Plants with Sunfish

[Duffey]

I was looking into setting up a 55 with some Longears from Zimmerman, but I was wondering if anyone has had any issues with them digging up plants?

 

[Piranha101]

they may pick at the plants but i dont think they will tear them to shreads

 

[ShadowBass]

I had a bunch of vals in a 125 with them and my longear destroyed them all. They will EAT them. They were pooping out pieces of plant, so I know they were actually swallowing them.

So, they may work with some plants, but they will eat others. They also like tearing them up just for the sake of doing so. Kind of like south american cichlids. I didn't have trouble with any of my other sunfish with the plants, but the longears were destructive.

 

[Duffey]

Thanks ShadowBass, thats what I was worried about. Guess they're not getting greenery.

 

[browneu]

I have java fern and anubias nana with my longears and they leave them alone.

 

[ShadowBass]

Yeah, I'm not saying they will eat all plants, just use caution. I think I did have a bit of java fern that they left alone, but it was years ago so I don't remember that well. A lot of fish don't bother anubias, so you may want to try that.

 

[Duffey]

I really wanted a group of Vals, so I think I'll try it anyway. Thanks guys!

 

[wolfie8000]

I had 4 different kinds of sunfish( including Longears) in a 75g tank with Vals and hornwort and never had any problems with them touching the plants.

 

[warmouth]

I also had Hornwort but I had Rocks in the middle of my tank and plants in the corners and the Greenies never destoyed my plants.

 

[FLESHY]

Just depends I guess...my buddy has western dollars and they havent bothered the plants in his 55 yet...but they are still only a couple inches. When they start getting territorial, or decide to build nests...look out.