# Best plants for malawi tank



## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

You'd probably have to go with plants like Anubias/Java Fern, which don't need to buried in the substrate. Africans will tend to stir up the substrate quite a bit, and will nibble on plants.


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## KayakJimW (Aug 12, 2016)

Any anubias species or type of java fern should do OK in that water. Bolbitis may do OK too, I've had mixed results with it. Jungle Vals and even some Hygrophilia may work too, depending on the species of cichlids you have. Peacocks and Haps should be OK if well fed and leave the plants alone mostly. If you're keeping mbuna, I'd stay with just anubias and java ferns and expect they'll take at least a nibble here and there.


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

I find I can work in different plants if the tank placement is good and that does take some time to learn what your particular fish type likes and how they breed. With African cichlids, there is a very wide range of things that they do. Some will dig a nest site, so it is far better to avoid the type of site where they will dig. I find mbuna will often dig near the edge or structure like rock or wood. So to avid roots being exposed, I put the plants up off the floor or protect the plant roots. You may find things with holes works well for this. One that is handy and cheap for me is Texas holey rock. But it can also work with simple wood with holes drilled for the plant to come out. Getting the plant even a 1/2 inch off the floor will often leave it out of the digging zone. 
I would not work too hard to adjust any hard water to fit the plants as there are plants in hard water all over the world. I just use the plants that work with the water as it is far less work than trying to fight the water? 
I use red tiger lotus, any number of swords, crypts, red myrio, Java fern and moss. I do not have good results with anubia but it is an algae problem more than fish. What type will work best with your fish will take a bit of study and I just go trial and error on that. Some learn to eat plants. I find yellow labs who have been raised in tanks with sacrificial plants will then eat many plants when I move them to other tanks but those who have never been in a tank with plants may not start when plants are added. 
I also find it is easy to confuse eating plants with damage from eating the algae off plants. Those mbuna who do normally eat algae in nature are almost sure to eat algae in your tank. And if that algae is one you plants, there is likely to be damage. Take some time to figure out which fish eats what in nature as a first step? 
I like the combo of large Protomelas like insignus or Empress with flashy, trashy mbuna like yellow labs. The mbuna for the rocks and the open water folks for us above?


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## Mikao (Feb 3, 2017)

My African Cichlids tank used to be heavily planted while they are still around 2" size but once they reached 4" and above all my rooted plants will be uprooted and leaves got nibbled till the plant is bald... My suggestion is no plants for cichlids or like above comments anubias and java fern Will work.

Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk


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## The Dude1 (Jun 17, 2016)

I believe much of my issue is the use of some crushed coral. Only anubias and Crypt ponterifollia survive. In the coming weeks I'm going to swap out the substrate for black Floramax and black sand.


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## KrypleBerry (May 23, 2017)

The Dude1 said:


> I believe much of my issue is the use of some crushed coral. Only anubias and Crypt ponterifollia survive. In the coming weeks I'm going to swap out the substrate for black Floramax and black sand.


That change out will look clean and make those fish and plants pop! I really like floramax the passed 7 months ive used it, one of the cleanest substrates Ive used (doesnt cloud water). I never even needed the bio magnet clarifier they throw in the bag. Despite its rough appearance my corydoras pygmaeus have nice long healthy barbles with no wear and tare and my wifes DAFs are all healthy without any signs of damage on their delicate skin or webbed feet, even their tiny black claws look clean and sharp instead of nubbed down.


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

I come back to setting the tank correctly as the best way to deal with African cichlids if you choose the type who do dig. Think like a fish for a minute and you find they are no more likely to waste time than us. So if you leave a space for them to dig and then put your plants in the spaces where it is awkward or hard to dig, they choose easy. I have mbuna like yellow labs and they like to back up to rocks and tend to dig a hollow under the edge. So I put no plants there. 
The big nine inch Protomelas needs a big area when he finds a female ripe and ready to lay eggs, so I leave him a large spot at the end of the tank. It doesn't come without errors and does take some time to learn each fish but after getting the tank set, it is much like any tank and takes pretty much the same effort. 
A better way to avoid fish digging up the plants is to not go for those who dig! There will be far less digging if there are no females in the tank. Fish don't build a nest for no reason.


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