Big Fish in Planted Aquariums

[Hulka9]

I'm beginning to be interested in keeping larger fish, like oscars and fish of the size. I also really like natural looking planted tanks. I dont like the look of fake plants and decorations at all. Will it be a problem if i did a planted tank with large fish? I feel like them being so big they could easily destroy my aquascape ?

Anyone ever try doing this?

 

[jetajockey]

They definitely do. Some are better than others, but oscars will tend to uproot plants and move them around as they please. Potting the plants seems to help somewhat. I have a tank with some longear sunfish and for the most part they leave the plants alone. However their sheer size just damages some delicate plants, and they even have taken a liking to a few, like blyxa japonica, which they will nibble on down to nothing.

 

[Mcgolg76]

Oscars notorious for uprooting plants and moving around decor

 

[Hulka9]

Any other suggestions? So far i just have a black ghost knife (4in) and a tiger oscar (2in) that i got today. After reading about the oscars though idk if i should keep him.

 

[ArtistGardener]

How big is the tank and what is planted in it now?

 

[Luananeko]

Pretty much all of the larger fish will tend to uproot and rearrange plants. You can try going with potted plants (creative decor work with rocks can be done to hide the pots), or you can get plants that are hard to uproot (any that grow on driftwood and rocks, or ones with pretty extensive root systems like amazon swords tend to fare well). Any delicate plants will be destroyed though.

 

[Hulka9]

I dont have it setup yet. It will be 125 gallons. Would burying the pots in the substrate work?

 

[DragonFish71]

Burying the pots might help, but the oscar will do what he wants. I have a jack dempsey with plants and he's fine, same with my firemouths, but when I had my managuense pair, they destroyed everything. Some fish are just that way. I have heard of very few people having had luck with oscars and plants.

 

[lovecatfish]

IME, I don't think planted tanks do well with big bully fish. In my 20 long, my 3inch German blue ram is already uprooting plants when she looks for food, imagine a 6inch Oscar, he is gonna wreak havoc! But if you tie the plants to driftwood and rocks, it might work.

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