LYNDYLOO Posted August 16, 2005 Report Share Posted August 16, 2005 Hi there, Just wondering if someone could help me with the question of , Plastic or Live Plants, have been told that alot of the fishies that I have in my 330L tank are plant eaters, Silver Dollars, Barbs and a very lrge Pleco, just bought a heap of plants off Trade Me, how beneficial are live plants to fish? must admit there's nothing that looks nicer than a nicely planted tank. I'm having to decide, do I get rid of me plant eating fish, what other fish do you guys recommend in a community tank, that aren't so into eating the plants? Thanks Lynda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vapo Posted August 17, 2005 Report Share Posted August 17, 2005 I guess it depends on what your priorities are. Fish or plants. I'm sure your fish would appreciate the live plants a great deal. Live plants are a lot softer than fake ones lessening the risk of damage to fish. They also get rid of a lot of nitrates, reducing the amount of water changes you need to do. To help stop your plant eating fish demolishing your plants, you can put in some fresh lettuce leaves every day or two. We just poke a steel handled teaspoon through the leaf to weight it down and the fish love it! They still eat a few leaves of the anubias' but it has reduced dramatically. Cheers, Vapo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted August 17, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2005 Hi Vapo, Thanks for the reply, I will definitely give the lettuce ago before I even begin to think, of getting rid of any of me plant eating fish. Thanks Lynda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted August 17, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2005 Hi once again Vapo, Just thrown some Lettuce into me tank and the fish are eating it like its their last meal, I'm totally shocked, so maybe this WILL save my live plants, once again thanks heaps for the info. Lynda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiverJohn Posted August 17, 2005 Report Share Posted August 17, 2005 I dont have a problem with my fish eating the plants but I have HEAPS of plants, and i dont think many of my fish are particularly herbivorus. You can alway supply them with lettuce and some other vege's. My silver sharks are particularly keen on zuchinni. And Spirilina discs dont last long either. At one stage I had difficulties with my large silver sharks uprooting plants because they zoomed about so fast. Real plants rock !! John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jo1 Posted August 17, 2005 Report Share Posted August 17, 2005 I would go for plastic as silver dollars are notorious for eating plants and a large pleco will probably be a bit hard on them too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted August 17, 2005 Report Share Posted August 17, 2005 The fish don't really mind plastic or live but a tank is easier to maintain of nicely 'balanced' and this is better with live plants. One of our club members has silver dollars and she feeds them lettuce daily so they mostly leave her plants alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vapo Posted August 17, 2005 Report Share Posted August 17, 2005 No worries Lindyloo! Good to hear they like the lettuce, but I can't take credit for that advice as I read it on this forum a while ago. Forgot about the zuchinis! Good call diverJohn! Our pleco loves 'em! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted August 17, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2005 Thanks Guys for all the info, really dont wont to have to part with half of me fishies in the tank, just cause they eat plants, will try the daily feeding of lettuce and other various veges, once again thanks Lynda. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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