Need help asap with my plants and cichlids!!!

[OscarPlus12]

i have 3 small to medium size amazon swords in my 55 gal tank. My JD gold and green severums are eating my plants. What should i do the plants have no more leaves on them at all....

 

[BigJim]

Cichlids are notorious plant eaters. I hate to say it, but a plant without leaves is usually compost fodder.

 

[OscarPlus12]

well jim i have had these in the tank for a year now and they just now destroyed them... idk what to do now...

 

[Welshy]

To be unite honest there's not alotbypu can do the plant is most likely useless now the only thing I could sufferings if you want to have plants try and tempt them with something tastier than leaves not a cichlids expert but cucumber/ zucchini might be a good idea

 

[smarsh7903]

Actually, I may be wrong, but your swords, if they are healthy, and have only recently lost their leaves, might live, if you can get rid of the cichlids. Its probably going to be one or the other. The cichlids, for whatever reason, are craving salad for dinner, and its likely to stay on their palate for a long, long time. Btw, I think Java ferns have a nasty taste. I see them a lot in cichlid tanks.

 

[Mr. Limpet]

Take the chewed up plants out of your DT along with some substrate, get the tallest clear glass vase/jar/whatever you have add some clean water and put it all in a sunny window. If you have ferts add some to you plant QT . If it lives great, if not they were gone anyway, right?

I have a planted tank with Moors and a fancy fantail and know all to well about plant abuse. I keep anacharis out front for them to chew on and keep my more delicate ones behind DW or something. Distraction is the name of the game.

Sent from my Epic 4G

 

[ChizerBunoi]

Move the sword plants to a quarantine tank to grow out if you really want to save it. New leave growth will taste delicious to the cichlids. Do you see any rotted leaves along the substrate or the base or do you know for sure they ate them?

Add in some disgusting tasting plants like vallisneria, java fern or anubias. Several nibbles on those leaves and they will definetely leave them alone.

 

[JustinKScott]

Take a fork and a large piece of skinned cucumber and drop it in to the tank. Your fish just want something different in their diet than their normal food.

If the plants been in for a while and has good root structure, it'll survive on it's own. Cut away dead or dying leaves to give more nutrients to new sprouts. If there is one leaf left, always leave it, no matter it's condition.