I was wondering if I am to keep any plants with New World cichlids? I was planning to have them in terra cotta pots and attach plants to rocks and wood to prevent uprooting from digging habits. I hoping to keep a Geophagus and maybe a serverum or a festum. I think the Severum is herbivorous. What cichlids would I be able to keep with plants?
New World Cichlids and Plants?
- Thread starter water_wako
- Start date
LOL that's a tough one. Cichlids can be frustrating in any planted tank. Many of the dwarfs are less destructive than the full-sized ones. But it seems that if they aren't chewing on the plants they dig in the substrate. You are better off with a rocky appearance with plenty of hiding spots for them.
I have had marginal luck with hornwort and Java moss. I can't say that made for an appealing tank.
I have had marginal luck with hornwort and Java moss. I can't say that made for an appealing tank.
I agree with Excuzzzeme. I have had experience with Oscars, Jack Dempsey's and Red devils. The dempsey's weren't as bad as the Oscars and the devils. I have a friend who has severums and a geophagus. The geophagus literally moves the rocks and the driftwood. He doesn't bother with anything else. The severums he has the plastic plants, and the severums pretty much uproot the plastics and throws them to the other side of the tank.
Unless you plan on restocking the tank with plants on a regular basis, I wouldn't even try. Sorry.
Unless you plan on restocking the tank with plants on a regular basis, I wouldn't even try. Sorry.
Thanks for telling me. This saves me a lot of money and grief. I will stick with plastic/silk plants, rocks and wood. But would I be able to put some Anubias, Java Fern or Bolbitus on some wood?
Well, having seen nmerous posts on this and other forums by people who keep rams, they have for the most part kept them in planted tanks, so I bought a GBR today for my own planted tank. He's happily munching on my willow moss as I write this!
(o.0)
...oops!
There is LOTS of it thankfully, and the tank is heavily planted otherwise, so hopefully this will not result is a mossless tank. I'd FAR rather he nibble on the elodea to be honest... It's a LOT cheaper to replace!
(o.0)
...oops!
There is LOTS of it thankfully, and the tank is heavily planted otherwise, so hopefully this will not result is a mossless tank. I'd FAR rather he nibble on the elodea to be honest... It's a LOT cheaper to replace!
You can find a piece of driftwood with a pitt in the center, and use this to attach Ferns, mosses, and anubias to. Brasiliensis will usually ignore plants, but may still nip at them here and there. I don't know about Severums or Festums, I do know that Rams and Discus are among cichlids that do not eat plants. I've found it easier to keep plants with Africans than with New World cichlids.
That's what I've done in my red terror tank. There's some leaf chewing going on but it's not that bad. Since they're tied to wood and rocks they're pretty much stationary.
I have seen tanks with rams, discus, angels and several dwarf cichlids include Keyholes happy in planted tanks.