Mbuna and live plants

[FreeMak]

I know, I know. They eat them and dig them up.
But I have heard that Java Fern and Anubias can tolerate the high PH and Mbuna aren't as fond of the flavor. I know at maturity they tend to get a little crazy and destructive for the hell of it.
But have any of you had luck keeping plants and mbuna happy together? What plants worked best? Did you go heavy on plants from the start? Pictures?

 

[DJRansome]

My mbuna and haps and peacocks and Tanganyikans have all eaten everything including java fern and anubias. Always go heavy on plants or don't do them at all. I did have luck with plants when I added CO2 and tested/dosed nitrate and phosphorus to the correct ratio constantly. But I did not want to devote all that time/money to plants so I went natural with the decor for the africans...rocks/sand.

 

[FreeMak]

That's kind of where I'm at. I work at a LFS so I get to take home the plants that don't sell. Not worried about them eating them since it's not costing anything to replace.

Just wanted to combine plants, driftwood and lots of rockwork to create hiding places, help with the bio load of mbuna. I know it seems odd, but I've never been a fan of huge empty spaces with tons of fish. I like the way they hide in the plants, wood and rock.

I know I'm ice skating uphill with this lol! But I guess deep down I hope they will get so used to the plants they don't destroy them out of dickheadedness.

So far this is what I'm working with...

 

[The Morning]

I think the only plant that you may have a shot with would be Val. I would also introduce it to the tank prior to adding fish and let it get well established. I have had some success with Val but this is only because it grows fast. It still gets eaten.

 

[DJRansome]

I would choose a different type of fish that needs a planted tank.