[APD] Anubias and Java Fern with Cichlids

[piaba <piabinha at yahoo_com>]

> 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?
> I would hate to set it all up
> and watch them tear it 
> apart in a bout of hunger or passion.

sorry this won't be of much help... i have no
experience with these particular cichlids (severums)
but i'd guess cichlids predominantly rasp algae off
rocks (at least the rift lake ones) rather than eat
higher plants.  

i'm terribly frustrated with my 2 Distichodus affinis
(african characins).  they are two little cows, they
are very cute but they've eaten all the plants in my
tank.  i didn't realize they were such efficient
grazers when i got them, they are more like aquatic
lawn mowers.  they finished off with several Anubias
plants in no time.  there are still java fern there,
and my experience tells me that java fern is their
least favorite plant, but they still take chunks out
of it in the absence of any other vegetation.  i have
been feeding them mashed peas, zucchini slices, and
lots of the common houseplant known as pothos (they
also enjoy all sorts of pellets and flake, as well as
frozen squid and mussels).  i'm growing lots of pothos
in containers with water, so i can feed them and keep
them off the java fern.  of course, it's a problem
when i have to go away.  i'm considering getting
plastic plants and moving all the java fern out of
that tank.

so my experience is, the java fern is much less tasty
than anubias.  but as i said, i have no experience
with the severum...  you could try with one platn and
see how it goes.


tsuh yang

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