Plants w/ Ancistrus & Swordtails

[Ixthus]

I have an Albino Ancistrus that loves eating my plants. He's only a couple inches long and I swear he can spend all day eating a cucumber slice and then, when he's done, go right back to eating my Sword or Acorus. I was hoping that feeding him more would curtail his hunger for my plants. My leaves are now see-through.

Then there's the sword tails. When they are bored they nip at my plants cutting off chunks as they go. My Hornwort is a sad sight to see because of this habit and my Water sprite is on it's way. It's like they are working together. Whatever my Ancistrus doesn't eat my swordtails nip.

Have I just made bad fish/plant choices? Do I have to give up and go to fake plants? Is there some super growth method that will ensure that my plants grow faster than they get eaten?

Thanks for your help.

Ixthus

[Captain Hook]

I don't know about any super growth method. What size of tank do you have and how much lighting?

Adding CO2 to the tank would probably make the plants grow faster but if they are getting eaten it will not help really. I have heard people suggest feeding your fish algae wafers and veggies so they leave the plants alone but in your case it doesn't seem to be helping much.

[Ixthus]

I am not adding CO2 at this time. Like you said what's the point if the plants will just get eaten. As for lighting, I'm a total newbie at this so all I can say until I get home and find out is that I use the lighting that came with the tank. I've read of other people having live plants with Ancistrus and they don't complain of problems. Maybe by continuing to feed him good stuff he will decide that the not as good stuff is not worth it. That's what I'm hoping for but in the meantime I just have to hope I come home to plants as well as fish.

I was thinking of setting up electrodes and zapping the fish everytime they nibble on my plants. Or maybe coating the leaves with something vile so they won't like the taste. Maybe there's some sort of behavior modification drug I can put in my tank (prozac for fish). Hmmm, maybe I'm getting a little extreme...

[Captain Hook]

Haha, definitely getting extreme. Another thing I forgot to mention is there are plants that fish will not eat. I think anubias nana and java fern are a couple. If you do some reason you will find more or possibly more knowledgable people on here will be able to help you. They have tough leaves that the fish don't bother with.