Hidey Holes

[palepinkvase]

I am wondering what everyone is using for a Hidey Hole? I have not found anything at a pet store that looks safe for a Betta. What sort of criteria should be considered? and where can one purchase safe hidey holes for Bettas?

[Rielle]

Personally, I like to use small oil burners, the type that holds a tea light in the bottom. Also, if you find an object that you like that has some sharp edges you can use some aquarium silicone sealant.

I have also heard of some people using hampster tunnels, but the down side of those is that you'll likely have to weigh them down with gravel or something.

[Leigh]

Kaluha's hidey hole is a dark blue round shaped votive. I tried opaque votives and he wouldn't go in them. The dark blue tinted glass appears to provide him with the security he needs while still allowing him to be his nosey little self ;D

[abm]

This will sound REALLY stupid - but could one of you post a pic of your "round votives"? The ones I used initially were liked by none of my fish. For Christmas my well-meaning but un-betta-informed family got me several of the regular aquarium decorations - after a LOT of sanding rough edges and actually removing parts of the decorations, that's what I've got in their tanks now, and for the most part they all seem to like them. But I know it's not exactly what they need - and I can't seem to picture what you all describe.
On the big plus side, everybody's making huge bubblenests in their new tanks!

[Rachel - old]

One of the main things for hidey holes or tank decorations is to use the pantyhose test. If you run a pair of pantyhose along all of the surfaces/edges of the object it should not catch or snag anywhere. If it does, your betta may snag his fins on the object and hurt himself. Also, make sure if the object has paint it is safe for aquariums and the material will not leak into the water. Plastic or glass are usually the best bet.

I am a fan of using hamster logs or hideys for my tanks. You do have to weigh them down with a bit of gravel, but it is very simple to do and my bettas have always loved them. My favorite find is Rudy's tube which looks like a little log. You can see it in this old post:

healthybetta.proboards19.com/index.cgi?board=general&thread=1059502227&action=display&start=0

[Emerson]

Hi,
Bettas can be happy with just about any type of aquarium decoration that they can explore, rest on and swim through. It doesn't need to be a "hidey" per se. A couple of nice, silk (aquarium-safe) plants can do the trick, or any of the commercial aquarium decorations will work -- a small castle, sunken ship, simulated driftwood, etc. There are lots to choose from. As Bethie said, the main thing is safety. Just be sure whatever you use won't snag your Betta's delicate fins and is safe for aquatic use.

Happy decorating!
sef

[julmos]

I bought a fish of mine some roman ruins. He was very afraid of them. Since the roman ruins were a rather vivid purple and bettas can see in the ultraviolet, I wonder if he saw something I didn't like an irridescent glow!

[Emerson]

Ack! Afraid of the purple ruins? Maybe they gave him nightmares.

sef

[minnow44]

I use a small terra cotta pot. It was actually used when i found it in the shed- so i boiled it, scrubbed it well, and laid it on its side tucked in the gravel. Fishkafoo loves it for naps

[palepinkvase]

Thanks to everyone for all the suggestions. I like the look of the hamster tube, can those be sterilized in the dishwasher?
Leigh - what is the size of the votive you are using?

[Bizca]

Where do you get the plastic hamster logs? I like the way the look as well.

[Rhyn]

I use PVC pipe connectors (1 3/4 inch, I think, though I could be wrong). They're under a dollar a piece. They've got tiny edges that needed a bit of sanding, but you could also just bury those in gravel (little circles on the side from where they were poured into the mold).

My roommate and I also created a few hideys out of sculpey. It turned out to be a lot of work to make sure they didn't get rough edges - if they broke in the oven, they'd have sharp edges. But if you're careful, it's worth a try. My girls (very small) love the little tubes I made for them. The guys seem to prefer the (larger) PVC.