best plants for african tank

[CTurtleGirl]

I have a 100 gal tank with 17 african cichlids in it. I have raised africans in the past but never planted the tank successfully without the fish eating the plants. I'm sure I just wasn't selecting the proper plants. Does anyone here have ideas for plants they will leave alone and can thrive in the high alk/ph water? Thanks!

CTG

 

[SnowManSnow]

swords are normally pretty durable and easily maintained

 

[Anonymous]

not with africans they're not, heh

your best bet is anubias-it has a very tough waxy cuticle surrounding the leaf, and doesn't have to be rooted in substrate (does need to be anchored/tied to something, though), and even that isn't 'bulletproof' with africans

some things just aren't meant to be

 

[gpodio]

Yeah the common ones they tend to leave alone are anubias, java ferns, hornwart and bolbitus. All of these require anchoring in rocks or driftwood so they make a good first choice. Certain hygrophila such as corymbosa, siamensis and angustifolia will likely be left alone or will grow fast enough to outpace their appetite, I've seen a couple african cichlid tanks with these plants in it, just need to get them rooted if you have fish that disturb the substrate. Java moss is also worth trying as are long grasses and other thick leaved plants.

Obviously do try to add as much plants as possible as this will help disperse their picking. Adding some fast growing salad for them, such as softer leaved hygro or watersprite may also help alleviate picking of the harder, less tasty plants you want to keep safe.

This is a friend's tank, may help get some ideas...
http://www.greenstouch.com/africanlakes.htm

Hope that helps

 

[Anonymous]

feed 'em zucchini 8)

 

[gpodio]

There ya go!

 

[Anonymous]

your friend's tank is nice

but it also has very few mbuna-which plays a large part in the plants' success - most of those fish (on that site) are not (true) herbivores

even anubias will have a hard time against a nice sized group of melanochromis/pseudotropheus species and there scrubbing brush teeth

the question is what group(s) of africans do you have, CTurtleGirl ?

 

[gpodio]

Yes, if you're going to keep live plants you should try to avoid certain types of african cichlids, I haven't heard many success stories with mbuna and live plants but I did stumble onto this clip for what it's worth...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRpwIKXhnW4

Given the opportunity, I would establish the planted tank first, then add such species, hopefully with a well rooted large plant mass one can limit the damage.

Oh yeah, Vallisneria may also be worth trying, one of the few commercial plants found in their natural habitat.

 

[frisbee]

Anubias? Kinda durable.

 

[Anonymous]

Cturtlegirl.

All is not lost because cichilds or other fish eat plants. After all the same thing is true of marine setups. Yet macro algaes are grown in those setups and thrive there.

You might consider a refugium to protect the plants. A simple partition so the tank has a small fishless plant area and a large plantless fish area would be the simplist.

Just an idea worth at most .02