Suitable plants for Mbuna

echoofformless

Peat Advocate & Defender Of Snails
Oct 1, 2005
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Phil Uh Del Feeya
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I had no intention of putting any plants into my future Mbuna enterprise, both because of the fact that they will rough them up, and also because I was sort of a 'tope purist.

But I read that large anubias can withstand the onslaught...and it's got me to thinking I might just want something after all. Though I at the very least want to stay African if possible.

Suggestions?

Or should I just be happy with my rocks?
 
Very cool...though I have been largely unsuccesful with vals so far, even under relatively high light in my otherwise thriving 20g blackwater.

I'm going to be using about 80 watts of n/o fluorescent over a 40g breeder tank. Might vals survive there?
 
I think that would be enough light for them. In my experience "Giant Vals" are the best to keep with mbuna since they have the thickest stems and thus dont get ripped apart as easy. "Weak" vals with thin leaves tend to fall apart and get picked at. I've kept a variety of vallis with excellent success in roughly 1-1.5 watts per gallon. In my 90 gallon w/ 0.5 wpg they slowly deteriorated.

:)
-Diana
 
Bolbitis - it has that classic fern look, it's tough, and would do well at the wattage you suggest. I have also had good luck with vals at 80 wts. N/O over a four foot 55gal ( same footprint as your 40 breeder, just a little taller).
Good luck with this endevour.
ROY
 
ROYWS3 said:
Bolbitis - it has that classic fern look, it's tough, and would do well at the wattage you suggest. I have also had good luck with vals at 80 wts. N/O over a four foot 55gal ( same footprint as your 40 breeder, just a little taller).
Good luck with this endevour.
ROY

Yeah I was thinking of the bolbitis actually.

Footprint is actually 36x18 on my 40g breeder. Same as a 65 gallon only more shallow.
 
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