OK, it's a good sized cave, but something tells me, we're not sharing

[Magnum Man]

 

[Magnum Man]

I guess I'm going to have to add a 2nd cave... the worm line pleco, and yellow acara both seem to want this one

 

[GaryE]

I try to never keep two cave loving species in the same tank. It's the old aquarist's rule about not creating competition for niches in an enclosed space where the loser of the competition can't go elsewhere. To me, that is a bit of a stocking slip up there.

The only way to solve it, at least for me, is when I've had to combine fish that like shelters, I provide as many more shelters than I need as can fit without looking awful. Even a pair of dwarf Cichlids now gets 3 caves. Let them decide. If I have a Loracarid cat with a Cichlid, I make a lot of hiding places, many more than I have fish in the tank. That way, whoever loses that contest can settle for something good elsewhere, and just spend its life resenting its neighbour.

 

[Magnum Man]

there is a spider wood tangle, in that tank as well, and I've seen both fish in the tangle, and while I expected that it might be the preferred spot, it is obviously choice #2... the cave is bigger than I thought the pleco would like, I'll add another cave of more appropriate pleco size, and see if that works out... they do currently both use the one in the picture, and there are no tattered fins, but another cave may relieve some stress...

 

[Back in the fold]

A bit of a predicament .

 

[anewbie]

My loaches share their caves There are several large caves in my 600 and this one has the most occupants - unfortunately getting a light in there et all disturbs everything but not only do my loaches share with other species of loaches but they also share with an 8 inch black ghost knife fish !

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I am with GaryE on this. I believe when it comes to choosing a cave and a spawning mate, that the fish are way more qualified to do this than I am. So, I provide two things for my breeding plecos. The first is I use an assortment of cave shapes. Plecos like tight spaces so they are all that but some are square, some are rectangular, some are tubular and some are clamshell. The material from which the caves are made may differ as well.

Next, I provide more caves than will be used on a regular basis and I array them across the front of the tank so I can look into them. I have been using a small flashlight to do so and I have done this for 20 years with no ill effects. The caved fplecos may be annoyed, but they do not end a spawn prematurely nor do they boot eggs or wigglers as a result.

The second thing I do is I when breeding it the goal, then I always do so in a species tank. That eliminates the potential for other species to bring in pathogens. Since, plecos do not eat their own offspring or viable eggs, not having other species which might do so is never an issue.

However, my goal is for the breeding plecos to spawn regularly and to have as many viable eggs as possible to become healthy sellable fish. I do get spawns and survivors in my planted community tanks, but more often the eggs or new free swimmers end up on the menu. BN are the most likely to survive.