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I need to get a better cave for my Pseudomystus siamensis. While I've got plenty of driftwood and slate providing cover for my plecs and pictus cats, there isn't a totally dark cave for the siamese cat. I'm thinking of getting a black pvc pipe for him, but am unsure about the best dimensions (length and diameter). Anyone have any suggestions? Right now the cat's only about 3", but I'd like to get something with some growing room, too. Should I cap off one end, or leave both ends open? Thanks!

A pipe about 2.5" in diameter and about 8" long would be a good size. Leave it open at both ends. I've found that cats tend to prefer open-ended pipes (probably because they can scoot in from either end).

Thanks Silurus! I'll have to head down to Home Depot after work today.

Tell ya what I do for my cats. Its alot of work but very visually apealing in the tank and the fish love them so that they defend them tenaciousely. I hunted out several nice size and shape peices of sandstone. Sandstone can be formed very easily for the inside and outside of your fishes cave so that it it looks good and makes a nice home for your fish. I use a hammer, chizel and a drill with masonry bit. I honeycombed the inside of the cave out with the drill to the size that i liked, then chizled out the drilled area out to make it hollow. Repeat the same steps with the doorway and its a done deal. I also took off some of the outside as it chips off easily to make it the shape i like.Then rube it with a hard brush or rag to polish the chizel marks from the outside and it looks nice and natural. You have to be very careful as they can break very easily just about the time that you are taking off the last piece . Then all kinds of things need repaired after you proceed to kick and throw anything in sight . Anyway it gets easier after you do your first one .

That's a good idea. It's a little more aesthetically pleasing, too. I was trying to think up ways to hide the pvc pipe so it wouldn't be an eyesore.

I've been thinking about rolling the pipe in aquarium sealant and then rolling it in aquarium gravel then letting it dry. Any one try this before? How does it look?

that sounds like a pretty cool idea considering how easy pvc is, then what you had in mind in adition would be a relatively easy way to avoid the ugly pvc look. Good idea!

Exactly what I've done with mine; I didn't use aquasealant, because it can let go (it sticks to glass better than to PVC).
I used the stinking glue (whatever it's called in English) that's specifically made to glue PVC parts to each other.
It "liquifies" the PVC; I then rolled it through dry riversand. It hardens in an hour or so, and I stuck it in a bucket with water and a nylon filled with activated carbon (those chemical glues are toxic!).
After a few waterchanges in the bucket, and leaving it in there for a few days (to make the carbon mop up all kinds of molecules), I use them in the tank.

I've recently found those little igloos made for small rodents, and I thought they would make great caves too. I bought one but haven't glued the gravel on it yet.

My cave turned out great and my Chinese Algae Eater has taken it for his own -- so I have to make something else (the igloo) for the Clown Loaches.

I was looking for a hiding cave fof some botia modestas,
and brought home one of those clay strawberry planters -
wide mouth with the little side openings. I tilted it a bit
downward, and the botias love it! They shoot in and out
of the side openings, and even the pictus cat tried hiding
in it, although it looks like the loaches have won ownership.

Kathy S

I used the stinking glue (whatever it's called in English) that's specifically made to glue PVC parts to each other.

= weld-on.

SunflwrgrlS wrote:I've been thinking about rolling the pipe in aquarium sealant and then rolling it in aquarium gravel then letting it dry. Any one try this before? How does it look?

I did this with crushed slate and it looks good but I was a bit worried about sharp edges. Also, if the PVC pipe floats (oddly some do and some don't) it isn't heavy enough to make it sink.

Jools

Well, I used bigger pipes, and they worked fine. I only put the gravel on the top, and burried the bottom into the substrate just a bit. My CAE loves his cave. I found it easier, if using aquarium sealant, to actually dab the sealant on each piece of gravel, then stick it on -- yes, that is more time consuming, but the gravel sticks better. I haven't had a problem with the gravel coming off yet.

The one I did by rolling in sealant and then sand has grown some algae in the sand, turning it greenish -- but it looks pretty good and I like it that way.

I purchased heavy PVC I guess -- I didn't use pipes but more the connectors with the three holes. I figured my fish would like those better. They are shaped kind of like a T .

The best looking "pipes" are simply sections of bamboo. You can wait for it to sink or crazy glue 3-6 inch sections to pieces of slate. A few minutes in the woods with a machete and you can have all you want in various diameters. You can also check garden supply stores.
-Shane

Interesting concept about the bamboo -- but unfortunately, I lack both a machete and a bamboo forrest. I don't trust bamboo in garden centers here, I just worry it will be treated with something or have been grown with pesticides.

Maybe you ought to export bamboo for us