. The open side is
facing out, but they don't seem to mind, in fact have seemed to be
rather defensive of it, even seeming to stand firm against the clowns
when they come peering.

Previously, the pandas roamed around, hiding in the rear under the
thickest plants, under the stump, and under the wood. Since the
outcropping has fallen, they have all migrated. The other
cories/ple*co haven't (they remain under the stump). I'm tempted to
try and engineer a more cave like place for them!

I'm curious to what particular preferences your fish have. I ask
because it is only the pandas that have moved, the other cories are
certainly small enough to be happy where the panda's are, but have
refused to move....... I also put the wood in for the pl*co... but
he(??) has shown no interest in it.. while the otos seem to love it.

Since a picture is worth a thousand words.... a couple of them are up
on Flickr... you can see the pieces I refer to.... (you can ignore
the diseased cherry tree pics)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/toeknee/


Have a good one y'all....


--Tony