kribensis breeding and cave management

[River8ide]

I've had some success with my kribensis spawning, 3 times in a PVC tube and once in a vase decoration. The issue now is I've switched from gravel to sand and the PVC just doesn't fit in with the natural look I'm going for. The sand and rocks are light-colored, and the black pipes stick out like a sore thumb. I've tried covering them in sand, but it doesn't make a difference. I'm looking for some alternative spawning cave ideas for my kribensis - what do you guys use? And how many caves do you have in your tanks for them to choose from?

[florabuzz]

I've had success with coconut shells for my kribensis spawning caves, or you can opt for the little cichlid stone caves - I've got something similar in my tank. Alternatively, a nice piece of driftwood with plenty of space underneath can work just as well.

[River8ide]

Thanks for the suggestions, I think I'll try making a cave from rocks or a piece of driftwood to blend in with the light-colored rocks and sand, that way it'll fit in with the natural look I'm going for.

[florabuzz]

You can find some nice flat rocks, stack them up in a cave-like structure, works a treat, just make sure they're stable, either on the bottom of the tank under the substrate or leaning against the glass, I've got a stack in my community tank, seems to do the job.

[River8ide]

Would be great to see a pic of your rock cave structure, I'm thinking of doing something simple like 2 rocks at the bottom then one on top, sounds like that's basically what you've done, cheers Tom.

[florabuzz]

I did the same thing, just two rocks at the bottom and one on top, worked out pretty well for me

[stonewall]

I've had good luck with my kribs using a large rock with three wide holes drilled in it, it serves the same purpose as PVC and looks pretty natural, though it's a bit on the pricey side. Alternatively, you could try creating an overhang with a flat rock over an indentation in the substrate - it works well with gravel, but I'm not sure how it'd hold up with sand. Driftwood is also an option, or you could just go with a standard rock pile.

[River8ide]

Thanks for the suggestions, I think I'll try making a rock cave first, if that doesn't work out I might give a coconut shell a go, and as a last resort I'll use the PVC pipes but try to hide them from view, Tom

[littleking]

You can try covering the PVC pipe with a sealant first and then covering it in the same sand as the rest of the tank, it might help it blend in better and give it a more natural look.

[River8ide]

I'm wondering what kind of sealant is safe for aquarium use, and would I need to use dry sand to cover the tube or can I just use it straight from the tank. Also, how long would I need to wait for it to set. Another thing, could I just try burying the tube in sand to hide it, or would the sand just get washed away from Tom