Not to derail the thread but my venustsus will eat try to eat anything he can fit in his mouth( including fingers) and plants wouldnt even make it to the bottom of the tank before being chewed on.
I bet if OP could get his tank setup with a similar layout he would have far less aggression in the tank. The stone ya got is also far safer for the fish to rub against if they get chased as well. It also provides them with a ton of free swimming space while also having plenty of hiding places to get away from their aggressors. The plants would be nice visually but knowing Africans in general they almost always eat them long before they can take root. Ik my lfs seems to be an exception to the general ruling tho, they have a 500g show tank at the front of the store filled with anubias and Java ferns along with tons of mbunas and haps as well as a few big synodontis cats. Love going in there and seeing the 2 bumble bee cichlids I traded in, loving life in their show tank.
