Pleco Breeding Cave Ideas?

[MorganEA]

I wish the clay caves came in more natural colors, I guess you could attach java fern to it.

 

[DMD123]

They all look so hokey to be priced so high.

 

[ShortyKiloGyrl]

They all look so hokey to be priced so high.

That's part of my gruff about them too.

 

[bronzefighter]

Something I've done in the past which works well for plecos but it's a little labor intensive; you'll need a pair(or two) of cheap surgical gloves(hardware store item), take a capers jar or any glass/ceramic jar/vase of the appropriate size, squeeze out a healthy glob of silcon on a piece cardboard then roll the jar in it covering the top surface (as it lays flat like it would in your tank . .you don't need to go all the way around the jar if you set it into your substrate a little bit) make it a thick layer. Then roll the jar in a pile of your dry substrate. Set up something so you can let this sit and cure. You can hand sprinkle (use a clean pair of gloves at this point) some gravel over any spots that need it and over the front edge of the jar so the glass doesn't reflect the light.

I've found some nice cheap ceramic and glass vases at GoodWill type places.

Justa thought

I've done that many a time with all sorts of random items. The cover of a cd spindle, with an opening cut into it, then you have a flat roof that you can put rocks or plants onto, terracotta pots, Tupperware... etc etc etc. Basically anything aquarium safe can be used, and if you use the same substrate that is in your tank it tends to blend right in!

 

[cichlid-gal]

You could also probably bury the clay caves at an angle putting the closed end into the substrate and covering the top to some degree. The plecos only go in the one end (and mine swish around and make a huge pile of sand or whatever at the other side of the cave) so really...that might work also but I haven't tried it. I tend to just drop the things in and let the plecos have at it. They love those clay caves.