South American cichlids with which plants...

[deancoo]

Hello all,

I'm really frustrated. I have a 90 gallon tank with about 20 Convicts (some
large, some small) and one large Texan. The problem is that they seem to
take pleasure in uprooting and destroying anything I plant. I really would
like to add some greenery, but these damn guys won't quit. I can generally
keep plants down by putting them in their own individual pots, but in that
case they just tear the stalks out at ground level. Can anyone give me some
advice on what might be attractive plants that are more resilient to my
terrible fish?

Thanks in advance,
d

[yuck]

You let your convicts out of cages...


On Mon, 14 Feb 2005 07:05:47 GMT, "deancoo" >
wrote:

>Hello all,
>
>I'm really frustrated. I have a 90 gallon tank with about 20 Convicts (some
>large, some small) and one large Texan. The problem is that they seem to
>take pleasure in uprooting and destroying anything I plant. I really would
>like to add some greenery, but these damn guys won't quit. I can generally
>keep plants down by putting them in their own individual pots, but in that
>case they just tear the stalks out at ground level. Can anyone give me some
>advice on what might be attractive plants that are more resilient to my
>terrible fish?
>
>Thanks in advance,
>d
>
>

[NetMax]

"deancoo" > wrote in message
news:f5YPd.32888$K54.13307@edtnps84...
> Hello all,
>
> I'm really frustrated. I have a 90 gallon tank with about 20 Convicts
> (some
> large, some small) and one large Texan. The problem is that they seem
> to
> take pleasure in uprooting and destroying anything I plant. I really
> would
> like to add some greenery, but these damn guys won't quit. I can
> generally
> keep plants down by putting them in their own individual pots, but in
> that
> case they just tear the stalks out at ground level. Can anyone give me
> some
> advice on what might be attractive plants that are more resilient to my
> terrible fish?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> d


Silk (for obvious reasons)
Anubius (the closest you can get to a plastic plant which is real)
Hornwort (unaffected by being uprooted)
Java moss (tied to driftwood, it might be ignored)
and a long shot, Java Ferns (some fish just don't care for this stuff,
and you can tie it to driftwood or minerals above the substrate).

I would seriously recommend the silk plants though. They have come a
long way in terms of appearance.
--
www.NetMax.tk

[deancoo]

Excellent. Thank you. This will give me a good starting point to research.

"NetMax" > wrote in message
.. .
> "deancoo" > wrote in message
> news:f5YPd.32888$K54.13307@edtnps84...
>> Hello all,
>>
>> I'm really frustrated. I have a 90 gallon tank with about 20 Convicts
>> (some
>> large, some small) and one large Texan. The problem is that they seem to
>> take pleasure in uprooting and destroying anything I plant. I really
>> would
>> like to add some greenery, but these damn guys won't quit. I can
>> generally
>> keep plants down by putting them in their own individual pots, but in
>> that
>> case they just tear the stalks out at ground level. Can anyone give me
>> some
>> advice on what might be attractive plants that are more resilient to my
>> terrible fish?
>>
>> Thanks in advance,
>> d
>
>
> Silk (for obvious reasons)
> Anubius (the closest you can get to a plastic plant which is real)
> Hornwort (unaffected by being uprooted)
> Java moss (tied to driftwood, it might be ignored)
> and a long shot, Java Ferns (some fish just don't care for this stuff, and
> you can tie it to driftwood or minerals above the substrate).
>
> I would seriously recommend the silk plants though. They have come a long
> way in terms of appearance.
> --
> www.NetMax.tk
>

[Mean_Chlorine]

Thusly "deancoo" > Spake Unto All:

>Hello all,
>
>I'm really frustrated. I have a 90 gallon tank with about 20 Convicts (some
>large, some small) and one large Texan. The problem is that they seem to
>take pleasure in uprooting and destroying anything I plant.

Yes, central american cichlids have very firm views on interior
decoration. As you've no doubt noticed they not just uproot & rip
plants, they also move copius amounts of sand.

I'd suggest forgetting about plants planted into the gravel in an
aquarium like that - anything, including plastic plants, will be
uprooted by their digging anyway - and concentrate on decorating the
aquarium with driftwood and rocks. You may also be able to use
floating plants (e.g. Pistia).

[John Thomas]

Mean_Chlorine wrote:
> Thusly "deancoo" > Spake Unto All:
>
>
>>Hello all,
>>
>>I'm really frustrated. I have a 90 gallon tank with about 20 Convicts (some
>>large, some small) and one large Texan. The problem is that they seem to
>>take pleasure in uprooting and destroying anything I plant.
>
>
> Yes, central american cichlids have very firm views on interior
> decoration. As you've no doubt noticed they not just uproot & rip
> plants, they also move copius amounts of sand.
>
> I'd suggest forgetting about plants planted into the gravel in an
> aquarium like that - anything, including plastic plants, will be
> uprooted by their digging anyway - and concentrate on decorating the
> aquarium with driftwood and rocks. You may also be able to use
> floating plants (e.g. Pistia).
>
The floating plant idea is good, but make sure whatver you put in, like
DuckWeed or Hornwort isn't as hideously invasive as Water Lettuce
(Pistia species):

http://www.issg.org/database/species/ecology.asp?si=285&fr=1&sts=

[Bungholio]

I've got a similar situation, but with 5 severums in a 75 gallon. The only
type of plant they won't eat are those slow growing platique kinds.

-B


"deancoo" > wrote in message
news:f5YPd.32888$K54.13307@edtnps84...
> Hello all,
>
> I'm really frustrated. I have a 90 gallon tank with about 20 Convicts (some
> large, some small) and one large Texan. The problem is that they seem to
> take pleasure in uprooting and destroying anything I plant. I really would
> like to add some greenery, but these damn guys won't quit. I can generally
> keep plants down by putting them in their own individual pots, but in that
> case they just tear the stalks out at ground level. Can anyone give me some
> advice on what might be attractive plants that are more resilient to my
> terrible fish?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> d
>
>
>