Big Fish, Big Cave??

[shadowcat]

OK folks, only started keeping any of the bigger L's a year or so ago..successfully anyway. Currently I have two L075 sabajii and one L114 pseudacanthicus . Later today I will be getting an L091 . All my fish are young right now, but they are growing and I know they will reach 20-30cm eventually, although they are about half that now. My question is how big should a cave be for a full grown fish?? By that I mean should it simply be large enough to accomodate the fish lengthwise, like a piece of PVC pipe, or should it be large enough for the fish to turn around in??? Up till now I have made do with rock piles and that was fine when the fish were very small, but they have outgrown my rocks and a new building project is called for in order to suit their current and future sizes. I plan to use slate caves this time, with rockwork around them to improve the appearance. I was just thinking that in a narrow cave, like a pipe or the breeder caves I see people make, the fish has to back in or go in headfirst and leave his back door exposed, so to speak. Do they like it that way, or do you folks with more big cat experience think they need quarters they can turn around in at full size?? I want to do this right the first time so as not to have to disturb them in the future. All comments appreciated!!

[fischkringli]

The best is, you give them some various caves. Some, where they can turn around and some, where they could only move a bit. Then look, where they are more.

[husky_jim]

Personally i have caves that the fish cannot turn around and always keep (depends on the fish size) the 1+ 1/3 rule for the cave dimensions.

Imagine that currently for my 50cm Acanthicus i have built a huge 60cm long cave....

All my caves are 'designed' for breeding and from my experience the majority of my males always pick the smallest cave available.I have seen a lot of times males that enter the cave backwards in order to fertilize the eggs better...

[Richard B]

To back-up the above - they seem to prefer tighter, 1 + 1/3 approx caves but offereing a few similar-ish caves with a little size difference between each is a good idea.

[Cristoffer Forssander]

For my Leporacanthicus, that size, I use 35- 40 cm long caves with 8- 10 cm/dm
They works quite well. But different sizes and forms is good to have!

Regards
Cristoffer

[fischkringli]

I think they like the tighter ones, because when there is danger they could arrest their fins and so they couldnt be pulled out. I only can pull them out with a plier.

[shadowcat]

OK folks, the concensus is in:) Thanks for your inputs and I will follow your advice. I'll give them a couple of groups of townhouses instead of a few single family homes. It will save space and allow more and smaller caves sized to accomodate current and future needs. ...Never heard the 1+1/3 rule before, but I'm fairly new here, so it makes sense and I'll use it as a guideleine........thanks all!!