best plants for our cichlids

[DragonFish71]

So I'm revamping our 55g cichlid tank, going from fake plant to real ones. I've already decided on some jungle val. I have some java ferns and anubias in there already, now is where I'd like some ideas on what else would be cichlid friendly.

Our current stock is : 2 JD's, 2 Firemouths, 1 jewel, 2 pictus cats, 1 synodontis cat, 9 giant danios.


I was thinking some dwarf sag for foreground, some jungle val, crypts and swords for the back.

Any other suggestions?

 

[mfdrookie516]

you can sure count out amazon sword...

 

[DragonFish71]

Yeah, I was leaning more towards the Echinodorus paniculatus "bleheri" swords.
Their leaves seem to be tougher. I have them in a few other tanks and they even withstand snails.

 

[cterzich]

Could someone please make a list for the best plants for cichlids. I'm just starting to plan my new tank and I want real plants. I think they look a lot better.

 

[Blueiz]

I am having success with anubias and java fern attached to driftwood with my JD's and oscars. I tried to do planted plants in there tank, but they kept digging them up.

 

[mfdrookie516]

Could someone please make a list for the best plants for cichlids. I'm just starting to plan my new tank and I want real plants. I think they look a lot better.

it all depends on what cichlids you get. some like discus and angels will do with alot of plants, where as africans and some of the south americans like convicts and jd's will absolutely thrash about any plant you put it. Anubias is a good plant, even my mbuna didnt touch it. Every other plant i tried turned in to a ball of roots

 

[DragonFish71]

I am having success with anubias and java fern attached to driftwood with my JD's and oscars. I tried to do planted plants in there tank, but they kept digging them up.

Blueiz,

I already have some of both going in there and wanted other things. On Sunday I put in some wisteria, star grass and water sprite that I trimmed from another tank. So far they are doing quite well. I know the jungle val is very hardy. So hardy in fact that I have it in our brackish tank and it's doing great. I was thinking a few bleheri swords, some dwarf sag, and crypts. Our cichlids leave what I have in there now alone plus our's don't dig. Weird for cichlids but I'm ok with that lol. Know anything about crypts and cichlids? I also have some plant holders that you bury under the gravel to keep plants planted.