I thought this'd been covered somewhere, but couldn't find it...

This first example is (I think) 45mm poly-pipe, 150mm long, with gravel siliconed inside and out. I have another, with the gravel on the outside only, but this is the one they prefer. My Bristlenose bred in this pipe. When I moved the young, I picked up the lot, Pipe, Dad, and Young, and plopped them all in the Fry Tank!

At the moment, our two Clown Loaches have taken up residence, in there side-by-side! I have in progress, two more pipes at 65mm (dia), for the Keyholes, and one at 100mm, for who-ever. I like that these pipes cannot be viewed easily, so the scene retains a natural look. One or two plants in front, and they're invisible.



This second is a nice hollow log that my Sister found down by the Creek. I unfortunately failed to find any good stumps like I was after. But I found a 1+ metre log of a similiar nature to this one. Going back for Easter, so I'll wander further afield (not as many Snakes then either!). As it was, I had to clean it out of Spiders, and egg-sacs.

This log is about 18". You could probaly stick your arm half way down it, if you didn't make a fist. I don't know which fish will claim it. I suspect the Keyhole Cichlids with a ton of Cory's. I may place it thin side down, so the Bristlenose' don't eat through it so quick.



Oh, the bogwood I found in my storeroom. I think I'd put it aside for a friend a few years back, and forgot about it. It has $20 (Aus) marked on it!

Has anyone got any interesting Fishy Alcoves, Hides, or Favourite Haunts?

apart from when i have to isolate a fish, i have gone off all artificial furniture. wood makes great hidey holes if it is hollow or the 'right' shape to sit off the gravel and create space underneath, obviously. if one has the tools avaiable u can also hollow out ir own wood pieces if the LFS hasnt got any suitable.

i havent got around to doing it yet but i also plan to try building a rocky tank setup and am keen to make lots of little caves by carefully piling rocks and stoned on top of each other.

i would also mention and recommend low lying plants like crypts. my khuli loaches love to rummage about under the crypts and it seems to make them brave in that they know they can wander about the tank during the day and dart back to the cover of some crypt leaves when they want to.

I'm back into the hollow logs again !

This one, I had my Sister bring down for me. It's got a nice narrow hollow, that the Bristle nose like.

All I've done here, is slice it in half with the angle-grinder. This obviously gives me two nice caves, instead of one. It had a good length for it. I've placed both at the rear glass, not far in from the ends. That gives a bit of privacy to the inhabitant, but lets me take a peek to see whats happening.

The Keyholes are spending a lot of time in the Log I posted previously, up above. The Clown Loaches are cave lovers, always darting in and out. I'm heading up to my Sisters place in a couple of weeks. I've previously marked out another 1.5 m log, with a nice hollow, so a few more additions heading this way.

Note those small holes in the side of the log. I've mounted Sword Plants into those, so I don't get 'bare' patches without plants.

I also have a piece of bogwood that is hollow, and its quite funny watching my clown loaches squeezing inside When you get your wood do you treat it in any way ?

Honestly, I wouldn't know what to do to it, when you say 'treat'.

My traditional method, is a good soak in hot water. That new log spent a week or so submerged. But many of these have come out of the creek, so have at some point, spent plenty of time in the water.

I use hot water to kick off, to kill any bugs & spiders. The soak draws out the tannins. But a brown stained tank is not a concern for me. I actually think it's a nice natural look.

Sorry that was what i was wondering about, was'nt sure if you were boiling the wood first to kill any nasties off first, i like the look of a brownish tint to the water, as like you i feel it is natural look Some people varnish the wood to try to stop the tannins leeching in to the water, but i personaly think its a bad idea, especialy if you have L numbers in the tank

Well, I know the Bristlenose' will polish off a chunk of bogwood in no time. I don't know what this last log is, but it is TOUGH. I though once I was most way through with the grinder, a whack with the hammer would do the trick. No way, jarred my hand something chronic. Had to go the full hog with the grinder.

Anyways, I don't any catfish is going to gobble this one up in any hurry !

Plenty of nasties. There were spider egg-sacs that I blasted out with the hose. Then drop in hot water, to catch any young ones. A lot of Redbacks around my Sisters place.

Well apart from being a spider what is a redback ?

One of our most 'infamous' and nasty Spiders. Bites have been known to be fatal, but since an anti-venom became available, there's not too many deaths. The yanks call them 'black-widows', but ours has a nice bright red racing stripe down it's back.

Apparently in the 'venomous bites' stakes, the Reddy bites more people per year, than all our other spiders, snakes, and marine stings, put together.

There was a song on the radio, when I was a kid,

Quote:

There was a Redback on the dunny seat, when I was there last night. I didn't see him in the dark, but boy I felt his bite ! So now I'm here in hospital, a sad and sorry sight, and I curse that Redback spider on the dunny seat last night.

Which is not very accurate, as only the female actually bites.

We had another song about the same time, about Chooks, Emu's, and your Dunny being demolished !

Right i thought thats what you were on about but i was'nt quite sure. I used to keep Tarantulas, but they had to go when one of the kids let them out while i was at work Wife is not a fan of spiders, so that was that