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JenTN
01-18-2010, 1:59 PM
I have a 55 gallon that houses:

An Angelfish pair
5 bolivian Rams
8 Cardinal Tetras
6 Flame Tetras
3 Oto Catfish
6 Panda Corys
1 Albino Bristlenose Pleco

I started out with over 15 plants, over 1/2 are gone because of the pleco. I knew that bnp would probably be heck on stem plants, but he is the one fish my 3 year old son wanted, and he just loves "Goldie" so he isn't going back. The plants I have left are doing well (except the onion plants, they died off, but I think Goldie's eating of them hurt them), 2 have been divided. The tank is 76 degress, has been set up since July.

I would like to see dense planting, very dense, and all the plants I have now (excpet one lone valisineria that hung on) are short and bushy). I would like to go get plants and would like some plants with height for the back (especially with the angels) but I don't want to dump money down the drain). I know one type I had was moneywort, and it was gone days after Goldie arrived in the tank. I also would like some ground cover for the foreground, I really like micro swords, but is that even possible with a bnp? (And the Rams now dig for spawning). My lighting is regular old flora-light lighting, I use Flourish and Flourish excel.

I also would like to keep plants in the South American region.

Any input is appreciated :)

ETA- Goldie doesn't "eat" the onion plants, per se but the sucking motion wears holes in them I think. His diet is very well supplemented (he is fat and lazy and does not eat algae).

THE V
01-18-2010, 3:33 PM
Lots of species of swords start off small but get huge and very bushy. I got two out of those little tubes a while back labeled as "Amazon Sword". They took forever to get going but now they are great. I've been growing them in a 15 gallon and my wife walked by the other day and mentioned that I needed a bigger tank for the plants. :)

clb2196
01-18-2010, 3:58 PM
Lots of species of swords start off small but get huge and very bushy. I got two out of those little tubes a while back labeled as "Amazon Sword". They took forever to get going but now they are great. I've been growing them in a 15 gallon and my wife walked by the other day and mentioned that I needed a bigger tank for the plants. :)

Whew, take advantage of that! :lol:

There are some varieties of crypts that get really tall, mgamer has some- they're not the fastest growers though. Also, what the v said about swords- many swords will get tall, they just take time.

Try posting on the classifieds- once in a while there are people selling those massive swords or java fern bunches.

ETA: Is the BN just uprooting them? Cause my cories uproot plants, and those metal plant weights you wrap around them have saved my life.

hollyfish2000
01-19-2010, 3:11 PM
I have heavily planted tanks with BNs and have never had a problem. So I find this a bit confusing. Does he have a nice large piece of driftwood to hang out under?

Anyway, I, too, like big bushy plants. I put very large swords across the back (I actually can get some nice ones at Petsmart). There's also a tall anubias that I put along the sides. I also have large mats of java fern stuffed anyplace that's vacant, and have some very large anubias glued to various rocks and driftwood. Upfront I have small anubias and various crypts, microswords and a few other misc. things. I'm not a fan of vals, but do like the crinium. I've found that sometimes it takes a while for them to get started.

If I were losing that many plants, I'd also question my lighting scheme and substrate and fertilizer schedule just for good measure . . .

Nue
01-19-2010, 9:23 PM
What do you feed your bnp? He might be really hungry.

swinneyw
01-20-2010, 7:27 AM
i have a pair of bn and i feed them zukinni once a week and i never have any problems with them eating plants i see the eating alge off of the leafs some times