Who Gives A Fish Forums

henlady wrote: ↑Wed May 21, 2025 2:54 pm I've never had luck with plants and cichlids. They always end up ripped out or eaten. Maybe I'm doing something wrong.

It's not just you. Cichlids are notorious for this. Try heavier plants or ones that can be anchored securely.

What's your water hardness like? African cichlids need harder water, and some plants don't thrive in those conditions. Anubias and Java fern are good starts, but you might need to adjust your setup.

Duckweed's a nightmare if you don't want a full carpet. I'd stick with the bigger plants unless you're ready for the commitment. My 55-gallon's got a mix of Amazon Sword and Java Fern, and it's working great at 82°F.

Yo, my tank's a sauna at 85°F and my Hornwort's goin' wild. That stuff grows like it's on steroids. Just toss it in and let it vibe. Sand substrate, basic LED lights, no CO2. Easy peasy.


Hornwort's a good call, but it can get messy if it sheds. I'd recommend Water Wisteria too. It's sturdy and ...

I'd say you're looking at an OB zebra or a blue zebra cichlid. Those yellow egg spots on the anal fin are a dead giveaway it's a male. Both of these species can get pretty aggressive, personally I'd swap them out for something more chill like peacocks or sunnygolds.


I'm thinking the male is ...

The tank was a gumtree find, sadly the guy who built it has passed away. One of the best buys I ever made, got me hooked on the hobby. Water changes are a real challenge, can't let the level drop too low or I've got to suck out the air, so it's a process of emptying and refilling multiple times just ...

Hey everyone, I inherited an African cichlid tank from an old roommate and it came with these two fish. They're pretty cool, but I'm not sure what they are. I picked up some nice flametale/fluxeon blood peacocks at the store to add to the tank and the guy there told me those two are some kind of ...