# Plants in Lake Malawi



## pretty-nifty (Nov 4, 2009)

From the 2 or 3 videos I've seen on youtube on Lake Malawi, I don't recall seeing many plants in the Cichlid habitat. So it seems that plants in the tanks are more for the aquarist or aquascape. It does seem more interesting and appealing with minimal foliage in the tank to enhance the scenery.

I've heard however that African Cichlids do like to dig them up and perhaps eat them. Also, to put live plants, it would require for the gravel or substrate to be at least 2" which is is contrary to suggestion in keeping African Cichlids. I'm a newbie here so I'm just trying to understand.

If you do keep live plants what would be good to put in these tanks?


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

There are some vallisneria type plants in the shallows where some of the haps raise their fry. I have vallisneria, crypts, anubias and java fern in my carnivore tanks but nothing but rocks in the mbuna tanks.


----------



## ridley25 (Jan 5, 2008)

I'm terrible with plants, but the two plants I can't kill are *Java Fern* and *Cryptocoryne*. Mind you, they are in a South American tank.
I had *Anubias* growing well (with the roots wedged between rocks) in my mbuna tank for almost a year and a half. Then one day my saulosi decided to shred them all.
If you want to give plants a try with mbuna, I would try one of those three. Anubias would stand the best chance, in my opinion. And though I don't think it's native to Lake Malawi, I do believe its African!

kevin


----------



## pretty-nifty (Nov 4, 2009)

I like the anubia and the java fern. They get pretty pricey!


----------

