Kribs and angels are certainly cichlid, but they don't count as challenging cichlid to keep with plants. Angel and discus are vertical surface spawner and they don't rearrange substrate. Dwarf cichlid lack the power to do damage to plants.If Kribs count as cichlids, I've got kribs and angels (and friends) in a heavily planted tank right now. No problems.
Same here. The Kribs rip up plants in the way of their eggs or fry, but don't damage more than a few square inches in a heavily planted tank. My goldfish on the other hand grrr.Kribs and angels are certainly cichlid, but they don't count as challenging cichlid to keep with plants. Angel and discus are vertical surface spawner and they don't rearrange substrate. Dwarf cichlid lack the power to do damage to plants.
Keeping large cichlid outside angel and discuss is a challenge. Substrate spawners are worse than mouthbrooders. My first two big guys to rehome were a 9 and 10" Green Terror and Bifas, because they routinely rearrange the plantscape. My Frontosa was the last to go. Even thought he did not rearrange the plantscape as a routine, he was too powerful and one nib a plant is gone.
Now that I have cichlid under 6 inch, they still do it but lack the power to do significant damage. In WC, I still have to pick up planted rock and shake off blown over gravel, and replant (reglue) loosen plants once for a while. Aulonocara species behave the best, as they don't touch the plantscape. Mbuna do to some extent, but they lack the power to do damage. When my EBA breed and clean a nest site, expect some damage if a plant is in their way. This is why I can only keep tough texture plants. So far, the repair work I have to make is minor and infrequent, allowing me to enjoy plants and the cichlid I like in cohabitant.
It’s easy to get frustrated if you are first timer on plants, particularly if you try to keep messy cichlid with plants. During my early learning curve, my plants got shredded, uprooted, and covered with algae. There were times I had to replant every day, and was so frustrated thinking of giving up plants and returning to fish only. I had to get rid of cichlid larger than 6 inch, no breeding of egg layers except for dwarfs. Lately, I had to remove all female EBA, because a breeding pair would keep shredding plants to make nest. Dwarf Kribs are fine, and I have a colony breeding in the rock caves underneath the plants. Mouth brooding peacocks are fine. They don’t pair up and make permanent nest. My plants used to be covered with ugly black beard covered algae. I spot treat with peroxide during water change, and dose Excel. Now all algae are gone.I really like your plants.
I was doing good for a while, but now almost everything has die, been shredded, uprooted, or eaten. I miss plants, but I’ll be taking a break from them for now.
Great job with yours.