Help, my bala shark and pleco are devouring every plant

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Foliuma
Posts: 8
Joined: Sat Oct 07, 2023 5:30 pm

Help, my bala shark and pleco are devouring every plant

Post by Foliuma »

Got a 75 gal tank with a Bala shark and pleco - yeah I know, it's too small, upgrade's on the to-do list. These two are plant-killers, I swear. I've lost count of how many plants I've gone through - we're talking hundreds of dollars down the drain. All my other plants in my other tanks are doing just fine, so it's definitely these two being a handful. They either uproot everything, shred it to bits, or if I manage to get them rooted without destroying them, they'll just rip off any new leaves and the plant will eventually die. I've tried crypts, Anubis, Vals, floaters - banana plants worked for a bit, but that was it. Water sprite, pennywart, Brazil pennywort, elodea, hornwart... they just rip the leaves right off. I'm at a loss. Thinking of trying some lucky bamboo with just the roots submerged at the end of the tank. Or maybe some water lily bulbs? Problem is, I need something that can withstand these two, and aren't bulbs kinda fragile? Any ideas?
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whetu
Posts: 106
Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2022 8:38 am

Re: Help, my bala shark and pleco are devouring every plant

Post by whetu »

I'd recommend Val for sure, it's a tough one. Java fern's another good option, works well with those fin-nippers. For Cichlids, I always secure the Val, use long cable ties around the base and weigh them down with rocks under the gravel.
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