Hi!

[leah2296]

Hi,

It's nice to find a local forum! I currently have an african cichlid tank - will be posting about that in another thread actually.

Here's a photo.

I realize I need to do something different with that anubias, but I haven't figured out how to anchor it securely yet.

Leah

[SlyAngel]

Hello Leah,

Welcome to the club!

[Herstead]

Welcome! It is always good to see new people.

We have a number of plant experts who I am sure can offer tips and tricks.

- Jonathan

[ajm1961]

Welcome Leah! Nice to see some fellow cichlid keepers on the site!
That's one big rock you have in the centre of the tank - how big is the tank? 90 gallon?
And what species do you keep? Just curious - thanks for sharing the pictures.

As for plants for a african cichlid tank, it's a bit limited due to the hardness of the water and the fact mbuna like to dig. Also some of them are herbivorous!

From my experience aside from anubias, I've seen Valisneria ("vals"), Java Fern and Java Moss used with some success with africans. I also found the following articles that could be of help:

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/plants_101.php
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/plants_102.php

Cheers!

[Stussi613]

You can use gel superglue to hold that anubias down.

Welcome to the forum!

[leah2296]

Hi, thanks for all the tips!

I've read a lot about securing the roots of the anubias to rock but in one of the articles ajm1961 posted it recommends keeping them in pots (which they are in now below the substrate). Thoughts?

I think I will use fishing line to tie them to rocks. Should I be adding anything to the water for them or are they easy enough plants that they don't need salt or fertilizer?

Yes - the rock is enormous!! I really like it though. I was a little nervous about putting one so heavy in there but I did some research and it seems to be fine. I put egg crate on the bottom of the tank to disperse the weight.

My fish are johannis and zebraes at the moment. I am trying to rehome the big guy (I have another thread about that) and I think once I do I might get some large yellow labs again.

[Stussi613]

The roots can be under the substrate, but the rhizome should not be covered.

[sanny]

Your right Stussi613, that's recommanded if it was a community tank, but since its an African Cichlid, the Anubias will get up rooted, leaving you to floating plants. The best solution is to tie the Anubias, but good for pointing that out .

[sas]

Hi Leah and welcome .
Great looking tank. Another plant that I have had great luck with
in African cichlid tanks is African Fern (Bolbitis heudelotii).
All you need is a little piece to get started and it'll grow like a weed.

[bettabreeder]

Nice looking tank! And welcome!


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[Stussi613]

Your right Stussi613, that's recommanded if it was a community tank, but since its an African Cichlid, the Anubias will get up rooted, leaving you to floating plants. The best solution is to tie the Anubias, but good for pointing that out .

Oh yeah, you're probably right.  Except I've done it in an African Cichlid tank before.  And the fish couldn't root it up.  Because it was held on to the lace rocks in my tank with SUPERglue.  I wasn't recommending super gluing it to the substrate, sorry if that wasn't clear.

[leah2296]

Thank you all for the info! I just used some cotton thread to tie the anubias to rocks. I also picked up some Bolbitis heudelotii and tied it to a rock as well. I'd love to ditch the one plastic at the back plant but I need to get enough real plants to grow in there first. For these two kinds of plants do I need to be using fertilizer?

[lucius]

Sup!