[APD] Anubias and Java Fern with Cichlids

["AZ Burns" <aerburns at hotmail_com>]

I am thinking about setting up a 75 for some Heros sp. cichlids, aka 
Severums. Severums are omnivores and they like a lot of plant matter in 
their diet.  Many people that keep them say you can't have plants in the 
tank with them, but I wonder how some more durable plants would do.  The 
most obvious choices in my mind would be Anubias and Java Fern since both 
are pretty sturdy plants, and aren't typically eaten by herbivorous fish. 
They also both can be attached to wood or rock, so they aren't as likely to 
be dug up by the fish if they get some breeding time excavation urges. I 
would probably attach the Java Fern to wood in the tank. I would bury a pot 
with some laterite or flourite in it and then place some decent sized rocks 
around and on top of it that the fish couldn't move or dig under. Then let 
the Anubias attach to the rock and grow its roots down into the richer 
substrate that they like.

Has anyone kept Anubias or Java Fern with cichlids that tear up or eat 
plants? Do the cichlids still go after these plants or leave them alone?

The other thought I had was to feed the Severums a good amount of veggie 
matter. Maybe spirulina pellets, peas, and romaine lettuce to keep them out 
of my plants.

A tank with a few different anubias (A. barteri and A. coffeefolia) and some 
ferns (Java Fern and Bolbitis) would look great with a pair of Severums 
floating around, but I would hate to set it all up and watch them tear it 
apart in a bout of hunger or passion.

Thanks,
AZ Burns

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