Rainbow cichlids eating plants?

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Naos1984

Naos1984

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Sep 9, 2012
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Pasig, Philippines
I have a planted tank. Thought of adding a pair of rainbow cichlids and many sites confirm them being plant-safe. So, I added them and then came plant stems floating here and there. They're very well fed by the way. What gives? What are your experiences with them and your planted tanks? For now, I have removed all the softer plants - bacopa, ammania, anacharis and the cabombas.
 
They are mostly herbivorous cichlids. Mine has even eaten some anubias leaves.
Many people keep them in planted tanks and not sure how they maintain healthy plants.
 
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The link below will confirm what cichlidfish wrote, and give you lots of rainbow cichlid info.
In my tanks, plants never lasted more than a day or so, even when I kept a group in a 500 gallon kiddy pool papyrus had a hard time, the multispinnossa ate the roots.
Those Other Central American Cichlids - Part One: Herotilapia ...
 
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cichlidfish said:
They are mostly herbivorous cichlids. Mine has even eaten some anubias leaves.
Many people keep them in planted tanks and not sure how they maintain healthy plants.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I will hold onto them for a bit and assess if they will do further damage to the remaining plants: amazon swords, anubias, bolbitis. These plants are tough and coarse so I am hoping these can discourage them from eating plants. If they continue this rampage, I may have to return them to the breeder where I got them.


duanes said:
The link below will confirm what cichlidfish wrote, and give you lots of rainbow cichlid info.
In my tanks, plants never lasted more than a day or so, even when I kept a group in a 500 gallon kiddy pool papyrus had a hard time, the multispinnossa ate the roots.
Those Other Central American Cichlids - Part One: Herotilapia ...
Click to expand...

Thanks! Interesting article. Haven't finished reading the entire thing but the introduction already got me.
 
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IME they love algae growth. I wonder if you allow for more algae growth on rock or wood, if they would eat that instead of plants.
I didn't have much algae in the planted tank, but a lot in the 150g. He loves grazing off the 3D background.

IMG_2468.JPG
 
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cichlidfish said:
IME they love algae growth. I wonder if you allow for more algae growth on rock or wood, if they would eat that instead of plants.
I didn't have much algae in the planted tank, but a lot in the 150g. He loves grazing off the 3D background.

View attachment 1208510
Click to expand...

My tank is not old enough to allow for algae to thrive.

Removing all the plants with soft leaves has led to no plant casualty as of Day 1. I will move the other plants to a sump which I will add to this tank in the next few weeks. There, they can help control the nitrates without being ravaged by the rainbow cichlids.

By the way, that is one nice looking rainbow cichlid! One of the many reasons why I don't want to let go of mine. Mine does not have that bluish spine, yet. I went back to fishkeeping thinking of planted tanks and not keeping cichlids but their wonderful colors makes it very hard to choose.
 
Naos1984 said:
My tank is not old enough to allow for algae to thrive.

Removing all the plants with soft leaves has led to no plant casualty as of Day 1. I will move the other plants to a sump which I will add to this tank in the next few weeks. There, they can help control the nitrates without being ravaged by the rainbow cichlids.

By the way, that is one nice looking rainbow cichlid! One of the many reasons why I don't want to let go of mine. Mine does not have that bluish spine, yet. I went back to fishkeeping thinking of planted tanks and not keeping cichlids but their wonderful colors makes it very hard to choose.
Click to expand...
Have you tried hornwart, I have yet to find a fish that will eat it.
 
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