Some Help Needed.

[Colonel Dibble]

I am looking for a cave for my two apistogrammas. I have been looking at various different types of cave, but I think I want to match my theme. I am trying to find a bit of wood that can be a cave. A wood Cave
 
Don't really know where to look for something like that. Maybe I can get a small bit of wood, and chisel it out or something, not too sure. 
 
Let me know if you have any ideas, or know where i can get some cheap wood (UK)
 
Thanks guys.

 

[Axyadbad]

Get some wood and fill the back in with plants! My Ram loves that setup... may work for you!!

 

[Colonel Dibble]

I need it to have only one entrance, as apistos are very aggressive, if anything sneaks in, it will die
 
Thats why it needs to be solid all round.

 

[CezzaXV]

Coconut caves are wood, though perhaps not what you're looking for.

 

[Axyadbad]

There's cheap wood in the...err.... well woods . Dry it out for a few weeks in a room.. and boil it to kill of any nasties. I'm you'll be able to find a a piece of wood the resembles a cave as there will be plenty of choice

GOOD LUCK

 

[Baccus]

Some pets shops LFS sell wooden caves designed for hermit crab houses and also mice/ rats/ hamsters etc. If you use a wooden house not specified for use in a tank I would soak it well before adding it to a tank and try not to get any that are painted.
If you use found wood from the woods, don't boil the timber that will break the wood down. Rather you need to put the wood in a tub large enough to hold it, put boiling water in the tub ( although I only use cold water) and let the wood soak any where from a few days to a couple of weeks. I generally soak timber until the timber stops floating and sinks in its tub. By then it should also have leached out most of its tannins. if collecting just make sure you know the species of plant you are using and that it is not toxic, and be mindful of nature reserves where such collecting is not allowed. Also I know in towns you need to be careful of the towns gardeners/ public parks maintenance crews haven't used poisons such as roundup (or worse) to kill the plant of just sprayed over the timber while spraying for weeds.
From Arts and Craft / Hobby shops you can buy paddle pop sticks ( wouldn't have a clue what they might be called in other countries sorry), the wooden sticks they put inside iceblocks. Any way if you get just plain ones that have not been dyed you can make your own little "log"cabin for your fish.

 

[DrRob]

I need it to have only one entrance, as apistos are very aggressive, if anything sneaks in, it will die

 
Thats why it needs to be solid all round.

 
That's some aggressive ones you've got there, unless they're breeding I've always found them relatively chilled as cichlids go.
 
3 branches will also make for a cave if you lay one flat and then the other 2 at angles, but it'll always depend on the wood pieces you get. Several come with a more natural archway that can also do the job fairly nicely. As has been said, wood can be pretty much free if you have somewhere you're allowed to collect it from. Well dead hardwoods are generally best.

 

[Colonel Dibble]

Thanks for the advice guys. Unfortunately I don't really have anywhere like that near me. I will see about getting two big bits of wood and carving a hold out of one, or something like that.
 
I just don't want it to look manufactured.
 
Pretty tall order, but I want it to be perfect

 

[Colonel Dibble]

Think I am going to settle for two short pieces of bamboo.

 

[Lunar Jetman]

Go to B&Q, get some drainpipe and make one out of that. Some glue to stick gravel or sand on it and you'll be laughing!