Re: Lake Malawi African Cichlids + plants

[Thomas Barr <tcbiii at earthlink_net>]

This gets brought up every month or two:

> I'd appreciate it if you would tell me which algae eaters and plants
> have survived Lake Malawi African Cichlids for you.
> I added CFL light [72 watts on a 34 gal. hex], CO2 [tank], and a new
> Flourite substrate to an established cichlid tank.  Now it has a ton of algae
> that covers the glass in a few days. I have Java Fern in there, and some slow
> Anubias that couldn't help much.
> Thanks for any advice.
> 
> David Brown

Add more plants and fast growing ones.
Add floating water sprite. That will take over, block the light, stabilize
the tank and reduce the algae.

I kept that plant is virtually every tank I had with Cichlids.

If the fish are big diggers, add the plants to the rocks, cork the rocks etc
and attach the plants to that substrate so they attach well. You can also
use rocks to shield the plant's roots from the diggers.

Many species are suited since they seldom do much/any digging. Large
predators are often good. Digging is the biggest issue if you want plants in
the gravel.

Floating and attached are good method there.
Many plants do well with them. I've seen SAE's etc with them. Chinese algae
eaters and various larger pleco's also. Smaller pleco's are often suitable
depending on the species.
Snails are good. Provided they don't get eaten etc.
Picking suitable fish/tank mates will allow you more choices than forcing a
plant set up on the fish and hoping it will work well over the long term.

Add loads of GH and K2SO4, that's what's in the lake generally. Plants like
it.

Fine leaf plants that might seem tasty usually are.
Depends on the species of fish you keep.
 

Regards, 
Tom Barr