Loaches Online Forum

Hi all,

Looking for some suggestions for hardy and beginner friendly plants for the new river tank I am setting up.

The key for me here is that they require very little in terms of special treatment, and that they will not in any way harm the fish in the tank due to my inexperience with live plants.

The tank is 75 gallons. Has some mopani driftwood in it, and quartz pool filter sand substrate and a standard hood light. It is in the middle of the living room so will get occasional sun... but indirect.

If nothing fits the bill, that is fine too... but figured I would check.

anubias and java fern spring to mind, but how big are your clowns? wisteria will also be nice (it can either float or be planted in the substrate.

once they get big one of their favorite 'sports' is destroying plants.

both of the above can be attached to driftwood, don't require high light or much in the way of care.

small clowns will cohabitate with echinodorus, crypts and most other plants - though they will pop holes in leafy plants and snip off new shoots of other tender stem plants.

Where are you located? Below is an aquatic plant supplier in the US.
http://www.freshwateraquariumplants.com/

Thank you!

I am in Boston, MA and will give that online store a look.

My loaches are pretty small still, 2 to 4 inches I'd say. I am not so worried about them digging up or destroying the plants... I will be adding them for their enjoyment more than anything, so if they choose to break their toys, so be it.

I was more worried about ME destroying the plants, or worse, adding in something that would hurt the fish due to my inexperience with them.

i am useless at keeping aquatic plants alive, but i have found anubias and java fern unkillable. i bought some jumbo java fern which arrived in poor condition, with very little roots, and i bunged it in with a weight to keep it in a bunch and leaves poiting up, and left it. lots of the leaves started to die back, but are growing lots of baby plants so i will have plenty of plants once they grow bigger.

java moss has done well in my tank with the highest current too, and has needed no looking after at all