# plant tank... What fish go well?



## shawnstve (Mar 12, 2008)

I just bought a 60 gallon fresh water set up... I know for sure that I want to make it a heavily planted tank. (I'm using florite as a substrate) I will be adding the plants tomorrow. But, anyone know what type of fish go well in a planted tank? Cichlids are my favorite but I hear they will rearange my plants, so my question is. What other type of agressive fish are there that I can watch them tear appart a tiny minnow but won't tear appart my tank? Pleco's will eat my plants too right? Or should I not worry about them when they are small


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

shawnstve said:


> I just bought a 60 gallon fresh water set up... I know for sure that I want to make it a heavily planted tank. (I'm using florite as a substrate) I will be adding the plants tomorrow. But, anyone know what type of fish go well in a planted tank? Cichlids are my favorite but I hear they will rearange my plants, so my question is. What other type of agressive fish are there that I can watch them tear appart a tiny minnow but won't tear appart my tank? Pleco's will eat my plants too right? Or should I not worry about them when they are small


There are plenty of cichlids that will do fine in planted tanks. Your options would be discus, angelfish, keyholes, festivums, rams and apistogrammas. I prefer apistos and rams more than anything else.

As for plecos, it depends on what species you plan to keep. Try Ancistrus, _Panaque maccus_ or the small species of _Hypancistrus_ for a start. Research their diet and size before you buy them. Veggies and wood are a must for several species of plecos.


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## SeaSerpant (Dec 9, 2007)

If you want a planted tank this is the best place to go for these kind of questions- www.plantedtank.net/forums


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

African leaf fish


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## tophat665 (Sep 30, 2006)

If you're looking for predators for a heavily planted tank, then ambush predators are the way to go. Leopard Ctenopomae are wonderful. If you're set on cichlids, consider on of the smaller pike cichlids, Crenicichla regani, C. notophthalmus and C. compressiceps.


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## shawnstve (Mar 12, 2008)

if I go with the Leopard Ctenopomae, than I really cannot add many other fish can I? I really like that fish, its awesome, but is there anything else that wont be attacked by it (its really aggressive) that will go well in a planted tank? I guess the pike ciclids also. But I want more than 2 variety's of fish.


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## shawnstve (Mar 12, 2008)

I guess I will just go with...

A pair of angel's
A pair of blue german rams
A school of tetra's (dont know what kind yet, maybe you could help me)
A few shrimp (to help with the cleaning)
A small catfish (like a corey) 
And maybe some type of pretty live bearer. 

What do you guys think?[/i]


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

You would need a larger Tetra, or the Angels will see them as a snack. Good larger Tetras are Black Skirts.


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## herefishy (Dec 14, 2006)

Angels will nip at plants unless you use a tougher leaved plant. Festivums, discus, keyholes, apistogrammas, rams are good suggestions, as are some acaras and Nannacara species. Cories would do well to round out the tank.


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## tophat665 (Sep 30, 2006)

shawnstve said:


> if I go with the Leopard Ctenopomae, than I really cannot add many other fish can I? I really like that fish, its awesome, but is there anything else that wont be attacked by it (its really aggressive) that will go well in a planted tank? I guess the pike ciclids also. But I want more than 2 variety's of fish.


The Leopard Ctenos are not actually all that aggressive. They will eat anything that fits in their mouth, though, but, given some nice tall plants to lurk in or some driftwood overhangs to lurk under, they'll pretty much leave anything else alone. Larger Tetras are fine (Congos in particular), as are barbs, plecos (I have my Ctenos in with a pair of albino bristlenoses that will clean the driftwood right around a lurking cteno without it batting a fin), and larger livebearers (swordtails and mollies - platies might be pushing it.)

Inch for inch, they're less aggressive that my blue gouramis.

I was just reading about Pikes in TFH last month. There are some of the smaller species that do fine in a community tank (again, with nothing small enough to eat), and at least one species that is not a fish eater at all, preferring snails and shrimp.


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## shawnstve (Mar 12, 2008)

herefishy said:


> Angels will nip at plants unless you use a tougher leaved plant. Festivums, discus, keyholes, apistogrammas, rams are good suggestions, as are some acaras and Nannacara species. Cories would do well to round out the tank.


These fish you suggested are all ciclids, someone told me that they will re-arange my plants because they like to build a little "home" or place to hide. So they can pull my plants out of the gravel or break off stems. I know Rams are good though, and im deffinately adding them but, are these other fish ok? 

Discus are great, I wish I could have some... but they require a higher water temperature than 90% of the fish out there so, I cannot keep them in a tank with a wide variety of fish, unless you know of a few that work well with it. 

I never heard of Angels nipping at plants, some people said they will nip fins occasionally (but stay pretty peacfull) Than others say that they are really aggressive and will eat fish. But thats the first I heard of them eating plants or nipping the plants. My local pet shop suggested Angels as a great "planted tank" fish. Of course, its a local pet shop!!! haha Who do you believe right? hahahah I will take that into concideration when getting an angel. But I would like to have a few larger type fish since its a 60 gallon tank. And not just tiny guppies or stuff. Although I wouldnt mind them. Just want something a little more substantial also... Anyways, I cannot add fish yet anyways, just trying to get idea's for when I do. Ahhhh what to do... lol


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## herefishy (Dec 14, 2006)

Angelas can be kept if you feed them spirulina flakes from tome to time, like a couple of times a week. They are an omnivore. I think that they nip at some of the more tender and finer leaved plants more out of boredom than hunger. I know that theydo a number on some of my softer leaved apondogen like the Apondogen ulvaceous.


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## bf2king (Aug 3, 2007)

If u dont want smaller fish and its 60 gallon u could do bichir/knife fish.

Senegal Bichir, Glass Knife (like to be kept in groups of 3 or more and contriversy over smallest tank size some say 55 is fine some say nothing under 100)(also electrical), Black/Brown Ghost Knife (if one of these no other electrical fish)(electrical), African Butterfly Fish, Farlowella Catfish (in place of a pleco they are odd looking and mine isnt as shy as my pleco's), and Pictic Catfish.

Note all but the Farlowella Catfish are predetory though not aggressive. (eats fish that fit in its mouth)


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## okiemavis (Nov 10, 2007)

Most predatory fish should be fine, as they aren't really interested in veggies anyway! That would be a very cool, themed tank.


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## shawnstve (Mar 12, 2008)

ok this is what I have now. I decided against the predatory. This is what I have.

5 rainbowfish (precox)
2 Angelfish
4 otocinclis (I am sure I spelled that wrong)

I plan on getting a few more Rainbow's.... and a pair of Rams. Anyone know if rainbowfish are easy to breed? Or do you know of any fish that is good to breed?


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