Caves for large chubby plecos

AmazonTank · Post by **AmazonTank** » 25 Oct 2020, 07:37

I'm gonna grab a couple xxl caves.
I have a few large 18" hollow pieces of driftwood and was wondering of I can glue a piece of slate or even a piece of driftwood on one end to make a breeding cave? Or is it best to have just traditional clay smooth caves?

YouTube · Post by **bekateen** » 25 Oct 2020, 14:39

Seems worth a try.

Make sure the caves will be deep enough to trap in.

Cheers, Eric

Andrewjw · Post by **Andrewjw** » 25 Oct 2020, 16:49

My chubbies always chose rectangular slate caves to spawn in, even though rounded caves were also in the tank.
Andy

AmazonTank · Post by **AmazonTank** » 25 Oct 2020, 17:37

What size do you recommend for the jumbo chubbies?
Can you recommend a place to get those slate caves or the slates?

Andrewjw · Post by **Andrewjw** » 26 Oct 2020, 02:19

Well, it is hard to recommend a size, without knowing the exact size of the big future parents. They were home made caves, nothing special really, but big enough to just get two inside. They liked the caves on the ground, not higher in the in tank, and they liked something over the top, like a bigger overhanging piece of slate.

AmazonTank · Post by **AmazonTank** » 26 Oct 2020, 18:36

Does the cave opening need to fit 2 chubbies side by side or just 1 chubby at a time?
I have a couple hollow driftwood pieces I'm gonna try attaching slate to one end. Do you find they prefer smooth clay or slate caves over wood?

Andrewjw · Post by **Andrewjw** » 26 Oct 2020, 22:16

Mine never spent any time on the wood. They always scavenaged along the bottom, and would often get underneath other larger plecos, such as L-95, when they were out feeding....kind of using them for cover. So i would guess slate caves would be preferred. I believe my caves were wide enough for about one and a half of them at most, not two side by side. The female went in the cave first, then the male behind her in traditional pleco fashion!

AmazonTank · Post by **AmazonTank** » 27 Oct 2020, 19:03

I'm gonna be buying these slate caves 16"X6"X6" and a couple of the xxl 16" pleco cave logs also.
Unless anyone things I should go tighter like 16"X4"X4" for the jumbo chubbies?

Andrewjw · Post by **Andrewjw** » 27 Oct 2020, 20:10

I might go with a 6" wide opening that is 4" high. Also, 16" seems a little bit long. Are they really that huge??

Andrewjw · Post by **Andrewjw** » 27 Oct 2020, 20:21

I went back and dug up some pics of the spawning tank, and zoomed in on the spawning cave so that you can get a sense of what they liked.

AmazonTank · Post by **AmazonTank** » 27 Oct 2020, 21:05

Excellent shots!
Good thinking a little tighter at 13"X6"X4".
I measured the 3 largest and they all were 8"-9".

AmazonTank · Post by **AmazonTank** » 27 Oct 2020, 21:06

That tank is awesome!

AmazonTank · Post by **AmazonTank** » 27 Oct 2020, 22:47

I just purchased the 3 largest caves on plecocaves! Thanks again Bekateen for the discount.
I'm excited to have the slate as well!

AmazonTank · Post by **AmazonTank** » 07 Nov 2020, 19:53

Plecocaves.com is an awesome place!
I got the 3 large caves to try out! I think the largest is my best option. At the moment my 2 Irwinnis are loving the new cave. They are going into a pond soon!

Caves for large chubby plecos

Caves for large chubby plecos

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