2 Questions. fw plants in Beach sand & Best "Scraps eater"

[Retuks]

after 100 long years of keeping artificial plants in my tanks, i think i want to add live plants now...

my questions about live plants are, will i be able to move them around or cut them if they get too big? and will they grow in beach sand? how deep does the substrate need to be to make the root system happy? or will they get root-bound?


second question, what are some good kinds of scavengers that will happily eat carnivore pellets, carrion, and other leftover foods that my other fish miss, or refuse to eat after it hits bottom?

im looking for something that can live with SA cichlids in peace. and also, if possible, i want to find a species that is naturally carnivorous, keeping the fish's health in mind. i currently have 3 plecos eating off the bottom, but i know that my plecos are herbivores and shouldn't be eating meaty products even though they do eat it. kinda like how witless feed pacus feeders. but you know what i mean, i hope.

thank you!

 

[Lupin]

my questions about live plants are, will i be able to move them around or cut them if they get too big? and will they grow in beach sand? how deep does the substrate need to be to make the root system happy? or will they get root-bound?

Your questions are too broad. What plants have you looked so far? Many plants will grow on wood, substrate or can be left floating. There are also different ways of propagating them particularly cutting, bulbs or runners.

As long as you keep the beach sand well aerated, the plant roots will not choke. Either use chopstick or fork to rake it around or get Malaysian trumpet snails to do the job for you. With plants, I'd leave the substrate at least 2-3 inches deep but with deep substrate, snails are needed to keep the bottom layer well aerated or anaerobic pockets will form which can prove itself fatal to your fish once it releases hydrogen sulfide when disturbed.

second question, what are some good kinds of scavengers that will happily eat carnivore pellets, carrion, and other leftover foods that my other fish miss, or refuse to eat after it hits bottom?

Snails will do the job just fine. What fish do you plan to keep?

im looking for something that can live with SA cichlids in peace. and also, if possible, i want to find a species that is naturally carnivorous, keeping the fish's health in mind. i currently have 3 plecos eating off the bottom, but i know that my plecos are herbivores and shouldn't be eating meaty products even though they do eat it. kinda like how witless feed pacus feeders. but you know what i mean, i hope.

What species are your plecos? What species of SA cichlids are you looking for? Many SA cichlids may not work in planted tanks where they can easily uproot the plants.

 

[Retuks]

Your questions are too broad. What plants have you looked so far? Many plants will grow on wood, substrate or can be left floating. There are also different ways of propagating them particularly cutting, bulbs or runners.

sorry for the limited info, actually thats good you mentioned it. im actually looking for only long, tall standing, high-area coverage species of plants in particular that sit on the aquarium bottom. similar to the grassy kind of plant exodon tanks are set up in. i wanna give my aquarium that tall-grass "African plains" look. just a simple look. just nice, flowing and good for fish to swim through and hide in.

As long as you keep the beach sand well aerated, the plant roots will not choke. Either use chopstick or fork to rake it around or get Malaysian trumpet snails to do the job for you. With plants, I'd leave the substrate at least 2-3 inches deep but with deep substrate, snails are needed to keep the bottom layer well aerated or anaerobic pockets will form which can prove itself fatal to your fish once it releases hydrogen sulfide when disturbed.

sounds like more trouble than its worth... but they dont make fake plants to match my description.

Snails will do the job just fine. What fish do you plan to keep?

look in my 30g long tank setup. every fish except the arowana will be in my 125g. this is the tank i need carnivorous scavengers for. arowana is sold.

What species are your plecos? What species of SA cichlids are you looking for? Many SA cichlids may not work in planted tanks where they can easily uproot the plants.

well, the common names i have one bristlenose and the other two were sold as leopards. i have a jack dempsey and an oscar as far as cichlids go. and i may continue to only have cichlids of this nature as time goes by.

they uproot plants? i see. my old A. Lab. red devil thrashed my fake plants too. i suppose then, i want the plants for my exodon tank atleast.

thanks for the info.

 

[Lupin]

sorry for the limited info, actually thats good you mentioned it. im actually looking for only long, tall standing, high-area coverage species of plants in particular that sit on the aquarium bottom. similar to the grassy kind of plant exodon tanks are set up in. i wanna give my aquarium that tall-grass "African plains" look. just a simple look. just nice, flowing and good for fish to swim through and hide in.

You are looking for vallisnerias. They need moderate to high lighting and some fert dosing in order to get enough nutrients necesary for healthy growth. Stick to solid tablets which you need to bury near the roots. These ones produce runners and the runners eventually sprout new plants thus the plants will carpet the substrate eventually. For front ground, look at Echinodorus tennelus or dwarf sagittaria.

look in my 30g long tank setup. every fish except the arowana will be in my 125g. this is the tank i need carnivorous scavengers for. arowana is sold.

well, the common names i have one bristlenose and the other two were sold as leopards. i have a jack dempsey and an oscar as far as cichlids go. and i may continue to only have cichlids of this nature as time goes by.

None of your fish except the plecos will ever work in a planted tank especially plants that have not firmly established themselves. Oscars and Jack Dempseys are out of the question completely for planted setups. If you insist, purchase Java ferns, anubias and Java moss and tie them on pieces of driftwoods. It will take weeks or months however for them to establish rooting ground and don't be surprised your fish will tear them up despite their tough foliage.

they uproot plants? i see. my old A. Lab. red devil thrashed my fake plants too. i suppose then, i want the plants for my exodon tank atleast.

For a 10g? The tank is cramped if you have 10 exodons in a 10g. Plants alone will agitate them due to limited space.