Monster or oddball fish for planted 75g?

[FreshyFresh]

Keyhole cichlids are good with plants. Atleast the ones I've kept are. I've also kept a kissing gourami in a planted tank. No issues at all. Just kind of skimmed the surfaces and combed through java moss.

 

[Seedy J]

Exodons would require an aquarium for them only.

That's what I meant when I said I didn't want to devote this tank to them. Maybe one of my smaller (40g/55g) tanks after their current inhabitants move out.

How about Polypterus? True prehistoric fish and do well with plants.

Good call ! Maybe a bichir with rainbowfish or some of the cichlids mentioned below?

I have very good success with Jack Dempseys and Honduran red points in a planted tank...also I am planning a planted angelfish tank...not sure if those are options yours interested in.

I like Jack Dempseys but thought they would eat the plants? Do you protect your plants in any way or do the JDs just leave them alone? Can I keep one with a bichir? Not really interested in angelfish, they're nice but I've had bad luck with them in the past.

Pictures of the tank would be helpful. Some setups simply aren't ideal for fish from a cleaning and plant need perspective.

It's empty, I haven't even picked it up from the seller yet, but here you go.

There are actually a lot of cichlids that will do just fine with plants IMO. Are you planning on keeping your haps or getting rid of them?

Just large central americans (and a few of the SA like Oscars) can have problems for the reason jexnell mentioned

Keeping the haps, but probably not in this tank (at least not long-term) because I was under the impression that they don't do well with plants. Or rather, plants don't do well with them.

How about rainbow cichlids (Herotilapia multispinosa)? My LFS carries them and I've been interested in them for a while.

Lots of great suggestions, thanks for the ideas!

 

[Niki_up]

That's what I meant when I said I didn't want to devote this tank to them. Maybe one of my smaller (40g/55g) tanks after their current inhabitants move out.



Good call ! Maybe a bichir with rainbowfish or some of the cichlids mentioned below?



I like Jack Dempseys but thought they would eat the plants? Do you protect your plants in any way or do the JDs just leave them alone? Can I keep one with a bichir? Not really interested in angelfish, they're nice but I've had bad luck with them in the past.



It's empty, I haven't even picked it up from the seller yet, but here you go.

View attachment 1347821 View attachment 1347822



Keeping the haps, but probably not in this tank (at least not long-term) because I was under the impression that they don't do well with plants. Or rather, plants don't do well with them.

How about rainbow cichlids (Herotilapia multispinosa)? My LFS carries them and I've been interested in them for a while.

Lots of great suggestions, thanks for the ideas!

Below is my tank currently with three jacks and plants.

Java ferns and Anubis are attached to drift wood.

The crypts are drilled into wood but roots grow all over the bottom of the sand, the Val’s are planted in sand, there roots growing in the water from the pothos...all are doing well, the HRPs dog a little around the roots of the Val’s but that’s about it

 

[Gourami Swami]

Rainbow cichlids would be a great choice, you could keep a group of them in the 75 gallon. They should not mess with your plants much, especially if you stick with more sturdy, thick-leaved plants like java fern, or even ludwigia species

 

[Amberilly]

Cichlids tend to be diggers, so dont do well in planted tank. Well I should say that they well do well, but your plants probably won't. Anything that needs to root in substrate gets dug up at one point or another. Now there has been success with plants that root onto rocks,branches what have you. Still no guarantee that the fish won't just rip the leaves off either. There has been success by putting the plant in a small glass vase, that way the fish can't get to the plants roots. Still again no guarantee that the leaves won't get shredded.
I bought a giant mother plant Amazonian sword thinking that the Oscar couldn't hurt it.....I was wrong. Over a month and a half she ripped every single leaf off of it.View attachment 1347709

She’s a beauty!

 

[jaws7777]

A few rope fish , and 2 or 3 upperjaw bichirs. Maybe an african butterfly too

 

[jaws7777]

magpie did a beautiful rope/bichir planted tank

 

[Rdurha1]

What about a Leporinus species tank? Banded Leporinus, 3 Spot Leporinus, Headstanders, in my opinion they are often overlooked medium monsters!
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[burntrubber]

What about a Leporinus species tank? Banded Leporinus, 3 Spot Leporinus, Headstanders, in my opinion they are often overlooked medium monsters!
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Umm.. they eat plants. Plus from past experience the different species will try to kill each other.

 

[Gourami Swami]

Which cichlids have you had luck with plants Gourami? I know I have not found many Africans that will leave live plants alone. My Mbuna, haps, and trophs shred them in a matter of days. Haven't tried them with many SA/CA yet though.

Mbuna and tropheus are vegetarians, more likely to munch plants, but I have actually kept cryptocorynes with mbuna with some success. Pretty much always have some plants in my cichlid tanks.
Currently my male panamensis lives in a planted tank

and I have a group of thoricthys pasionis and theraps irregularis in a planted tank as well