I have had one of my plecos for probably 6 or 7 years (at least). I have tried to put plants with him before but he shreds the plants. Does anyone know of a plant that he will not shred? I believe the plants that he ruined before were Anacris (spelling sorry). I need ideas b/c my yellow lab cichlids need plants but I don't want the pleco to destroy them.

8/14/2006 9:23:08 PM

how about fake plants?

8/14/2006 10:23:13 PM

i have 3 fake plants but i thought the cichlids might like real plants

8/14/2006 10:25:50 PM

I think african cichlid like rock better.

8/14/2006 10:35:15 PM

Java Fern - it's supposed to be bitter tasting if any fish try to eat it...

8/15/2006 6:22:13 AM

i have a lot of rock in there too

8/15/2006 7:14:07 AM

^^my fish eat java ferns like crazy.

8/15/2006 8:01:23 AM

ive never heard of pleco's tearing up live plants before though yours sounds like it could be pretty big since its 6 years old. are your cichlids african cichlids? if they are, then the cichlids will happily breed if they have a lot of rocks with hiding places since thats what thier normal habitat in the wild is like. for african cichlids, think lots of rocks instead of lots of plants. the cichlid fry will end of eating all the plants's roots and stuff once they hatch anyway.

8/15/2006 9:42:29 AM

ok thanks. I have lots of rock in the tank so i guess that is ok. My pleco is only ~8 inches long. I stunted his growth by keeping him in a 10 gallon tank for too long (i think).

8/15/2006 10:08:13 AM

I had a pleco for a few years, he got to be about 2-3 inches long. I gave up on trying to keep plants alive that were with him and the goldfish, so I just bough them plants to munch on every few weeks.

8/15/2006 10:21:41 PM

^^maybe yours will grow to this size

8/15/2006 10:37:19 PM