Biggest fish for planted tank

[Oli]

Out of mere curiosity, what is the largest fish that could be kept in a planted tank.

Would like to get a 500-1000 litre tank next year but am a big fan of heavily planted tanks. Is there anything bigger than discus/Angels that can work?

 

[Nuttawet]

silver dollar or pacu maybe one arowana would do too

 

[Boundava]

Silver dollars may destroy the tank as they will eat many plants. Pacus are listed as herbivores so I would assume they will also go after plants as well.

 

[Alice B]

In my experience silver dollars eat plants, I'd go with a good sized angelfish or maybe a discus

 

[Oli]

Anything other than discus or angels?

 

[FranciscoB]

It depends on what is meant by planted tank, whether a tank where some nice plantings are included, or a truly spectacularly landscaped tank, with very varied and detailed plantings including delicate species in high maintenance fashion.
If the former, a number of large fish are possible. If the latter, most knowledgeable people will only include few and relatively small fish. I only keep the first type of tanks above.

The first tank is 6 foot long, the flagtail Prochilodus is close to 10 inches, and the Hemiodus over 7 inches each.
The second tank is 4 feet long. Silver dollars and planted tanks are possible, but it takes some fish training, creative plant choices (limited depending on the types of SDs), and reasonable expectations from the owner and from the fish. The tiger dollars are ~3.5 jnches, the Colombian tetras about 2 inches.

 

[Oli]

It depends on what is meant by planted tank, whether a tank where some nice plantings are included, or a truly spectacularly landscaped tank, with very varied and detailed plantings including delicate species in high maintenance fashion.
If the former, a number of large fish are possible. If the latter, most knowledgeable people will only include few and relatively small fish. I only keep the first type of tanks above.

The first tank is 6 foot long, the flagtail Prochilodus is close to 10 inches, and the Hemiodus over 7 inches each.
The second tank is 4 feet long. Silver dollars and planted tanks are possible, but it takes some fish training, creative plant choices (limited depending on the types of SDs), and reasonable expectations from the owner and from the fish. The tiger dollars are ~3.5 jnches, the Colombian tetras about 2 inches.

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View attachment 166746

Thank you so much for your response, this is exactly the kind of thing I’m looking for. Both those tanks I would still say are relatively heavily planted, yet still have large fish as a centrepiece. I’ll be sure to look into these species! What is the main plant in the second picture ?

 

[GaryE]

It would help if you narrowed down your question, to Cichlids, barbs, etc. There are dozens of possible cichlids.

 

[Oli]

No preference whatsoever, something 8” plus that won’t destroy plants

 

[Oli]

If you could name me a dozen large cichlids that won’t mess up a planted tank I’m all ears love them

 

[FranciscoB]

What is the main plant in the second picture ?
I believe it is a Hygrophila, but I don't know the species. Similar to Hygrophila "araguaia". To be honest, that is one plant that has done well for me, but whose id I have never been certain of.
Self correction to my prior post - The flagtail is about 8 inches, not 10 (a bit of exageration on my part).

 

[Oli]

The flagtail is a beautiful big centrepiece fish. I’ll certainly look into them a lot more in anticipation of my next tank, thanks for the idea!

 

[Oli]

How would a plant set up like this image, hold up against the following fish.

-Green Terror
-Severums
-Oscars
-Jewel Cichlid
-Flagtail
-Silver Dollar
-Tinfoil Barb
-Bala Shark
-Rainbow shark/Red Tail shark
-Snakehead
-Arowana

 

[Oli]

& Geophagus! ^