Silver Dollar Resistant Plants?

[JazzyB]

Hi all,

I'm about to add some silver dollars and need some advice on which plants they DO NOT eat! I'm not equipped to have the fine-tuned underwater gardens that some of you here have so I'm hoping to find some plants that are hardy, low-maintenance and require little light.:cool:

If any of you have any great links discussing plants, etc. that would also be appreciated.

[Leopardess]

Well, generally, plants like anubias sp. are too tough for fish to eat - even big cichlids. They also don't need that much light.

Another plant that is generally avoided by fish is Java fern, which is one of the easiest plants to grow.

If you can find it, Java Fern "windelov" is something I've seen be used. The fish will nibble on it, but because of its ragged appearance, its supposedly hard to notice.

[tanker]

Originally posted by Leopardess
Well, generally, plants like anubias sp. are too tough for fish to eat - even big cichlids. They also don't need that much light.

Another plant that is generally avoided by fish is Java fern, which is one of the easiest plants to grow.

HAHA--No way. My 100gal was heavily planted and I bought 6 SD because they look so cool. Within a month I had a dessert. They ate allll the plants. Swords, sag, anubius, Java ferns, Hygo, aponos, everything.

IMO the only plant that is safe with SD are PLASTIC ones.

Silver Dollars are underwater goats!!!!

[superjohnny]

They don't eat most varieties of plastic plants. SD's are tank bullies and they get really big.

[tanker]

Originally posted by superjohnny
They don't eat most varieties of plastic plants.

Best plants for SD IMO.:D

[Mark_b]

I have four silver dollars,each about 2" diameter, in a 125 US gallon planted. I find that they do nibble at most plants except for my Anubias bart.They do prefer to eat flakes and lettuce though as they go wild for the flake food and if i have lettuce in the tank they dont even look at the other plants.They are hungry sods though - they eat a whole iceberg lettuce leaf between them overnight! I was worried about the effects onn my plants of introducing the silver dollars but i wanted them to much and i dont regret it as they are beautiful fish and dont bother the plants too much!

[plantbrain]

This is classic question, I want plants and want to keep plant eating fish and I don't want to do anything to provide good health and I do not want to add any light either and I also do not want to be bothered pruning and don't want any algae.

Try floating water sprite, that's about as close as you will get to a solution, but in general, you need to be realistic about live plants and fish.

Otherwise you will only have success with plastic plants. Yuck.

Try whimple piranha and a planted tank.
Looks good, pretty fish, would look much nicer both the overall appearance and the fish themselves are very nice if you like that general look.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[JazzyB]

Well it's not a situation where I don't want to "provide good health and I do not want to add any light either and I also do not want to be bothered pruning and don't want any algae.

My statement was reflecting that the light on my tank is 25Watts and that I wanted to keep some plants that would be compatible with Silver Dollars. I didn't say no maintenance but low-maintenance because of this reality. I don't mind pruning or algae (the ottos like it). So please ease up on the judgements. Just don't have the high-lighting or CO2 like some others so I obviously can't keep some of the "high maintenance" plants.

Just looking for suggestions within these parameters.:cool:

[djlen]

Jazzy -
I don't know of a plant that Silver Dollars won't devour. They are vegetarians. I think those that keep them in planted tanks are in the over-whelming minority.
You can try it, and I'd be very interested to hear the outcome.

BTW, plants need a minimum of 1.0 - 1.5 watts/gal. for moderate growth.

Len

[plantbrain]

Sorry Jazzy,

Floating plants are your best bet under the conditions you mention. I've kept a a variety of Silvers and they will munch your plants, and weak plants will certainly be eaten.

Water lettuce, Hyacinth, water sprite, Frogbit etc are all good candidates.

These plants do not need the higher light(they are on the surface right under the lights), nor CO2, since they get all they need from the air.

The roots can make nice effects in tanks with rocks, wood, plastic plants with some algae on them etc.

You can also plant the tank a replace the plants weekly or every 2-3 weeks depending on their feeding.

They might not like the taste of Roots so floating plants may stand a chance.

Half dead plants or rotting plants will only degrade your water and do nothing to benefit except provide food and lot of waste from the fish.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[JazzyB]

Thanks for the tips Tom!:cool: