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Tanganyikan Cichlids and Plants




>>>Jeff Stuart writes:
I'm thinking about setting up a 30L for Tanganyikan Lake cichlids, and would
like to include a few live plants.  I will probably have two fluorescent
tubes (one color-enhancing and a Triton) -- with such a shallow tank I
shouldn't need more.  What type of plants will be compatible with
Africans?  Due to the nature of African cichlids (a fondness for digging
in the gravel), special substrates for growing plants probably won't be
possible, unless I stick with plants in pots.  I'm guessing that things
like valisneria, java fern, and crypts would probably fair well.  Thanks
for any suggestions. 
 

I ahve been keeping and breeding Tanganyikan cichlids for over 10 years. 
And I have always included plants.  There are only 2 that I use -- java 
moss (Vesicularia) and java fern (Microsorum pteropus). I keep minimal 
substrate in these tanks - only a thin layer of crushed coral as a pH 
buffer and to add Calcium to my soft water. With these plants minimum 
light is acceptable (although not optimal). But, I think that the fish 
are happy. The 15 gallon tanks are always full of plants and babies of 
Neolamprologus leleupi or various Julies (one species per tank). These are 
my low low maintenance tanks - filtration is by sponge - usually working (every so 
often I notice that the airline got clogged) - water changes are seldom 
(10- percent every few months). I think this is where the density of 
plants comes in handy. Every so often, I thin the plants (and with it I 
remove nitrates and other nutrients that would have accumulated). And I 
siphon the mulm during the water change. :-) The mulm build up is 
actually my sign to do the water change.

I used to have a colony of Neolamprologus tretochephalus in a 125g 
(also with java fern, and 60 watts of total lighting), but this fish 
tank is now a plant tank with 280 watts and a few fish (livebearers and 
Crossocheilus siamensis)

--Neil