Plants That Will Survive In A Cichlid Aquarium

[fatheadminnow]

Plants that are planted in a Cichlid tank should be anchored down; either the plant should be planted in pots, or attached to wood or rocks.

Note: Different species of Cichlids will treat plants differently, some will not mind plants, while others will. This is a list of plants that will have the best chance of surviving in a Cichlid Aquarium.

Lighting: Low

Any Species of Anubias.
Scientific names: Anubias barteri var. barteri, Anubias barteri var. angustifolia, Anubias barteri var. caladiifolia, Anubias barteri var. glabra, Anubias barteri var. nana.
Anubias is probably the number 1 plant for a Cichlid tank and will grow very well on drift wood.
Difficulty: Very Easy
Lighting Requirements: Low
Tank Placement: Not Specific
Best planted on drift wood
Very popular

Cryptocoryne wendtii
Difficulty: Very Easy
Lighting Requirements: Low
Tank Placement: Foreground

Java Moss
Scientific name: (Taxiphyllum barbieri)
Difficulty: Very Easy
Lighting Requirements: Low
Tank Placement: Not Specific
Very popular

Java Fern
Scientific name: (Microsorium pteropus)
Difficulty: Easy
Lighting Requirements: Low
Tank Placement: Not Specific
Very popular

Lighting: Medium Low

Crinum natans
Difficulty: Moderate
Lighting Requirements: Medium Low
Tank Placement: Backdrop
Popular

Lighting: Medium


Vallisneria gigantea
Difficulty: Moderate
Lighting Requirements: Medium
Tank Placement: Backdrop
Popular

Amazon Broadleaf Sword
Scientific name: (Echinodorus amazonicus, & Echinodorus bleheri)
Also known as: Echinodorus brevipedicellatus, or Echinodorus paniculatus
Difficulty: Moderate
Lighting Requirements: Medium
Tank Placement: Backdrop
Very popular

Giant Bacopa
Scientific name: Bacopa caroliniana
Difficulty: Moderate
Lighting Requirements: Medium
Tank Placement: Backdrop

Lighting: Medium High

Melon Sword
Scientific name: ( Ech, Osiris)
Difficulty: Moderate
Lighting Requirements: Medium High
Tank Placement: Backdrop
Popular

Kleiner Bar Sword
Difficulty: Moderate
Lighting Requirements: Medium High
Tank Placement: Backdrop
Popular

Nomaphila stricta
Difficulty: Moderate
Lighting Requirements: Medium High
Tank Placement: Backdrop

Green Ozelot Sword
Scientific name: (Ech. Ozelot)
Difficulty: Moderate
Lighting Requirements: Medium High
Tank Placement: Backdrop
Popular

Lighting: High


Riccia fluitans
Difficulty: Moderate
Lighting Requirements: High
Tank Placement: Floating or strapped down to objects.
Water conditions:
Temperature: 59-86° F (15-30° C)
pH: 6.8-8.0
Popular

-FHM
All text and pictures in this post are copyright fatheadminnow, 2009

 

[Chief Brody]

Water lily goes bananas

Sent from my SM-G730V using Tapatalk

 

[crunch7]

This actually depends on the type of cichlid you have in the tank and how healthy they are. Fortunately most of my fish are healthy until recently where I have encountered some internal parasite issue and I am treating my tank. Now back to the topic I have tried most of these plants as mentioned above my Venustus EATS THEM ALL. So if the cichlid is a herbivore or an omnivore the chances of the plant surviving is pretty low. If your fish is happy , which means that he/she is showing his/her natural behaviour as most of the 5 great lakes in Africa from which cichlid originate are more of rocks and sand then any vegetation on the lake base.

 

[BriTheFishGuy]

I can’t recall the name of this plant but it has been very compatible with my African Cichlid tank since the beginning, about 3 months.

 

[fatheadminnow]

I can’t recall the name of this plant but it has been very compatible with my African Cichlid tank since the beginning, about 3 months. View attachment 116416

Awesome! Thank you for sharing this!

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I can’t recall the name of this plant but it has been very compatible with my African Cichlid tank since the beginning, about 3 months. View attachment 116416

Looks like a Corkscrew Val to me.

 

[FishHobby99]

Plants that are planted in a Cichlid tank should be anchored down; either the plant should be planted in pots, or attached to wood or rocks.

Note: Different species of Cichlids will treat plants differently, some will not mind plants, while others will. This is a list of plants that will have the best chance of surviving in a Cichlid Aquarium.

Lighting: Low

Any Species of Anubias.
Scientific names: Anubias barteri var. barteri, Anubias barteri var. angustifolia, Anubias barteri var. caladiifolia, Anubias barteri var. glabra, Anubias barteri var. nana.
Anubias is probably the number 1 plant for a Cichlid tank and will grow very well on drift wood.
Difficulty: Very Easy
Lighting Requirements: Low
Tank Placement: Not Specific
Best planted on drift wood
Very popular

Cryptocoryne wendtii
Difficulty: Very Easy
Lighting Requirements: Low
Tank Placement: Foreground

Java Moss
Scientific name: (Taxiphyllum barbieri)
Difficulty: Very Easy
Lighting Requirements: Low
Tank Placement: Not Specific
Very popular

Java Fern
Scientific name: (Microsorium pteropus)
Difficulty: Easy
Lighting Requirements: Low
Tank Placement: Not Specific
Very popular

Lighting: Medium Low

Crinum natans
Difficulty: Moderate
Lighting Requirements: Medium Low
Tank Placement: Backdrop
Popular

Lighting: Medium


Vallisneria gigantea
Difficulty: Moderate
Lighting Requirements: Medium
Tank Placement: Backdrop
Popular

Amazon Broadleaf Sword
Scientific name: (Echinodorus amazonicus, & Echinodorus bleheri)
Also known as: Echinodorus brevipedicellatus, or Echinodorus paniculatus
Difficulty: Moderate
Lighting Requirements: Medium
Tank Placement: Backdrop
Very popular

Giant Bacopa
Scientific name: Bacopa caroliniana
Difficulty: Moderate
Lighting Requirements: Medium
Tank Placement: Backdrop

Lighting: Medium High

Melon Sword
Scientific name: ( Ech, Osiris)
Difficulty: Moderate
Lighting Requirements: Medium High
Tank Placement: Backdrop
Popular

Kleiner Bar Sword
Difficulty: Moderate
Lighting Requirements: Medium High
Tank Placement: Backdrop
Popular

Nomaphila stricta
Difficulty: Moderate
Lighting Requirements: Medium High
Tank Placement: Backdrop

Green Ozelot Sword
Scientific name: (Ech. Ozelot)
Difficulty: Moderate
Lighting Requirements: Medium High
Tank Placement: Backdrop
Popular

Lighting: High


Riccia fluitans
Difficulty: Moderate
Lighting Requirements: High
Tank Placement: Floating or strapped down to objects.
Water conditions:
Temperature: 59-86° F (15-30° C)
pH: 6.8-8.0
Popular

-FHM
All text and pictures in this post are copyright fatheadminnow, 2009

nice post. I would like to plant my cichlid tank. They excavate & move everything that can around. Didn’t have much hope for plants, but will give it a go

 

[rmamjvv]

I attached two different Anubias and a Java Fern to rocks using the super glue method. I currently have them in my 125g peacock tank. They are doing quite well. The peacocks have not bothered them at all (fingers crossed), but then again the fish are only 3"-4." There is a lot of room for them to swim so that may be one reason why the plants have not been bothered.

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

I can’t recall the name of this plant but it has been very compatible with my African Cichlid tank since the beginning, about 3 months. View attachment 116416

Crinum calamistratum

 

[Naughts]

Crinum calamistratum

Well done! I knew the previous ID was wrong but couldn't recall the correct name. I will sleep better now!

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

Well done! I knew the previous ID was wrong but couldn't recall the correct name. I will sleep better now!

I only know because I have one myself

 

[Gamegurl564]

Nice post thanks. If this is an older post forgive me for replying. Wondered why you didn't have Bucephalandra on there. There are alot of awesome choices with them.
Cheers and thanks