# [Wet Thumb Forum]-planted tanks and cichlids?



## steve535 (Feb 25, 2004)

i know its not popular subject around here but i love them bolth and only have one tank.


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## steve535 (Feb 25, 2004)

i know its not popular subject around here but i love them bolth and only have one tank.


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## Matt.M (Jan 31, 2004)

cool tank man nice plants

I LOVE BIOTOPE AQUARIUMS


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## Guest (Mar 6, 2004)

Hey Steve,

Great tank. I have african cichlid from Lake Malawi w/ plants as well. Not like yours but more biotope like.

Are you part of www.njas.net ?

Check my website and see my tank.
www.greenstouch.com

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Regards,
Jay Luto


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## steve535 (Feb 25, 2004)

thanks jay.no im not a member of NJAS,but i do go to the auctions at the meadowlands enviroment center.thats a great place my son likes walking through the swamp.here is another pic.steve


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## Chousal (Feb 8, 2004)

Very nice, but strange.

Dont they eat the plants?

Saludos...

Acuariofilia most not be costly.


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## steve535 (Feb 25, 2004)

strange?yes they do eat some of the plants.it took several years to the mix you see in the pic.the juva mass is gone for the most part.i like the way it looks and its cheep plus the Mbuna like it.the cryptos, echinodorus,vall,and the java fern have been in the tank a long time.steve


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## JamesHoftiezer (Feb 2, 2003)

Welcome Steve
Its great to see a Cichlid lover here. Your tank is an awesome example of what someone can do with some planning and work.

TFH had a write up a few months ago on Cichlids in planted tanks. The summary is that in general they will nibble on the plants but only a very few are true plant eaters. Most dig up the plants. Some well placed stones should protect tha plants.

I think its a pitty that Cichlid owners have been told for so long their tanks have to be rock quarries. Cichlids are much to vibrant and beautiful to be left out of aquascapes. Like Discus they just take some extra consideration.

Steve,
Are you going to enter this in the contest? You really should. You have weeks to make any improvements you want and set up a day to take some really good pictures. I would really like to see this tank in a showcase.

*James Hoftiezer
Hoftiezer.Net - Journals and Libraries
Rate My Tank!!

Tank Journal - Aquascape ( Latest / Archive(No Longer Active))
Tank Journal - Parts and Construction ( Latest / Archive(No Longer Active))*


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## steve535 (Feb 25, 2004)

james i mailed in 6 (what i thought to be really good)pics and a disc with the same in mid february.my tank looked great at that time.my photo skill are not the best,but over all the presentation was strong.i know i dont stand a chance on earth of winning.i agree with you about cichlids and planted tanks.everyone that sees my tank says" i didnt know you could keep them together"wish me luck and how do i know if they recieved my entry.steve


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## weeds (Jan 18, 2004)

Nice tank steve,

I have been keeping the Eastern/Rift Lake Aficans for awhile now and I keep plants in all my tanks. Mostly Val, Java, Anubias. Actually, Vallisneria *aethiopia* is commonly found in Lake Malawi and is home for Aulonocara and Protomelas species. I've never found the Vallisneria aethiopia for sell here in the US....but any of the Vals sold here will do.

Lake Tanganyika is more void as to flora..and I've had people tell me I should't keep driftwood in my Tang tanks. However, if you look at the video, Jewel of the Rift, Lake Tanganykia..you will see all kinds of fallen driftwood in the lake.

A few of the African cichlids that would do the most damage are the: Pseudotropeus Mbuna (except for the meat eating Labidochromis







T. moori, but they don't like the taste of Java or Anubias; larger sandsifters like the C. moori and Fossies; Frontosa: featherfins, natural for them to dig breeding pits.

Overall, most of the medium size Malawi Haps do very well inplanted tanks. With your setup, I would only suggest removing the Cyps in the foreground, in the center..because of your nice size C. moori..they naturally love to sift through sand.

http://community.webshots.com/user/fishgeek


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