Loaches Online Forum

is there ANY live plant that clowns won't eat/shred/poke holes in/dig up/destroy, etc???? Mine were fine with live plants, until they have reached their current size- as little bitty babies, they never bothered the plants. Suddenly, it's like they are a gang of 5 inch teenagers with destructive tendencies! Any advice appreciated!!!


Kate

Anubias and Javafern might work.

Kind regards
Marius

Thanks, Marius...but Annubias seems to be one of their favorites! My large specimen has become so much shredded stems. It started with holes in the leaves, then entire leaves decimated...now they are busy tearing up what is left of the stalks

I'm not sure about Javafern. Seems like it might be a little too delicate to stand up to them for long, but it's worth a shot, I suppose. Anything I put in the clown tank can quickly be moved to one of my other tanks if I notice it is getting 'tasted'...but they are quick little devils!


Kate

have you tried java fern or moss? i see your reasoning, but loaches are not always sensible. my yoyos took great pleasure in ripping up a well established lump of anubias in no time. they just ripped through the stems and removed to the wood, and chopped it into bits so it became floating anubias pieces. but the java fern and moss have survived and grown. the moss established etself, and now they like nosing arouund in it to get granules or frozen food that might be lurking in it, and it withstands that fine. clowns will have more force than my yoyos so, so i take no resposibilty if your clowns rip up the java fern in minutes, just to prove me wrong

good luck