abs pipes

[soleil1980]

Hi everyone!

I am thinking of getting ABS pipes for my bushynose plecos.  I have driftwood in one of my tanks and they breed in a hole in the wood, but it was a fluke.  I want to offer them more breeding spots and add some in my other tanks.  Is it a good idea?  What diameter is recommended for full grown bushynoses?

Is it possible to decorate the pipes???  they are not very nice looking so I was thinking of maybe taking aquarium silicone and maybe glue gravel on them?

What do you guys think?

[lucius]

When I was breeding them, fluke as well, they were breeding in caves that were closed on one end.  I got this clay cave from Big Als' but I can't seem to find it on their site anymore.  It looks better than an ABS pipe and more of a natural log.  You could also take a look at Angel Fins.  They sell pleco caves.

[angelcraze]

I'd like to know if PVC pipes are safe to use in aquariums as caves as well.  I personally will be hiding them, so I don't care about aesthetics. Tx

To the OP: My BN plecos breed in a cave with a closed end as well.  The male will coax the female into the cave and mate with her while she can't escape.  Hence, one cave opening

[Al]

Usually it is PVC that is used for potable water, especially schedule 40. So PVC shouldn't be a problem. I've used lots of PVC pipe and grey Carlon PVC electrical boxes/junctions when I use to keep lots of synodontis catfish and never had any issues.
ABS on the other hand is never used for potable water and is usually used for waste water drains and vents.
Personally, I would use PVC before I used ABS - there's lots on line is you want to research.
Having said the above, I have also used my fair share of black drain ABS (before I read a bunch of stuff about the preference for PVC or CPVC) in tanks and never had any issues.
In reality, if there was something leaching from the ABS as some report (bad??) it would probably take an extended period of years before something nuclear happened.

[angelcraze]

Tx Al, that's good info to know!

[CC-Slider]

If your looking for a safe cheap clay cave try these watering spikes

https://www.amazon.ca/Plant-Watering-Spikes-Automatic-Irrigation/dp/B01HFI6CR4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1480759271&sr=8-2&keywords=water+spike

[angelcraze]

Tx, never looked into that either, you can find so many useful things when you just look!  Thanks for sharing!