What are you using for caves???

[10 Tanks]

Hello. I'm still using large, clay pots and just putting them in a corner. I pile different sized rocks around the mouth of the pot and put in a couple of Anubias plants around it. My Pleco loves it. The more overgrown, the better.

10

 

[Uberhoust]

I search for old small cedar, or other species if available, stumps that have rotted out in the middle. I then cut them in half putting the hollow side down. The image below shows one in the middle of the tank, it is open at the back and has two openings in the front. A small hollow log would provide a number of these "caves". By time they get old enough to rot out the middles the outside has majority of the volatile compounds leached out. I personally haven't had any issues with contamination from the wood obtained this way. Some of my small angels will swim though the cave, but never when I have the camera ready.

 

[Oldspartan]

Linda is getting ready to set up a 20g. This will be the first tank we are going to pay close attention to scaling. There are a couple of wind blown maples by the brook that have interesting burls. As soon as the snow melts I will chunk them off and try turning them on the lathe. If I can get an interesting shape I will drill and whittle some openings. If not back to the drawing board.

For the Betta we used stacked granite rocks and topped a piece that was flat. Big Blue seems happy with the hideaway.

In the 37 used a hollow resin log.

Going forward the idea is to use stuff we find on the property. Lots of imterstng stones around the brook and tons of trees in the woods.

 

[10 Tanks]

Linda is getting ready to set up a 20g. This will be the first tank we are going to pay close attention to scaling. There are a couple of wind blown maples by the brook that have interesting burls. As soon as the snow melts I will chunk them off and try turning them on the lathe. If I can get an interesting shape I will drill and whittle some openings. If not back to the drawing board.

For the Betta we used stacked granite rocks and topped a piece that was flat. Big Blue seems happy with the hideaway.

In the 37 used a hollow resin log.

Going forward the idea is to use stuff we find on the property. Lots of imterstng stones around the brook and tons of trees in the woods.

Hello. This is a great idea. So much fun to show a little creativity instead of buying stuff. All you're spending is a little time.

10

 

[Uberhoust]

As soon as the snow melts I will chunk them off and try turning them on the lathe

What an excellent idea, I find I think with the tools I have available, ie chainsaw, but with a lathe you wouldn't have to find a hollow log, you just make it.

 

[Back in the fold]

How do you cut a clay flower pot longitudinally without it cracking into jagged pieces?

Just like @Magnum Man said - a tile saw . That or you can get a carbide coated tile blade for a hacksaw frame that works good too . I never worried about it . I busted them as neatly as I could and liked the random and , in my opinion , more natural look .

 

[Fishmanic]

Just like @Magnum Man said - a tile saw . That or you can get a carbide coated tile blade for a hacksaw frame that works good too . I never worried about it . I busted them as neatly as I could and liked the random and , in my opinion , more natural look .

if you just break them manually it may cause jagged edges that may injure the fish.

 

[Colin_T]

How do you cut a clay flower pot longitudinally without it cracking into jagged pieces?

Hacksaw and fine tooth blade

 

[Back in the fold]

if you just break them manually it may cause jagged edges that may injure the fish.

That soft terra cotta clay sands down very easily . I use a piece of rough broken concrete or a piece of sandstone to do it .

 

[emeraldking]

I see the PVC pipe caves in lots of breeding tanks, & I understand that... but at this point, pretty much all my tanks are display tanks, & I wanted a more natural looking cave..

In some I also have some pvc pipes but I also have some ceramic caves that look more natural.

 

[Jamie D.]

I have a couple of these ceramic caves for my dwarf plecos. My clown plec prefers a self-dug cave he made below one of my driftwood pieces, but the Leopard Frog plec lives full time in one of these...he's like an eel, poking his nose out to see what's going on or if there's food he should grab. LOL

Plecoceramics Aquarium Ceramic Decoration Pleco Cave Natural Medium

We provide World Wide Shipping! IDEAL FOR BRISTLENOSE AND OTHER PLECOS - Our pleco caves for aquarium based on more 10-year experience in breeding plecos. NATURAL DESIGN - aquarium decorations resembles the natural materials. They will look very realistic in fish tank, also can be used for fish...

plecoceramics.com

 

[Back in the fold]

I have a couple of these ceramic caves for my dwarf plecos. My clown plec prefers a self-dug cave he made below one of my driftwood pieces, but the Leopard Frog plec lives full time in one of these...he's like an eel, poking his nose out to see what's going on or if there's food he should grab. LOL

Plecoceramics Aquarium Ceramic Decoration Pleco Cave Natural Medium

We provide World Wide Shipping! IDEAL FOR BRISTLENOSE AND OTHER PLECOS - Our pleco caves for aquarium based on more 10-year experience in breeding plecos. NATURAL DESIGN - aquarium decorations resembles the natural materials. They will look very realistic in fish tank, also can be used for fish...

plecoceramics.com

Ceramic ! Used to be that’s all they made and it was nice . Some ceramic aquarium ornaments were really nice . I’m getting one of these !

 

[Nofrnds2pla]

FYI…I tried the string soaked in alcohol with2X…..FAIL! Oh well you don’t know unless you try.

 

[MaloK]

What kind of failure ?

Curious...

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I probably have close to 50 caves. A few were custom made for me but most were purchased from https://plecocaves.com/shop/