mbunas and plants?

[phantomfe3]

i was just wondering, will mbunas eat plants if they are put into a planted tank?

 

[Iggy]

I heard plants like Java-Fern are not as tasty and better for mbunas. Tie them to rocks or driftwood - not the gravel or they will pull them out!

 

[Cichlid-Man]

Sometimes they will nibble, but usually they won't eat. Most of the time they will dig up the plants exposing the roots which causes them to stop growing and eventually die. I agree with the Java fern on driftwood. Also try Anubias on wood or rocks. Tough leaves, won't be to vunarable.

 

[wayne]

Also depends on which mbuna

 

[steve535]

ive had that mix for years.gaint vallisneria,java fern, broader leaf echinodorus,and some cryptocoryne's work for me.its trial and era so dont spend big money on a lot of plants (until you find what works).in my tank anubias gets eaten,i dont know if they are just trying to get the algae off or they just like it.water onion also works well.Just anchor new plants well with stone and be prepared to reset them until they get rooted.

 

[wayne]

I always had some nice anubias that would become covered with brush algae in anoth tank. I'd stick them in with my tropheus for a week and they'd come out completely cleaned except for a few inadvertent bite marks. Vallis was annihalated though in a few days. Java fern did ok.