# Plastic Mesh Hammocks



## MistersMom

So I learned this from a video on youtube but I am now unable to watch it, and some of you may also be unable to watch it ,so here is 'how to' with pictures.

So here is what you will need
1: Plastic mesh
2.Scissors
3.bread twisties or fishing line
4. a suction cup

#1 you need to cut it to the preferred size and then bend it as shown
#2 if you use the twisty you will need to twist the 2 corners together, if you use fishing line, tie them, a knot on each corner.
#3 make sure all the sharp edges are removed, i cut them off...
#4 it should look like this now... no sharp edges and the corners are connected
#5 cut out a hole for the non-suction cuppy side of the suction cup, make it a bit small so its snug!
#6 insert the suctions cup, and now you have a fish hammock. 

if you would like to (if you find the video on youtube it may help better idk) but you can tie a piece of plant to the top of the front side and then your fish can hide in there... my fish like to hide in it lol.






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## mjoy79

I love this idea. Have you seen your bettas using the hammocks?


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## Tigress

I wonder if you could attach some kind of moss to the hammock to hide the fact that it was human made. 

I just prefer natural looking things.


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## MistersMom

yes, my bettas literally ALWAYS use them.... i have to feed them in it because they rarely leave it lol...  see the top picture? that is Sister and Poseidon leaving theirs lol... and as for the moss, im sure you could, no doubt. i actually would (if possible) weave it in and out of the holes....obviously Mesh and Fishing line are my favorite un aquarium related tools lol.... 


BTW there are ups and downs to both the twisties and the fishing line, the twisty is MUCH easier to handle, but it rusts... and the fishing line looks good because it is virtually invisible, but it can sometimes cut through the mesh...


@Tigress ... im sure if you bought green mesh and let the moss take it over it would look natural... or you can just.. tie it all around the hammock...


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## thekoimaiden

I'm certainly going to have to try this! I have one boy with fins that are just too heavy for him. Thanks for posting this!!!


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## MistersMom

your welcome  i figured not many have seen these yet, so i would share my knowledge. lol. ALL of my bettas use theirs, its really rewarding to see them use something you made XP and mine sleep in theirs...


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## Shadyr

That is a cute idea. And looks easy to do, bonus!

I've tried the store bought leaf hammock in 3 of my 4 bettas tanks...the first two ignored it, the third loves it. I was really suprised my halfmoon didn't like it, as I tend to see him resting/posing on his decor all the time.


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## MistersMom

lol,yeah it is really easy, and cheap, for like the price of 4 leaf hammocks you can make like 20 lol... (i take twisties from the produce isle in my grocery store) and my bettas each use them.... 

my bettas still occasionally use the decor instead also..


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## djembekah

cute idea, might have to try it!


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## Spazzfish

I was serriously eyeing my mesh like "this would make a cool hammok" thanks for this!


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## littlemermaid

I think you just gave me my project for today  Thanks for sharing!


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## MistersMom

yep!


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## JessSH

I have a new rescue with a mild spine problem & trouble swimming (hopefully both will go away with proper care) & I was seriously considering getting one of those leaf hammocks for him & my other 2 guys, but this is much better! I think I'll try to weave moss through it if I can. Great tutorial! Thanks!


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## mursey

That is awesome! 

I bought these silicone "Wii cover things" at a dollar store and made a similar design, but now I will use your idea since I do have extra mesh from making dividers.


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## Dracodion

This is a fantastic idea! Thank you so much for sharing! As soon as I saw this I had to go make one. I put it in and Dante (my red CT) keeps swimming around it like he's thinking "What has she done now?" lol


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## MistersMom

LOL, thanks, and thats cute!


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## ao

mursey said:


> That is awesome!
> 
> I bought these silicone "Wii cover things" at a dollar store and made a similar design, but now I will use your idea since I do have extra mesh from making dividers.


looks good =D you might want to have the "hammock" half submerged and half emerged so the betta can take a breath when he's inside


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## mursey

aokashi said:


> looks good =D you might want to have the "hammock" half submerged and half emerged so the betta can take a breath when he's inside


I might try that. He has been on top of it and inside. It's so cute when he does .. I always smile when I catch him.


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## BlueRose7

Thank you for the idea! I just made two - one for a betta and one for a juvenile molly born with a swim problem. We'll see what happens!


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## BettaQi

Both of these hammock ideas are super!

The girls (QiBaby is turquoise and PranaMama is dark blue) love their leaf hammocks and I think they'd enjoy a variety of tunnels!


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## MistersMom

lol, my bettas love them, but i need another suction cup before i can make my new one a hammock...


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## Gizmothefreaky

I have been doing these types of hammocks for years now. lmao! I tie them right onto the dividers. But now that i have moved everyone into their own individual tanks, i need to redo my hammocks with suction cups. lol


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## teeneythebetta

thanks so much for posting this! I just made teeney and tiny each their own. Tiny completely ignored it. Teeney swam into it, sat there for about 3 seconds, got a breath and then swam away. lol i hope they use them eventually xD


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## marktrc

Where do you buy suction cups?


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## teeneythebetta

marktrc said:


> Where do you buy suction cups?


I don't have the kind in the OP with a cap, I used airline tubing suction cups I already had on hand, I got a 6 pack of them at petco for $4.50. They're by lee's brand... They come with little clips but I didn't use those for the hammock obviously.


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## mursey

marktrc said:


> Where do you buy suction cups?


I bought packs of suction cups at Petco, Petmsart, and a local dollar store (they were different sizes in one pack but I don't even remember what they were for, they came with little plastic hooks in them but those came out easily).

I think I liked the Petco brand better than the Petsmart, but that might have been because they worked better for my leaf hammocks where I was sticking a little silk plant leaf in there. 

You could probably get suction cups at a hardware store too.


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## Hopeseeker

MistersMom said:


> BTW there are ups and downs to both the twisties and the fishing line, the twisty is MUCH easier to handle, but it rusts... and the fishing line looks good because it is virtually invisible, but it can sometimes cut through the mesh...


My boyfriend has been recently taking an interest in helping me make stuff out of plastic mesh and plastic lacing for our betta boys. He is currently making his version of this with plastic lacing woven all the way around the edge and plastic lacing as the tie across the top. He came up on this all on his own. He has only seen me on this website...lol....a lot....


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## Dracodion

Dante loves his hammock :-D !


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## a123andpoof

Thank you so much! I need something for blinky he has trouble getting to the sourface since he is getting old. I put one in his tank today and he uses it quite bit, even came home from work to find him sleeping in it! And my other girl hope also loves hers. These are wonderful and super cheap to make! i actually just used the parts I trimmed from the top to making my dividers.


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## MistersMom

yeah, it works lol, all mine are almost always in theirs.


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## mursey

I made one hammock as just a shelf with a piece of air tubing, sliced in half, glued to the edge so it wouldn't be too sharp. The bettas that have them love them too. All my craft mesh hammocks are a hit, I am thankful for this thread! They seem to like them better than store-bought leaf hammocks.


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