Anyone have DIY cave ideas?

[jarrodaden]

I have been trying to make homemade caves and my clown loaches don't seem to care for them. They keep going into a split piece of drift wood and I am worried they are going to get stuck in there.

My latest try was pvc coated with matching substrate and they didn't do for those either. I think they dislike them because the white pipe reflects too much light.

[cichlid1409]

http://www.houstonfishbox.com/vforums/showthread.php?t=21860

[BeefyG]

I've had good luck with coconuts like the one in my avatar. They're decorative, all natural, and I've seen my mollies, gouramis, and goldfish hanging out in them. I actually got the idea from a website that was selling plain ones as cichlid caves. I don't know if clown loaches like them because I've never had any. I'm taking 10 decorative coconut caves that I just made to the GHAC auction on the 7th if you're interested. I'm bringing the following designs: star, heart, broken heart, four leaf clover, cheshire cat, celtic cross, princess crown, and 3 x jack skellingtons. Let me know if you want to see a pic of any particular one.

Or you can make one yourself: Drill an entry hole or cut your design into it. Don't forget it is full of liquid or you'll end up unpleasantly wet and sticky! Drain it. Boil it at least twice to get tanins out of it. Promise to buy the wife a new pot because you just stained hers a reddish brown color. Scrape the coconut meat out (easier after boiling). Sand down any rough or sharp edges. Boil it again. Basically treat it like driftwood. Lastly, keep up with your water changes!

[Mzungu]

How long did you leave the PVC caves in there?

It might just be that the clown loaches weren't used to them yet, or it could be they just prefer the driftwood and once they get bigger they'll pack up and move to the PVC. I've met many a clown loach that wouldn't leave their PVC caves. :)

[PhishPhreek]

I have used half a clay flower pot.
They're cheap and you can make a clean cut with any power saw.

[HepCaribou]

I don't have clown loaches, but have had good luck with terra cotta clay pot caves for other fish. I cut holes in them with a Dremel tool. My steps as follows -- it was easier than I make it sound:

• Buy cheap pots, hopefully not contaminated with anything
• Boil pots a while (sterilizes, and forces air out of pores/water in), then let them soak a day or 2 more (easier cuts, less chance your project cracks apart)
• Obtain Dremel and a Masonry/Tile Cutting bit
• Set up outdoors somewhere (I suggest a chair, goggles/glasses, gloves, dust mask and/or strong fan to blow dust away from you) ... there's going to be a LOT of dust

For cuts, use the bit at an angle till you get a hole started, then you can just press-to-cut. Use your whole bit so you don't dull one spot. If you want a special pattern, I'd draw that onto the pots beforehand... my cuts tended to wander...

You could also combine broken terra cotta, silicone, and a few cuts here and there for some less pot-like caves.

[jarrodaden]

I've had good luck with coconuts like the one in my avatar. They're decorative, all natural, and I've seen my mollies, gouramis, and goldfish hanging out in them. I actually got the idea from a website that was selling plain ones as cichlid caves. I don't know if clown loaches like them because I've never had any. I'm taking 10 decorative coconut caves that I just made to the GHAC auction on the 7th if you're interested. I'm bringing the following designs: star, heart, broken heart, four leaf clover, cheshire cat, celtic cross, princess crown, and 3 x jack skellingtons. Let me know if you want to see a pic of any particular one.

Or you can make one yourself: Drill an entry hole or cut your design into it. Don't forget it is full of liquid or you'll end up unpleasantly wet and sticky! Drain it. Boil it at least twice to get tanins out of it. Promise to buy the wife a new pot because you just stained hers a reddish brown color. Scrape the coconut meat out (easier after boiling). Sand down any rough or sharp edges. Boil it again. Basically treat it like driftwood. Lastly, keep up with your water changes!

I am really liking this suggestion.

[blacksmith37]

There are some good/natural looking artificial caves,etc. I have one that I glued (RTV) to the back of the tank to maximize plant area on the bottom.

[BeefyG]

For pics of the ones I just made:

http://houstonfishbox.com/vforums/showthread.php?threadid=32052

[rohivitron1]

go to home depot and get a can of that spray foam? GREAT STUFF. blow up a balloon cover with the foam then cover the foam with rocks? wood? plants? or whatever. let it dry overnight hen pop the balloon

[Sea-agg09]

go to home depot and get a can of that spray foam? GREAT STUFF. blow up a balloon cover with the foam then cover the foam with rocks? wood? plants? or whatever. let it dry overnight hen pop the balloon

Something about spray foam screams toxic to me....

[Mzungu]

Something about spray foam screams toxic to me....

Same here! But lots of people actually use this stuff for applications in saltwater, and I have some I was intending to use after reading a lot of threads on MARSHReef about people using it with great success.

[Rico]

its best to use the pond foam. its non toxic and fish friendly.

[cameracorpus]

That foam sounds cool. You should be able to sculpt all kinds of cool stuff with it. Like a scale model of the Bat Cave!

I've found that busting up clay flowerpots using anything such as a hammer or other flowerpot pieces looks best. With good aim, I don't think I've ever "ruined" a flowerpot. Random flowerpot caves in a planted tank look cool IMHO, and I've never seen a fish not take to them. Plus, you can silicone stuff to them easily. Fake plants, substrate, plastic sunken ships, or whatever if you want to disguise them.

Hobby Lobby has some that they call Rose Pots, I think, and they are longer and narrower than your typical flowerpot. Good sizes and cheap, also.

[rohivitron1]

and the pond kind is black, as opposed to the beigey yellow of great stuff