DIY Plans for Caves for Fish Tanks

When you create a unique environment for your aquarium, it is a good idea to offer places for fish to swim through and hide in. Caves are a great way to offer this. Although artificial ones can be purchased at a pet store, you can make caves from materials you have on hand and they will be cheaper. In addition, they are often better for your pet fish.

  1. Terra-Cotta Pots

    • Terra-cotta pots can be used as caves for your aquarium fish. They are lightweight and easy to cut holes in for fish to swim through. In addition, terra cotta is nontoxic and pH neutral, so it won't affect the water the fish will be breathing, meaning it is safe for them.

      Cut holes in the middle and at the bottom of a terra-cotta pot, so your fish can swim in and out at different levels. Even better, terra cotta is cheap, so you can easily make multiple caves from these pots.

    PVC Pipes

    • PVC pipe is a perfect item to use to construct a cave for smaller, tropical fish, because the walls are solid, the pipe won't corrode and the fish can swim through it with ease.

      Buy a number of different sizes of PVC pipe at your local hardware. Connect them, so the fish can swim through different sizes and areas. Smaller areas of pipe will give smaller fish their own refuge, while the pipes with a bigger circumference will become main thoroughfares for the rest of the fish in the tank.

      Consider burying the pipe in the sand or gravel at the bottom of your fish tank so the cave looks a bit more natural.

    Coconut

    • You easily can make a cool, natural aquarium cave with a coconut. First, cut the coconut in half and drain (or drink) the milk. Then, cut out all the meat so all that remains is the outside shell of the coconut. With one half of your coconut shell, draw a small doorway on the front and cut it out with a sharp knife, using care not to cut yourself.

      You now have a cave that you can decorate if you desire. To remove the hairs on the outside of the coconut shell, boil it in water for at least 20 minutes. Attach peat moss or foliage to the top of the coconut to give it a more natural look in the aquarium.