live plant question
- Thread starter TxSharker
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I have a 180 litre/50 gallon tank containing a firemouth, salvini, blue acara, big convict, archer fish, 6 bristlenose, and lots and lots of plants including amazon swords, java moss, hygrophyla polysperma, valisneria, and watersprite.
Tank also contained a 3" Jack Dempsey, and 8 Buenos Aires tetras at one stage.
The only fish that bothers the plants in any serious way is the salvini, and that's mainly related to the pit she decided to excavate at one end of the tank, and the watersprite she likes to beat the crap out of next to her hollow bit of driftwood.
When the Buenos Aires tetras were in the tank, I saw them nibble on the tips of watersprite and polysperma a few times, inflicting no noticeable damage.
Also, there's a purple amazon sword the blue acara likes to wrestle with; he grabs a leaf and tugs on it. He hasn't managed to uproot or defoliate it yet.
When I plant polysperma cuttings, they often end up floating again in the next day or two, but I think this is by accident more than anything else. Once they develop a root system, they stay planted.
I'd say, try plants that grow a decent root system like amazon swords or cryptocorynes and plant them where you've noticed your Jack Dempsey dragging the fake ones to. Or try plants that will grow while floating, like watersprite.
Tank also contained a 3" Jack Dempsey, and 8 Buenos Aires tetras at one stage.
The only fish that bothers the plants in any serious way is the salvini, and that's mainly related to the pit she decided to excavate at one end of the tank, and the watersprite she likes to beat the crap out of next to her hollow bit of driftwood.
When the Buenos Aires tetras were in the tank, I saw them nibble on the tips of watersprite and polysperma a few times, inflicting no noticeable damage.
Also, there's a purple amazon sword the blue acara likes to wrestle with; he grabs a leaf and tugs on it. He hasn't managed to uproot or defoliate it yet.
When I plant polysperma cuttings, they often end up floating again in the next day or two, but I think this is by accident more than anything else. Once they develop a root system, they stay planted.
I'd say, try plants that grow a decent root system like amazon swords or cryptocorynes and plant them where you've noticed your Jack Dempsey dragging the fake ones to. Or try plants that will grow while floating, like watersprite.
alexmuw;4258680; said:
Absolutely agree. It honestly won't matter much even if your fish suddenly decide it's the tastiest thing on the planet. So long as it gets marginal light, it more or less explodes.
Works out great to provide floating cover as well as something for the tank bullies to move around. When they rip it apart, you'll usually just wind up with 3-4 new bunches of it growing. (Which sometimes form small apartment-like structures you'll find your smallest fish very content to sit in.)Not the prettiest of aquatic plants, but it's the equivelant of the BFH in terms of growth/nutrient absorbtion.
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=26
ask that question in here this is were all the green thumbs are.
ask that question in here this is were all the green thumbs are.
Get yourself some aquatic planting soil, some terracotta pots, and some cheap nylons. Cut out small squares of the nylon that will fit over the hole in the bottom of the pot. Place the square of nylon over the hole. Put about 1" & 1/2 of soil in the bottom of the pot, arrange the roots and fill the pot to about a 1/2" from the top with more soil. Then place some gravel on top of the soil to keep it in place.
If you have another tank place your potted plants into that for about a week. If you get good quality soil your roots should take hold in that time. After the week is up place potted plants into your tank. Your cichlids may eat and mess with the plants but they should not be able to uproot them. As long as the roots stay put your plants can take a lot of abuse and will still grow back.
This should work however if you have determined and stubborn fish they may still find a way to uproot your plants. Good luck!
If you have another tank place your potted plants into that for about a week. If you get good quality soil your roots should take hold in that time. After the week is up place potted plants into your tank. Your cichlids may eat and mess with the plants but they should not be able to uproot them. As long as the roots stay put your plants can take a lot of abuse and will still grow back.
This should work however if you have determined and stubborn fish they may still find a way to uproot your plants. Good luck!
The first question I would ask you is, what kind of lighting do you have and how deep is the tank/size?
If you can do 2+ watts per gallon with CP lighting and your tank isn't much deeper than 24" swards are a good option. Once planted do rock around the base to prevent up rooting. Ludwigia will be eaten and so will Cabomba. If you are using standard light fixtures ie stock T8's try floating water sprite it grows like crazy and soaks up nitrites and nitrates like a sponge. It also defuzes the lighting and provides cover. There is a little more to this than just sticking plants into the substrate. If not done correctly the live plants will die and make a mess in the tank.
If you can do 2+ watts per gallon with CP lighting and your tank isn't much deeper than 24" swards are a good option. Once planted do rock around the base to prevent up rooting. Ludwigia will be eaten and so will Cabomba. If you are using standard light fixtures ie stock T8's try floating water sprite it grows like crazy and soaks up nitrites and nitrates like a sponge. It also defuzes the lighting and provides cover. There is a little more to this than just sticking plants into the substrate. If not done correctly the live plants will die and make a mess in the tank.
