Pleco in a planted tank?

[laser_jock99]

Got a largish common Plec 7-8" currently residing a 48" tank. The current aquascaping is bogwood planted with Java Fern.

Can any other plants withstand large Plecos?

 

[willzs]

You could give some of the larger swords a try. Need a while to get a nice strong rooting though and still no guarantee it wont dig it up or try and eat it.

 

[rebel]

Maybe large Anubis could stand a chance. There are so many types of java fern that you could try.

 

[Ajm200]

My Bristlenose Plec destroys swords plants and Bristlenose plecs are supposed to be less destructive than other types. He was fine when he was smaller but is a menace now. He'll completely strip 5-10 sword leaves overnight if he is in the wrong mood despite having algae wafers dropped into the tank at lights out

He even has a go at a crypt or anubias leaf from time to time but the crypts do fair better than anything in the sword family. Some of the larger anubias varieties have a large leaf like a sword plant. Maybe give those a try

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

He'll completely strip 5-10 sword leaves overnight if he is in the wrong mood despite having algae wafers dropped into the tank at lights out

Feed some vegetables and you may find the damage stops. I had a large male Ancistrus L100 in a tank with Echinodorus bleheri, and he didn't eat it. I fed a mix of green veg. with some harder ones (usually sweet potato).

cheers Darrel

 

[Ajm200]

Thanks Darrel.

I do feed the fish vegetables such as courgette, broccoli stems, spinach and sweet potato blanched until slightly soft and weighted down with a metal spring.

When the Bristlenose was younger he'd leave the plants alone and hang on the glass eating biofilm/algae. He's only developed a taste for them over the past year. Sometimes he'll nibble at the vegetables but he usually ignores them.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I do feed the fish vegetables such as courgette, broccoli stems, spinach and sweet potato blanched until slightly soft and weighted down with a metal spring.

Doesn't look very promising, I think he will just keep eating your Echinodorus.

I've got some Anubias barteri var barteri? plants (below, I got several this big, some 100% submersed) you can have, but I don't have any spare lanceolate leaved Anubias plants.

cheers Darrel

 

[Ajm200]

Those look amazing but funds are very tight this month. I would be interested after payday at the end of the month if you still have them. Christmas with two small children plus a big filter failure in December has taken all my spare cash

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Those look amazing but funds are very tight this month. I would be interested after payday at the end of the month if you still have them. Christmas with two small children plus a big filter failure in December has taken all my spare cash

PM me your address, I'll send them .

If you have £5 for the p&p that would be great, if you don't you can "swap them on" when they've grown a bit and you can divide them.

I always have spare bits of Anubias, Java Fern, Bolbitis (and floaters). Anubias and Ferns are slow growing, but once they reach a critical size they actually increase quite rapidly. The largest Bolbitis plant I have is now football sized, even though I regularly chunk bits off it.

cheers Darrel

 

[Ajm200]

Hi Darrel,

If you can send me your PayPal address I'll send you the money.

I'll reply to your message with my address as I'm not sure how to send you a pm.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I'll reply to your message with my address as I'm not sure how to send you a pm.

From the address bar at the top of the page. Click on the letter icon (on the right hand side, in this case showing one unread message) and "start a new conversation".

cheers Darrel