Caves for plecos, apistos, etc

[dagray]

I had a colony of red cherry shrimp years ago and needed some caves for them to have hiding places. These caves I made now get used by my bristlenose plecostomus, but can be used for other fish if a bigger opening is cut.

I made the caves using coconut husk halves. Drilled three holes in the top of the half husk to allow air to escape keeping the husk from floating, and then with diagonal cutters I cut my opening (a coping saw or other small saw might be a better choice to use to cut the opening).

This gave a place for algae to grow (both inside and out) which is what the shrimp ate, and what the plecos eat, as well as giving the shrimp and plecos a place to hide.

By cutting a bigger opening these could easily be used for apistograms or other fish that like a cave to lay their eggs in.

Dave

[LizStreithorst]

Picture?

[dagray]

This is a photo of a reptile cave, but the idea is the same using a coconut hull.

This is from a couple years ago when I had angels. You can see the Raphael striped catfish in the cave.
I got the idea of cutting a coconut in half, removing the meat and using the shell/husk as a cave from this cave pictured.

https://davesphotography7055.zenfolio.com/img/s/v-2/p1202144380-6.jpg

[LizStreithorst]

Very cool.

[dagray]

Very cool.

Thanks Liz.

You can also use the coconut shell/cave to anchor plants like anubias, java moss, and other plants that get their nutrients from the water column.