Homemade Cichlid Caves

Homemade cichlid caves will help assure you that the materials you are putting in your aquarium are safe for your fish. Caves range from simple PVC pipe to sculpting your own caves out of clay by hand. Whatever materials you decide, the finished caves will look unique, and help your cichlids feel safe.

  1. Pottery

    • Making your own pottery caves or using terracotta flower pots that have been cured for this purpose are plausible options. Terracotta must be untreated and new, or chemicals can leech from them into your aquarium and wreck havoc on your water parameters. Pottery that you make yourself must be made of clays that are suitable for aquarium use and pH neutral. Natural clays without additives are safe.

    Metal

    • Metal is generally not recommended for cichlid caves, however galvanized steel or rustproof steel is acceptable so long as the chemicals used to treat them are available for examination. The chemicals must be aquarium-friendly. Phosphates and other chemicals such as these will disqualify your metal piece. Watering cans that have not been used for any purpose other than pure water can be used, but the edges of the entrances must be sanded down so they are smooth. Fish can rip fins or scales on sharp edges or rough points.

    Plastic

    • Plastic, such as PVC pipe, is widely used in homemade cichlid caves. Sheets of plastic can be purchased and used to create arches that back up to the aquarium wall, making an instant cave. PVC pipe can be cut into an appropriate size for the aquarium and turned upward or half buried in the substrate to create a suitable cave for your cichlids. If the PVC pipe is untreated, rinsing it in clean water will be all that is required.

    Wood

    • Wood that has been cleared for aquarium use or otherwise treated to be used in aquariums via a boil and soak procedure can be used to create your cichlid caves. Wood must be free from any splinters and must not warp under long term exposure to water. Wood may be whittled, sanded, sawed or cut into any desired shape for a cichlid cave.

    Stone

    • Stone is another leader in cichlid caves. Many caves in the wild are stone, and wild-caught cichlids will likely find a homemade stone cave very attractive. The biggest risk here is a cave in. Fish may not be able to survive or escape if a stone cave collapses. Therefore, stone caves require an aquarium silicone paste to hold them together. The silicone will state on the tube when it is safe for submersion.