# List of fish to avoid in planted tank?



## sohankpatel (Jul 10, 2015)

Goldfish eat plants. Flagfish are amazing algae control, but they eat plants when they are low on algae. I wouldn't avoid Flagfish though. I have 2 and they nibble on the roots but don't really do damage


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## zerodameaon (Dec 2, 2014)

Silver dollars will see your tank as a buffet.


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## frog111 (Feb 13, 2006)

Rift Valley cichlids are often a challenge for planted tanks. 

Larger central and south American cichlids also wreak havoc on plants, usually just uprooting them. 

Red eared sliders and other turtles often devour plants.

Tinfoil barbs will mow down your plants almost as quick as silver dollars.


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## DaveK (Jul 10, 2010)

You really can't make up such a list.

Yes, all the fish the others mentioned can be a real problem in planted tanks. However, it's not possible to cover everything. Also, sometimes you add a fish that should be ok, but the one you get is a problem. You just never know. Even those Buenos Aires Tetras might work out in some planted tanks if you keep them very well fed, and you have tough leafed plants.

What you need to do is to check out each fish before you get it. That will help you avoid the obvious problem fish. If your in doubt, either don't buy, or have a plan B for anything that doesn't work out.


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## sohankpatel (Jul 10, 2015)

I also dont think anyone mentioned plecos, the larger ones will uproot plants and damage them when the flip out and move quickly when they are startled


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

Some Loaches are questionable in planted tanks. This is not a given with all members of a species, but it has been reported that some members are not good in a planted tank. 
The most noted burrowing Loaches are not a good bet: 
Weather Loaches are especially noted burrowers. Kuhlis and Yoyo Loaches may burrow. 
I have heard of Clown Loaches hitting or biting the larger leaves like Sword plants and Anubias. 

Fish that are not usually thought of as problems with plants include the Anabantoids. However, some males will nip plants and include the bits in their bubble nests. 

Bala Sharks can nibble plants. 
Filimentosa Barbs nibble plants. 
Many Barbs have a taste for plants, but not so strong that they need to be avoided in a planted tank, as long as you feed them vegetables regularly. 

Larger Loricariads can damage plants by their sucking action, rasping the leaves. 
Smaller Loricariads are usually safe. (Otocinclus, others)


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## Immortal1 (Feb 18, 2015)

It may also depend on what type of plants you have in the tank. In my case, my fish really didn't bother the anubias, java fern, crypts, or swords. I added some mermaid weed and they thought it was real weed and pretty much mowed thru it. The little rotela indica does just fine. The bigger L aromatica gets chewed on alot but is surviving. 
So, it may just depend on what fish you have and what plants you keep.


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## tims880 (Jun 29, 2006)

I have seen all kinds of planted tank pics with Angels in them.....
My 2 would not stop eating them. I had to give the away.


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## morfeeis (Jan 15, 2015)

my australian rainbow think my salvinia are treats, i was pissed that i could grow them in one tank and not another. then one day i noticed right after i put some in the damn rainbows would come up and swallow the darn things.


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## miogpsrocks (Sep 3, 2015)

DaveK said:


> You really can't make up such a list.
> 
> Yes, all the fish the others mentioned can be a real problem in planted tanks. However, it's not possible to cover everything. Also, sometimes you add a fish that should be ok, but the one you get is a problem. You just never know. Even those Buenos Aires Tetras might work out in some planted tanks if you keep them very well fed, and you have tough leafed plants.
> 
> What you need to do is to check out each fish before you get it. That will help you avoid the obvious problem fish. If your in doubt, either don't buy, or have a plan B for anything that doesn't work out.



Ugh, I did check each fish before I got it. I even printed this out and took it to the store with me 


It shows Tetra and plants are good to go as well as ok for the other fish. See the green circle where both items cross? 

Neon tetra or Burenos Aires tetra both are shown as the exact same thing on the chart.
They need an updated chart. You can have a chart like this for nothing but different types of Tetras. 

This is crazy.


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## jun_celis (Nov 16, 2015)

Tagging


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## DaveK (Jul 10, 2010)

miogpsrocks said:


> Ugh, I did check each fish before I got it. I even printed this out and took it to the store with me
> 
> 
> It shows Tetra and plants are good to go as well as ok for the other fish. See the green circle where both items cross?
> ...


This is my whole point about how you can't really make us such a list and you can't depend upon the ones out there. You will never get a good chart. 

Yes, I know, people have been trying to make such charts since the hobby started. I have yet to see one that I though was any good.

The bottom line is that you need to either need to already know about the fish you want to add, or you need to find out before you buy it. Obviously, don't depend upon your LFS for this. 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I never made a similar mistake. I have. Consider it a lesson learned and now you know not to depend on the charts.


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## BootyBrown (Apr 17, 2013)

My flagfish seem to have taken a liking to any hygro species as they will tear them all apart within a few days. Since most of the hygro I had is gone, they've started going at my downoi. I wanted to flush em down the toilet when I found out it was them, rather than a nutrient deficiency.


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

*Anyone keep sword tails in planted tanks? * I wanted to try some koi swords soon.. maybe..?

Leopard sailfin plecos aka Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps (sometimes sold as "Columbia pleco") are NOT plant safe-I had one...over fed him with veggies and algae wafers and he _still _ate every plant including anubias and java fern! Ugh had to use an aquaponic NFT system to help with nitrates but keep plants out of his reach...


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## Bushkill (Feb 15, 2012)

Angelfish will nibble soft stems. Rotalas are a favorite. They don't touch mosses, crypts. anubias and most hygros.

In preparation for spawning they can get a little carried away with cleaning amazon sword leaves, but it's almost always just a single large leaf that they pick out.

Little Pea-sized angels eat the roots off of duckweed and the plant dies; that I can vouch for firsthand. I don't know if they'll do the same to other floaters but logic tells me they will.

I have bunches of swordtails and they don't bother plants at all.


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## The Dude (Feb 8, 2011)

My Congo Tetras have eaten most of my swords and anubias as well as all of the crypts


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