# Looking for Suckermouth-safe plants



## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

Hi all,
since I've redesigned my 50 gallon tank into an Amazon tank (at least, that's the plan), I've been pondering about what plants to use. Plants native to South America would be best, but my main concern is that they are safe for fish with an appetite for greens (mainly a Blue Fin "Panaque", that shreds plants like there's no tomorrow







)

Currently, the tank is planted with the following plants (with varying results):
1) Amazon Sword Plants: no success (90% of the leafs wre punctured within days, leafs slowly turn yellow afterwards) - this is what I'm mainly looking for, a tall, large-leafed plant that is pleco-safe.

2) Jungle Vallisneria: works well, as the leafs are too slender to support the weight of any marauding fish.
Tips about how to get them to prosper are appreciated.

3) Anubias barteri: works quite well (plants form new leafs and even 'flowers', or whatever they are), but are also partially destroyed by pleco's.

4) Crinum calamistratum: works well, no problems.

5) Ophiopogon japonicus: a grass-like plant, does quite well - some of the leafs start dying off (they become yellowish and fibery), but new leafs are formed as well.
Tips about how to get them to prosper are appreciated.

So far the plants that are currently in my tank. My main concern is a suitable replacement for the Amazon Swords that are Pleco-safe. I'm also looking for tips on how to let the Vallisneria and Ophiopogon plants prosper. As said, if possible I'd prefer plants from the Amazon region, but that's not a necessity.

To top off some tech specs: tank measures 40x16x20", is equipped with 2 30W light strips (one Grolux plant bulb and a Daylight bulb), filtration is fully sufficient (one Eheim 2215 canister, one Fluval 4 internal filter and one no-name internal filter: total throughput ~550 gph).
I don't use CO2 (nor am I planning to do so), and haven't looked into fertilizers yet (so any tips or suggestions are welcomed).

A picture of the tank:

View attachment 73190


Thanks in advance


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## myles (Feb 27, 2005)

well most plants u get at ur lfs, will be safe if ur fish eats them, but peronaly after goin to all that work of planting the tank i wouldnt buy a fish that eats plants i remmeber havign a planted tnak and bought a few silver dollors and they ate all my plants to the stubs, and all died eventualy cuz there were no leaves to get the nutrition. so id stick with fidh that arnt natorious for that kidna thing.


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

myles said:


> well most plants u get at ur lfs, will be safe if ur fish eats them, but peronaly after goin to all that work of planting the tank i wouldnt buy a fish that eats plants i remmeber havign a planted tnak and bought a few silver dollors and they ate all my plants to the stubs, and all died eventualy cuz there were no leaves to get the nutrition. so id stick with fidh that arnt natorious for that kidna thing.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I know what you mean, but since I've already got these fish and spend fortunes on them (fancy pleco's are my other aquatic passion next to piranha's), they're going nowhere: which is why I started this thread, I'm to find tips and suggestions on how to make a planted tank as pleco-proof as possible...









C'mon people, no one can help me out on this one?


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## spree_rider (Mar 20, 2004)

java fern isnt eatten by most fish.


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## james__12345 (Mar 25, 2005)

plastic ones

ive always wanted to make a smart comment like that :rasp: 
but anyway, i have good luck with sagittaria (dont know where it from but it works)
my compact sword only gets a few holes from time to time, but it does ok.


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## Husky_Jim (May 26, 2003)

Sorry for the delay Jonas!

I would add the following Amazonian Plants on your tank...

- Heteranthera Zosterifollia
- Myriophyllum Mattogrossense
- Hydrocotyle Leucocephala
- Bacopa Myriophylloides
- Bacopa Australis 
- Echinodorus Tenellus

If you check them you will see that (hopefully) all of them are difficult to get eaten by the L's...


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

Thanks for the input and suggestions, guys









Jim: there are some nice plants among those you mentioned, but unfortunately no large-leafed ones








(and I wouldn't consider Java Fern as a large-leafed plant).
Maybe I should think about some other options, like the "flooded forest" look with lots of tree roots/vines, and not as many plants - man, there are too many options to make this a simple decision :laugh:


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## Guru (Apr 20, 2004)

Just rersearch about the fish before you get it Judazzz, go to planet catfish ,find out about and then buy. i try to get catifishes/pleco's that eat meat/protein/junk.


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