Other Kind Of Hides?

[Imthatpeep100]

Greetings!

I have a 20gL that will soon house a single Chaetostoma formosae (L187b).
Please do not suggest any other stock as this is all I want to go for (specie only). I do not plan on plants since this specie originates from a place where plants don't really occur either, so please don't suggest those either.

I do plan on adding more root/stick like structures to make a bit more of a jungle, as if tree roots were growing in. These are the last that I had in my scape materials that I liked. Once the flooding goes down, plan on taking a friend for a hike to see what we can find. I could buy some, but I'd rather get exercise and spend some work for free wood rather than $25 for a twig XD

Otherwise, there are two hides. A terracotta pot (there's one layer of sand silicone to the surface while the rest is just piled up. I'm sure the pleco will eventually wear it away. I just didn't want that bright orange to stick out. Even then, I found a perfect piece to go in front to hide it and give more coverage).

The next hide is a rock propped on top of another. Tried digging some out to give more space, but the pleco is surely gonna decide how they like it.

I'm curious as to what (preferably) more natural hides could fit in here? Not sure as I don't want it to look crowded in a bad way, but I don't want the animal to feel unsafe. This is also my first pleco so I'm being a little harder on myself to make sure I'm on the right track.

To my knowledge, these are wild caught as I have yet to find a tank raised specimen for sale (and red list has them listed as "Not Evaluated"). So for the fish I would like to keep mostly organic materials in hopes it'll make it more comfortable as well as fit my aesthetics (we're talking to a person who spent two days trying to get sand on a terracotta pot lol).

 

[jjohnwm]

I've heard of coconut shells being used for this purpose...never tried myself so can't say how well they work.

I have tried adhering sand to clay pots as well and always had better luck using epoxy rather than silicone. Tougher and more durable. Just paint or smear it on and then either roll the item in the sand or sprinkle it on manually.

 

[Imthatpeep100]

I've heard of coconut shells being used for this purpose...never tried myself so can't say how well they work.

I have tried adhering sand to clay pots as well and always had better luck using epoxy rather than silicone. Tougher and more durable. Just paint or smear it on and then either roll the item in the sand or sprinkle it on manually.

I heard of coconut hides as well. Might look into them, but might be something to cover up since it might be too round lol

Is that aquarium safe long term?

Also, do you think I need more hides or should I wait and see if the pleco needs them

 

[jjohnwm]

No experience with that particular species, but I'll bet it will pick out one favourite lair and use it almost exclusively.

The coconut shell idea came from some old European aquarium books. I don't recall what prep they required, probably just removal of all interior contents but not sure.

I have always wanted to try it out. I hope you post results if you give it a whirl.

 

[Skavatar]

my goldfish like sections of pvc pipe

 

[Imthatpeep100]

No experience with that particular species, but I'll bet it will pick out one favourite lair and use it almost exclusively.

The coconut shell idea came from some old European aquarium books. I don't recall what prep they required, probably just removal of all interior contents but not sure.

I have always wanted to try it out. I hope you post results if you give it a whirl.

Yes, my buddy who breed snails like to make coconut Hood hides with them. He puts the men once he cracked some open and drains them of juices and lets them go nuts on the insides. Might try to see if he does that anymore.