Looking for something plant friendly.

[Audaxcity]

So I'm gonna start a large heavily planted tank, and I'll have a lot of "community" fish. I want a large peaceful, plant friendly cichlid as the centerpiece. Could a severum work? I know they have a good amount of plant matter in their diet so I'd like to know if anyone has tried it.

Also, what other options do I have? All I could think of are festivum, and maybe EBJD. I'd get an oscar but that big mouth is insatiable.

 

[Zanzag]

Its really gonna depend on what the community fish are for what can be reccomended

 

[Audaxcity]

Large tetras, pictus cats, maybe angels because I like them, and the like, but I want to pick the fish based on the centerpiece. Right now it just has to be relatively peaceful for a cichlid and not eat or uproot plants.

 

[Zanzag]

Maybe a blue acara or festivum

 

[Bertie07]

I would say no to a severum as the ones I’ve had have eaten all my plants, a nice centrepiece could be a chocolate cichlid if your tank is big enough

 

[Ogertron3000]

I wouldn't get the Severus either, they are like lawn mowers when it comes to plants.
As suggested either natural or electric blue acara would work.
Spectabilis would be cool but you would have to have very large tetras or they will get munched.

 

[tiger15]

Depending on the size of tank and type of plants, I have no problem with 3 large Severum in my heavily planted 125 with mostly Java fern and a Crypto. I also have a 10 inch Frontosa, and several 6 inch African and CA cichlids. The tank is 6 ft long, plenty of room to maneuver, and predominantly touch texture plants. Smaller tank or soft texture plants may not work. The Severum gave up nibbling the Java fern due to its toughness, but occasionally shed leaves off the Brazilian pennywort. The pennywort is fast growing, so no significant damage is done, but I may replace it in the future with something tougher. Nearly all my plants are epiphytes and a few in pots that are resistant to uprooting.

The type of fish also matter. Mouth brooders are generally plant friendly, nesting egg layers not so keep males only to avoid breeding. Some species like Nics would not stop shredding leaves, so I had to get rid of them.

 

[duanes]

I keep about a dozen Andinoacara coerleopunctatus in a heavily planted 180 gal, with 2 different species of Goby and a couple tetras. These cichlids have been very easy on plants, close cousins are all the Acaras

full tank shot

shot with a Goby, not quite so easy on foliage , because it sometimes thrashes around breaking off Vallisneria leaves.

 

[tiger15]

I keep EBA in my other heavily planted 75 and they were OK until they paired up. The nesting pairs would relentlessly spray gravel, push and shred plants all day long. I had to get rid of all females to restore peace and tranquility. All male acara are plant friendly, females not, even without males as females would lay eggs on the own.

 

[J. H.]

My kribs have been very good about plants, just removing them from a tiny nesting site. Angels, that people say are plant safe, love ripping up vals and pulling the leaves off of stem plants. Gouramis (dwarf, three spot) have been good about plants for me, as have livebearers.