Spot keeps digging holes: need suggestions.

[LoachOrgy]

My loach Spot, keeps digging holes underneath the pvc pipe that all the loaches sleep in. I caught him a few times underneath the pvc with sand all over him face first into the sand. I am a bit worried that with all the other loaches inside the pvc that it may crush the little guy. I keep filling all the holes and adding more rocks but this little guy is persistant and keeps digging new holes.

I was thinking of adding a 2nd story to the pvc pipe in hopes that he would prefer this spot over the hole underneath the pvc.

What should I do?

btw, the substrate is sand and large rocks.

[tariesindanrie]

Jeez, LO- you named him Spot...of course he's going to dig like a dog!

Seriously though, remembering that physics work a bit differently in water, I doubt the pipe, even full of loaches, could crush the little guy. It wouldn't be heavy enough, and couldn't fall with enough force. I would move any larger rocks in the vicinity that may roll onto him while digging, or sometimes just some rearrangement of the furniture can change or modify the behavior some.

Glad your guys are doing better

Kate

[BlueFrog]

I dont know if its worth fighting him on it or not, he sounds really persistant!

I was going to draw this out, but then realized that my tablet is el-brokeno. So i just made it instead.

Maybe prop the pipe up with some kind of legs on both sides (either like this, or with rocks) and aquarium sealant to hold them in place. then fill the sand in underneath, and if he goes all diggy, the pipe wont fall on him?

[Batch]

Hey,
I wouldn't worry about it, the PVC won't crush him even though
physics works the same in ALL media (sheesh) ;P If you put legs on the pipe, he'll probably try to dig underneath that too.
My loaches (yo-yos) dig under everything, rocks, wood, the giant castle
(loach manor). Then they all try to fit in the new tunnel at once. it's quite comical to watch. Your loach (and mine) probably just think they smelled a snail or something delicious under the motel.


Batch

[LoachOrgy]

wow, that is a cool idea. wonder what you could use in place of the cardboard.. i catch spot digging holes and throwing food in them for later. but he really wants to sleep underneath there. the prop idea probably isn't gonna work because the loaches like swimming at level into the pipe. but i will most likely add another pvc pipe floor to the current pipe so that there is more room. i rearranged the tank and moved the other pvc pipe next to the sleeping pvc pipe. they seem to like it and are more playful but spot still digs.

lol......


he dug holes 3 times after i fixed it last night....i think hes gonna win this one..

[BlueFrog]

Really sounds like he needs his own bedroom

More pipes might be the best idea then, although if hes hiding midnight snacks under the existing tube, he'll prolly keep right on doing the digging thing.

(the cardboard was just for an example, i think gluing a couple long rocks under each side would do the same thing -- but thinking about it after the other posts, it doesn't really seem necessary )

[tariesindanrie]

Hey,
I wouldn't worry about it, the PVC won't crush him even though
physics works the same in ALL media (sheesh) ;P If you put legs on the pipe, he'll probably try to dig underneath that too.
My loaches (yo-yos) dig under everything, rocks, wood, the giant castle
(loach manor). Then they all try to fit in the new tunnel at once. it's quite comical to watch. Your loach (and mine) probably just think they smelled a snail or something delicious under the motel.


Batch

My bad, Batch...I stated that poorly. The physics are the same, but since water creates more resistance than air, the pipe wouldn't fall hard enough to hurt Spot. Let him dig to his loachy hearts content!

Kate

[KLKelly]

What about adding the second story and putting the first level under the substrate (resting on the tank bottom) for him to dig in?

[LoachOrgy]

ok here is what i did. i had a 2" pvc pipe going into a 6" pvc pipe pointing upwards. I disconnected this piece and added it to the existing 2" pvc pipes. This is giving the loaches about 6" more breathing room of protection from my eye. I rearranged most of the plants and rocks so that the pipe lays almost flat on the glass. After that, i surrounded the pipe by rocks and more plants. I also rearranged the sand in certain areas to cover up areas missing sand from the current. i placed a few rocks in these areas in hopes the sand stays(i doubt it will).

[LoachOrgy]

Caught red finned!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=JbYSsomAhcY

[ckk125]

Btw, there is nothing to be worried about.It is a loach...

[LoachOrgy]

yes ckk i have come to that conclusion. now spot and two of the striata are diggin an underground network under this pvc pipe. i have seen the two striata going in one hole and coming out of the other. they have 3 exits now. its very funny. i decided to give up lol...