Decorating Tank Expense

[Terrance]

Are there any cheap ways to decorate a tank and make it feel heavily planted for a puffer?

I see these plastic plants with weighted bottom at Petco fish store: http://www.petco.com/product/113851/PET ... -Pack.aspx

Is there a cheaper way to decorate a tank? I wouldn't mind buying 10 of those 4-pack variety plastic plants for decor. I have 2 tanks each are lightly decorated, and 2 bare tanks.

[Pufferpunk]

Check garage sales, Craigslist & Freecycle.

[Terrance]

I check Craigslist everyday in hopes to get a new tank. Most of the sellers are trying to get rid of everything in one bundle, but I often email them about selling separately. I'm searching ebay for the past 2 weeks.

How about this castle decor for my 29gal turgidus tank: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 500wt_1287

The giant castle would fill up all of the tank. Good or bad idea?

[Pufferpunk]

They would prefer a few rock caves.

[Terrance]

Just a few rock caves?! I was under the impression that puffers need heavy decor to prevent boredom. Maybe that only apply to the active ones?

If lurker puffers only need a few rock caves, then decor expense should be relatively cheaper than I had planned :d

[bertie 83]

I recently posted about inexpensive rocks on here, it would be worth checking out some of the posts as there are rocks that can be found that are suitable

[sevenyearnight]

If you like castles, that's a good looking castle set.

[Pufferpunk]

Lurkers are not "active hunters". They are happy to sit in their cave all day. You can add some fake plants--they'll probably rest in/on them, too.

[LilGreenPuffer]

Live plants are usually cheaper than fake, if you go to the right sources. I've gotten great deals on plantedtank.net's Swap-and-Shop.

Try terra-cotta pots for cheap caves, too.

[Dadof4]

My Turgdis isn't a fan of rock caves, or the terra cotta pots. The color has a tenancy to scare them what works real well is a single piece of drift wood that can be positioned in to two different caves, or a few larger size pieces. I have a piece of a fake mangrove stump in my tank and he/she loves it. Gives good 360 degree viewing and multiple ambush spots.

This is the piece I have with the tips buried in the gravel and he loves it. It does have a hollow spot in the top and I find him in there over the winter. http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/p ... atid=18456

One cool things I've seen these guys do is, when it gets dark, they will move gravel from one spot to another and create depressions in the gravel. Mine digs them down to the glass, and lays in them at night. I have dropped a earthworm in there and he waited for it to roll across the depression he was in he launched himself out to get it. They look so sweet but they are really evil little killing machines!

[greenspottedlover]

I also prefer live plants when possible. For other decorations Live rock is all I need. I also like this for a Fresh/Brackish hide... http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.j ... Id=3202490
Have this exact one in my 10g. community tank(soon to be a DP tank, once the other inhabitants are goon) and it looks fantastic.

[xrayjeeper83]

I prefer live plants, they just dont prefer me lol

My Fahaka loves to bury in the sand vs his pot, and my Abei loves to hide deep in his rock cave. His rock cave is nothing more then a rock that had a slight concave shape(i think thats the right one) and then i just dug out a bunch of sand from underneath it. Once in a while if I spoke him he will hide under his DW.

[Terrance]

One cool things I've seen these guys do is, when it gets dark, they will move gravel from one spot to another and create depressions in the gravel. Mine digs them down to the glass, and lays in them at night. I have dropped a earthworm in there and he waited for it to roll across the depression he was in he launched himself out to get it. They look so sweet but they are really evil little killing machines!

I never knew they could dig. I will put in a little bit more sand (approx 1.5inch) just in case my turgidus likes to dig. I'll try to get one of those tree stumps or plastic log. I have a bunch of java fern and java moss but I haven't bought anything for them to attach to.

[Dadof4]

Not necessarily a burying behavior. When I first got mine I used sand substrate but it seemed to me that he wasn't happy. I switched to pea sized gravel and he warmed up right away, almost like a switch was flipped. I like to have the root like system with these guys so you actually see them and can experience their wonderful personality.

[RTR]

I tend to use large-ish pieces of bogwood/mopani for the lurkers and for my crepuscular catfih. Both seem to prefer that to rock. I also use live plants for both. but some of the cats are not plant-friendly. Lurker puffers are easier on the set-up than the catfish. That stuff is expensive, but long-lasting - decades, not just years.

My GSPs and many F-8s also like substrate depressions for resting or sleeping, but shallow, no buryinhg involved.