How to Make a Tunnel and Stand for Fish Training

Tunnels are a great trick to teach after your fish has learned to follow a target stick and swim through a hoop. When you first introduce a tunnel, choose one that is very short (maybe an inch long), so it doesn’t feel overwhelming to the fish.

Gradually you can work up to longer tunnels as the fish builds confidence with the obstacle. For tips on making your own tunnels and stand, check out the video or written steps below.

How to Make a Tunnel and Stand for Fish (Video Tutorial)

Materials Needed For This Project

Step 1 (Making the Stand)

Step 2

Draw and cut out a small circle from the craft foam for the base.

Step 3

Step 4 (Making the Tunnels)

Cut out some strips across the width of the plastic canvas. I like to cut out two pieces; one strip about an inch wide and the other about 3 inches wide. You can also do a third one (5 or 6 inches wide) if you want an additional extra long tunnel.

Step 5

Roll both strips into a tunnel shape, then put an elastic band over the tunnels to hold them in place. The bigger tunnel(s) will need at least two elastics (one on each end) to keep their tunnel shape.

How to Attach the Tunnel to the Stand

Attach three twist ties together to create one extra-long twist tie. Wrap the tie around and attach it to the middle of the tunnel, then pull the free end of the twist tie through two holes in the straw. Wrap the excess end of the twist tie around the straw to keep it out of the way and straighten the tunnel up a bit.

When you’re ready to use it, put the tunnel and stand in the water and cover the circular base of the stand with some gravel to hold it in place.

Finished Project