# Live plants with african cichlids



## Deng09 (Apr 26, 2012)

I do not currently have an aquarium set up, but have kept some African cichlids in the past and wanted to start again. I have a 55 gallon aquarium, and also wanted to try live plants with the cichlids.

I have heard many people say you cant do it, and cichlids will eat live plants, but have found a few different sites of people saying the have been able to keep african cichlids with live plants, as long as you stick to certain species.

My question is if I wanted to get some kenyis, electric yellows, johannis, acei, etc., what types of plants would be ok to put with them?


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## JAyliffe (Feb 29, 2012)

Cichlids do like to nibble on plants, they will allegedly try any that you put in there. I'm sure that's where the 'myth' of you can't do it comes from. One option is to pick plants that 'taste nasty' such as Java Fern and Anubias. The idea being that if you put those in a tank with cichlids that they might nibble once or twice but once they taste them they won't come back.

For my own tank, I have Java Fern but I also have Valisineria because my neighbour had a tankful and it was free.

The other challenge you have with African Cichlids is that lots of them like to dig up and move the substrate around. Indeed several of mine seem to love substrate showers  I watch them dive down, grab a mouthful then swim vertically up and spit it out so it drops back down over them.. they probably have something else in mind but it looks like a shower to me.

I have been lucky with my Valisineria since it came from an established tank and had a well developed root structure, others here have had a lot of fun with theirs getting uprooted. Java Fern and Anubias like to be attached to rock rather than buried in subtrate so typically you tie them to smaller rocks until they attach themselves so uprooting is less of an issue.

I would say just go for it, be ready for some challenges but don't be put off. The added benefit is those plants will (assuming they are growing) reduce your Nitrates so there's a benefit to having them in there.

Here's my tank showing the planting, not as much as I would like but I'm working on it.


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## Deng09 (Apr 26, 2012)

Your tank looks pretty great!! Thanks for the help.

Another question I have is what type of substrate do you use? I have never done live plants before, so I have been researching it lately and have found dozens of different ideas for different substrates that plants grow best in. I am not sure exactly which type to use.


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## JAyliffe (Feb 29, 2012)

Well I have to confess that I didn't research that at all.. I already had substrate (crushed coral sand) which I was advised probably isn't suitable but didn't want to spend anything on more substrate so I took my chances. If you look at the far right, you can see some fairly short Valisineria which are the loose ones I pushed back into the substrate as they broke free. Several of those are starting to grow through from almost nothing so I think mine is ok.

If you have no substrate now then I'd look at what others are using and take their guidance.


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## Cerdik (Mar 9, 2012)

You can try "Anubias barteri" or "Cryptocoryne ". Resilient, preffers harder water(Cryptocoryne), easy to grow. I dont know how hard is to get them in the US though.
Anyway, both of them are doin great in my tank.


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## JAyliffe (Feb 29, 2012)

Cerdik said:


> You can try "Anubias barteri" or "Cryptocoryne ". Resilient, preffers harder water(Cryptocoryne), easy to grow. I dont know how hard is to get them in the US though.
> Anyway, both of them are doin great in my tank.


I have been told by my LFS that people have success growing crypts in cichlid tanks but every time I visit the store to get some they haven't got any :x


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## Deng09 (Apr 26, 2012)

Thanks for the ideas guys. Anyone else who has had success keeping plants with Africans please post the plant types!!

I just got the 55g today, so after I clean it out I am gonna start by adding the substrate. It looks like both people who have responded so far just have gravel/crushed coral. I am wondering if there are enough plants I will be able to keep with cichlids where it would be worth it to use eco-complete or some other substrate specifically for growing plants, or whether that would be a waste of money? I am also unsure about how you would clean the substarte once your tank is established and plants are growing in it.

As of right now I have only the aquarium, so I am building from scratch. Any advice for getting started with the live plants would be appreciated.


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