Do you have caves? Why or Why not?

[C_mo97]

Here is one of my caves in my 120. I think it’s for stressed or skidish fish to hide.

What’s your take on caves and if they are necessary or not?

 

[alton]

I look as if they are houses, and I like my fish to have a house. Plus my wife watches tv late at night so they can get away and sleep.

 

[NS Mike D]

I'm with you. Many fish will dart in a cave, nook, cranny when it senses danger. Many will also seek a hiding place to sleep at night. My chromis have their very own spots and will defend it against other chromis wandering nearby

 

[Han]

I try to design my rockwork so that every fish can get at least 1 cave or at least some kind of secure spot.

 

[C_mo97]

I try to design my rockwork so that every fish can get at least 1 cave or at least some kind of secure spot.

That’s a pretty smart idea probably helps against fighting for territory too!

 

[acropora4u]

Caves yes !!

 

[Arricefe]

My entire aquascape was based on caves, my fish can swim from one side of my tank to the other through the rocks, they can hang out in there and not be seen days at a time.

 

[atoll]

Are there caves on the reef? Answer yes. Can you provide caves in your reef? Answer yes. In that case follow nature and provide them.

 

[SixtyFeetUnder]

I think they are a great idea to create hiding spots out of the open for fish and it also is a great look to create swim throughs and see fish use them. A couple for my new build just about to install:

 

[MombasaLionfish]

Unfortunately no, I did not think of that while putting in the rocks. My fish just swim around the pillars or find a tinny crack instead.

 

[jeffrey750750]

All the caves are where my fish and shrimp sleep at night, except for my gladiator clowns of course

 

[C_mo97]

Caves yes !!

View attachment 1475417 View attachment 1475418

Super nice aqua-scape!!!

 

[Arthacker87]

I have caves everywhere different heights so each fish can sleep somewhere. Some sleep in coral nems host clowns 2 bigger spots low on left for 2 tangs grams has a hole behind clam six line sleeps in birds nest lol. They all have places.

 

[Rick.45cal]

My entire rockwork scape is carefully placed so there are spaces between all the rocks, both so the fish and water can travel or flow through the whole rock scape. I’ve got three gold assessors that I only catch glimpses of when I feed the tank, otherwise they live within the reef itself. It’s wonderful for the fish they have comfortable spaces where they can escape each other and me! In the wild when darkness falls the big apex predators come out, so most of the fish we like to keep hide within the reef itself or within large corals. (some of my anthias sleep within the giant slimeball anacropora).
So I think it’s important to provide them places that they can feel safe.

 

[ca1ore]

Always need plenty of places for the fish to sleep. Caves, overhangs, misc. nooks and crannies ..... it’s the arches I hate.

 

[Back where it all began]

I have a lot of live rock and I created lots of pass throughs. The idea is to provide shelter and good water flow. Every once and again, someone alters the rocks . My emerald crabs are large and the urchins work as a team to move some things around.

 

[redfishbluefish]

Caves or crevices are a necessity for fish to hide and sleep. I'm terrible at rock-scaping, and the best advice I got when I attempted my very first rock-scape was to think tripods.....three medium rocks down, and a large rock on top to create space below....caves and crevices.

 

[will25u]

Oh yeah, my maroon clown lives in a cave and owns that left third of the tank. The right side my wrasse normally hangs out in when he deems necessary. There’s tiny caves there that he and the shrimp hang out in. They’re so cavey that I can’t see them. My reef Chromis never goes in any caves that I know of. I have a 30L.

 

[RtomKinMad]

The whole left side of this tank is hollow in the center a large cave where several of the tangs and the annularis angel sleep. The right side is also a large cave and the center has small caves where the trigger, firefish and anthias sleep. The fish swim in and out and around the caves all day.

 

[C_mo97]

Love the photos and info!!! Keep it coming guys!