[DJRansome]

Thanks to advice on this forum, I'm planning a 38G (former mbuna tank) for a pair of black calvus and a pair of caudopunks. I prefer not to use shells. I believe the caudo's like caves between or under rocks and sometimes cover the cave with substrate. I'm planning to sink a terra cotta saucer in the substrate, cover it with a slate tile leaving enter/exit openings, and then put a large, smooth, rock with a flat bottom and a sort of overall flattened pyramid shape on top of the tile. The top rock overhangs the saucer an inch or more on all sides.

I have these for my synos in the mbuna tank, and even the mbuna use them. Good for caudo's?

 

[Multies]

hey,
you can do that, but why take out the shells?
when my punks bred, they bred in shells, even though they didt really go in them. when they strted breeding they started to go in the shells more often. they will also breed in rocks and caves, but why only give them 1 choice? i had caves and shells, and they went for shells.

you can use any kind of rockwork with caudos, just be sure that its stable and big enough to fit in and be comfortable for the calvus's too.

 

[DJRansome]

I'm going to do something more vertical for the calvus. No shells for a couple of reasons. First, it's a smallish tank and I want to keep some free substrate space. Second, I prefer the look of rockwork, for me doing the rocks is one of the best parts of fishkeeping. Third, I've read that although they often choose shells in aquariums, they use rocks in the wild.

I can always add a shell or two later if the rock thing doesn't work.

The saucer cave is fairly well enclosed. Just wondered if they liked something more closed in or more open like a lean-to?

 

[niccomau]

I'm planning to sink a terra cotta saucer in the substrate, cover it with a slate tile leaving enter/exit openings, and then put a large, smooth, rock with a flat bottom and a sort of overall flattened pyramid shape on top of the tile. The top rock overhangs the saucer an inch or more on all sides.

DJR that's a really really good idea! I'm going to have to make 2 or 3 of those for my tank. I'm going to rework my 46g acei breeder to a Calvus and Caudo tank. Thanks for the great idea. And I know what you mean about the making the rockwork, I was going to sit down with some more silcone and slate today :thumb:

 

[CichlidWhisperer]

DJ,
Can you post some pictures of it. It sounds veryinteresting and I am thinking it would work for my calvus.

 

[DJRansome]

The tank with that structure is no longer a calvus tank, but I can try for a pic of the structure over the weekend.

But as I mentioned, it's a very horizontal enclosure and the calvus seem to prefer something vertical. They are now in the 72" tank and I think without exception have chosen a large shell standing on end. (The 72" tank also has 3 special vertical calvus caves made of terra cotta and buried in the rock pile. I don't think any of my 6 calvus are using those.)

The horizontal saucer structures are loved best by my synodontis in all the tanks.