Building a cave for your fish to spawn in.

[Zulaab]

I wanted to build a home for my convicts, so over the weekend I went shopping at home depot and came up with a wonderful idea that I am sharing with you all here.  My Pink Convicts right now have spawned in the house so I know this works.
I picked up in the tile area 4x4in slate tile, which you can get in many colors to match what you already have as a decor   $5.00 for a box of 9 tile.
I got some silicone glue from the LFS for $3.00.  Went home and put two pieces of slate together in the corner at a 90 degree angle.
24 hours later the silicone had set and I installed it in the tank..  the Pink convict pair took over the house within 3 hours of it entering the water... and spawned inside of it within 24 hours of that.  

The House looks like this /\    This works for 2 inch fish..

I would most likely build something like this for bigger fish.
 /\
/   |   and then on the front side glue a "door" to it like this.
  .
 / \_
/  |_|

This would disallow large fish to enter while mid size 3-5in fish could enter and have a place to hide.
The door would diminish the amount of entrance space but since the bottom area still is a little open they can still enter and leave without to many problems, and the fry will have a place to come in and out.

[SOULJAA]

Re: Building a cave for your fish to spawn in.

You could also use a ceramic flowerpot. Hobby Lobby usually have them and some may even have smaller cracks in them. In any case, I used needle-nosed pliers to chip/break off some pieces at a time until I acheive the size of hole I want.

Just to be different...I then took some silicone...coated the pots, and then covered the pots w/ some left over black sand I had laying around. 24-36 hrs. later VIOLA!!! Homemade black huts.

[islander]

Re: Building a cave for your fish to spawn in.

zulaab,

We made some caves using slate color tiles and caulk to sell at the last HAS auction that would be perfect for cichlids or plecos.  They sold very cheap (less then a couple dollars) and hope they worked out well for someone.  We kept a few of the long tube caves back for our dwarf plecos to breed in; they really love to hang out in them.  I slip the fresh squash in the cave and it floats to the top of the cave where they hang out and eat.  Hope they spawn, then we will move the food out of the cave.  later, ken