# Buenos Aires Tetras and plants help!!



## bpb (Mar 23, 2011)

Hey everyone, sorry if this is in the wrong section, it's a general question and this forum gets alot of traffic. 

I have 10 medium sized Buenos Aires Tetras right now, and no plants. I'm mineralizing some topsoil right now and am moving in 8 weeks. I want to spend that time conditioning my soil so it is perfect for move in day, and I will want to plant fairly heavily right from the start. 

I'm going low tech all the way, with low light, and high quality soil, and a single canister filter for some movement (fairly bad at mechanical filtration though).

I have read so many horror stories on how Buenos Aires Tetras can dismantle a planted tank in days and how they wreak havoc on most plants. I see some people successfully keep them though.

Petsmart and Petco are really tough to get to take fish in my town, most of the time they flat out refuse to, even for free. I don't know if I will be able to get rid of them.

Does anyone have any recommendations of tough plants that they aren't likely to nip at? I would hate to see nothing but frayed leaves all over the tank. 

I was hoping to have some tall vals, amazon swords, java ferns, anubias, and probably some cambodia and hornswort. Will any of those plants survive?

Anyone with experience I would really appreciate some advice on what to plant so I don't have to re-home my fish, but can keep beautiful plants. I would hate for all this hard work on my soil to go to waste.


----------



## Richie38 (Oct 14, 2010)

Buenos Aires Tetras are a schooling fish, and as far as I know, they won't be nipping at the plants as long as there's no competition in the tank; just keep them well fed. This is also only my educated opinion. And as far as keeping low light plants, your not going to be able to keep Vallisnerias, Amazon Swords and Cambodia. The others will do fine with low light.


----------



## aquabillpers (Apr 13, 2006)

I've kept those handsome fish without any damage to plants.


----------



## cbwmn (Dec 18, 2007)

I have two 3” BAT’s in a 24 gallon with amazon swords, crypts and they don’t touch the plants. They ARE very active fish. I have one male guppy with them and he exists OK. When I feed them, the attack the surface of the water. 
It reminds me of the way a bass strkes a lure.
Charles


----------



## bpb (Mar 23, 2011)

I appreciate the quick replies. I purchased my BA Tetras long before I intended to go to live plants, so I would hate to get rid of them, as they are some of my favorite fish I own. Mine also get along just fine with about 10 or so male guppies, which incidentally I've also heard they would kill quickly. No issues yet. I have just read so many articles saying they love to eat plants. It looks like careful plant selection will be key. I'll start with broad leaf plants will work and go from there.


----------



## cbwmn (Dec 18, 2007)

IMO
The Buenos Aires Tetras do not eat any plants at all.
Over the years I've had stem plants, dwarf sag, java ferns and they don't tear any of them up.
Charles


----------



## WS1 (Jun 13, 2021)

cbwmn said:


> IMO
> The Buenos Aires Tetras do not eat any plants at all.
> Over the years I've had stem plants, dwarf sag, java ferns and they don't tear any of them up.
> Charles


It depends how many plants you have, they only nibble on them so won’t make a difference to a big bunch of plants if you’re feeding them well.
I’ve had only 3 Buenos Aires with 2 valisneria plant bunches, and they completely tore them down in a months time. I’ve seperated them in the tank and the tiny roots that were left have start to grow back. Valisneria tend to die off if their leaves are severely damaged. So definitely don’t put them with these tetra.


----------



## C Irwin (Jun 25, 2021)

bpb said:


> Hey everyone, sorry if this is in the wrong section, it's a general question and this forum gets alot of traffic.
> 
> I have 10 medium sized Buenos Aires Tetras right now, and no plants. I'm mineralizing some topsoil right now and am moving in 8 weeks. I want to spend that time conditioning my soil so it is perfect for move in day, and I will want to plant fairly heavily right from the start.
> 
> ...


----------



## C Irwin (Jun 25, 2021)

G'Day, 

I have had Buenos Aires Tetras for several years not and I have never had any trouble with them and my plants I keep a small group 5-7 and they have been fantastic for me.


----------

