live plant question

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T

TxSharker

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 1, 2010
43
0
0
Texas
I am thinking of purchasing some live plants for my tank that I recently aquired. I currently have 1 Jack Dempsey and two Green Terrors and 6 Buenos Aries Tetras. I think live plants look better than plastic ones but I am not sure if there are any plants that should not go in the tank with these guys. Will these guys eat off of these plants so that I won't have to give them pieces of lettuce to satisfy the plant needs in their diets.

On another note I am currently looking at buying some larger rocks to provide some hiding places for these guys does anyone have any opinion on that rock called Texas Holey Rock.

Thanks in advance for all of your help
TS
 
just because they're big cichlids, they will uproot plants. its pretty hard to keep live plants with large cichlids. i would recommend plants like swords but let them develop a root system before introducing the cichlids. also anubias attached to wood or rocks works well.

also texas holey rock isn't the best choice of rock because it can raise your pH. GTs typically come from waters with more acidic pH while JDs come from more basic to alkaline pH. look for a rock that wont alter your water chemistry. usually stuff from a gardening center or landscape company works well
 
Large Cichlids will pretty much tear anything out that they can. If they taste really bad to them, float, or are a Moss, they are safe. The only rooted plant that seems to work with large Cichlids is the Banana Plant. I'm betting because its a really bitter tasting plant.

I use lots of Moss Balls and Banana Plants in my tanks. Right now, its Moss Balls only in my Oscar tank.
 
Thanks for the advice after I posted this and read some of the responses. I have started watching my artificial plants in the tank. It seems yall are absolutely right my JD arranges them to fit his mood several times during the day. so i think we will sticlk to the artificials and some rock or wood for structures.

TS
 
pjsmetana;4259201; said:
float, or are a Moss, they are safe.
Click to expand...

not so much true... i got a ton of frogbit a while ago and its pretty much gone. java moss is a snack to my severums :D
 
how big are the fish? if they are still really small then you could try swords and stuff, i have several different types of broad leafed sturdy sword plants in my tank and while they occasionally get uprooted, all the plants still look healthy and they dont really mess with them unless they are planted in front of their cave or something where the fish is trying to dig and the plant just gets in the way, i havent seen any of them just randomly go after a plant that wasnt near their cave, and i had a 5in JD male in there and a 4in female GT until last month
 
try large swords, anubias, java ferns, onion plants, and crypts . . . I keep all of these with SA/CA cichlids with minimal disruption . . . sure, they might uproot things from time to time, but you should be able to pull it off with some persistence
 
Thanks guys for alll of the responses. I am still looking at the live plant options but the JD has been pushing the artificials around the tank to his liking. maybe if i put them in the same place he has pushed the artificials to he will leave them alone. On another hand I am now thinking of doing a gravel change in the take to mimic the natural colors of the enviroment the fish are from.

TS
 
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