You will not have uprooted plants with the rams. Like many cichlids, they are substrate filter feeders (make sure the gravel is not at all rough, sand is preferable but fine gravel can work) but once plants are established you should not have issues. The larger cichlids that really like to dig can destroy some plants.
The current and accepted name of the genus, Mikrogeophagus, erected by Meulengracht-Madsen in 1968, is derived from the Greek mikro (small), geo (earth) and phagos (to eat), so literally "small earth-eater." This is in reference to the fish's feeding habit.
