DIY breeding cave (PVC)

[Edmundo]

With the recession setting in, i to decided have made some breeding cave for myself at very budgeted cost. This cave cost less than $3/pce and can be mould to vary shape(entrance) depends on individual. Attempt is motivated by the satisfaction of DIY-ing and not really cost factor.

Material used:
1) 40mm PVC pipe about 6-7"
2) 40mm end cap

How to do it:
1) Use a heat blower to heat up either end to soften the PVC. If you like it brownish, u can heat it longer to see the burnt effect.

2) use a pair of abesto glove to "mould" the shape u like. Hold til the cool to set the shape

3) Use the end cap to block the other end. The advantages of using the end cap is ease of Fry collection.

Pic
http://www.plecoclub.org/forum/imagehosting/2498ce3f81bf8a.jpg

For bigger plecos (pseudacanthicus), i believe 100mm would be nice and fitting.

Hope this will be useful information to set more and more pleco breeding.

cheers

[lyh]

For people who wants to DIY at home, I suppose you will not have a hot air blower. Alternatively, you can boil a huge pot of water and then soak your PVC pipe in and then mould it into shape. I'm not sure if the size of that Ed showed is able to soften using this method but last time when I used my PVC pipe (the size that is used to run the water pipings at home) to stir something in boiled water it softened.

[Edmundo]

Alternatively, put the pipes under direct stove fire. But please do it with care. Do not burn your house stove away. member is heat to soften not to "BURN" it. :)

[Dragonfly840x2]

how big should the opening be?
just big enough for one to swim in?
do both need to go in at the same time?

sorry for all the newb questions. :D

[snowball]

Just curious, why must mould into triangular shape? Round one not good enough, hole too big? Does the size of the cave opening affect the spawning success rate? or this is just to prevent the pipe from rolling about?

[canopy]

Triangle shape cave is easier to trap the female so she does not have any chance to escape. Round one easier to slip through. Imagine the male have to guard 360 degree.

[chilicrabz]

Just curious, why must mould into triangular shape? Round one not good enough, hole too big? Does the size of the cave opening affect the spawning success rate? or this is just to prevent the pipe from rolling about?

well, triangular shape tend to prevent it from rolling about, unless it is silicon firmly.

Triangle shape cave is easier to trap the female so she does not have any chance to escape. Round one easier to slip through. Imagine the male have to guard 360 degree.

Mine did it in a cylinder shape cave n if the male is big enough to block the entrance, round or triangular is the same. wat u mention is probably the size of the fish is too small fot the cave opening.

[snowball]

Thanks guys, never know pleco breeding need to trap female. I will also do up my pvc pipe too, I have been using a mug as a cave for these plecos, they like to hide in there, but now, looks like the opening is way too large.

[snowball]

Stumbled upon this on my visit to Daiso. Do you think this is suitable as a cave? The measurement is 1.25"x1.25" (opening) x5.25" (length). Its made of ceramic. Doing up a pvc cave would cost me $4 for 2pcs of cap, excluding the cost of pvc pipe. This 2pc also cost me $4 w/o the extra work.

[Dragonfly840x2]

now they would look nice in a tank as caves!:D

[Edmundo]

Stumbled upon this on my visit to Daiso. Do you think this is suitable as a cave? The measurement is 1.25"x1.25" (opening) x5.25" (length). Its made of ceramic. Doing up a pvc cave would cost me $4 for 2pcs of cap, excluding the cost of pvc pipe. This 2pc also cost me $4 w/o the extra work.

i got 2 of those as trail too. but without the flora print. :)

[snowball]

i got 2 of those as trail too. but without the flora print. :)

You also have them? Your pleco use them? Mine doesn't seem to like them. I also diy pvc pipe, I left 1pc pvc pipe and 1pc of this I bought at Daiso, for each pair, but both pairs will use only the pvc pipe. I nearly wanted to buy more, but lucky not yet because I now realise they don't use :mad:

[Edmundo]

You also have them? Your pleco use them? Mine doesn't seem to like them. I also diy pvc pipe, I left 1pc pvc pipe and 1pc of this I bought at Daiso, for each pair, but both pairs will use only the pvc pipe. I nearly wanted to buy more, but lucky not yet because I now realise they don't use :mad:

no, they aso dun use. i find the opening too big for them. if the zebras are 4" i think will be good. :)

[aquanatix]

Stumbled upon this on my visit to Daiso. Do you think this is suitable as a cave? The measurement is 1.25"x1.25" (opening) x5.25" (length). Its made of ceramic. Doing up a pvc cave would cost me $4 for 2pcs of cap, excluding the cost of pvc pipe. This 2pc also cost me $4 w/o the extra work.

Never seem to be able to find this ceramic "cave" on my visits to Daiso!
But shape wise looks pretty good,flora prints or not...Will take a another look on my next trip.