Is it just impossible to these guys with plants?

[Kingster]

So I have a 120 gallon set up with 4 panda uaru and 7 rio nannay green discus, afew other small tank mates. I really like the val jungle look, and I was curious if there is any plants they will eat very little or nun at all.Like I know they are basically same behaviour as regular Uaru except for the beingmore aggressive. Can they be chill with any plants, I would like to avoid java fern and anubius as they are on and off in success and I rly want a rooted plant, and also floating plants. Any help is appreciated, feel free to ask anything if you want.

 

[adamsfishes]

I've never kept uaru, but discus definitely do not bother plants.

 

[kno4te]

Try fake plants.

 

[The Morning]

I am not really a fan of fake plants but i will say the plants offered from Universal rocks, while expensive, have survived very well with my African cichlids. They are weighted down in faux rocks that I have buried in the substrate. What I liked is the fact that they extended all the way to the top of my tank.

 

[Kingster]

Try fake plants.

Fake plants will be chewed on, and cause digestive issues

 

[fishhead0103666]

Make algae grow? I can't remember the thread but someone on this site has a lovely tank filled with algae of different colors. You could fool around with different lighting and potentially get some interesting algae to grow. If done correctly it could out grow the uaru eating it.
Also, it's nice to hear from you again. Just a few days ago I had been wondering why you went quiet.

 

[Rob909]

I used to keep Uaru and there wasn’t any plant that was safe. Not even horn wort. They ate EVERYTHING, roots, leaves, and stems. I only have live plants now because I got rid of my Uaru.

 

[tiger15]

Discus are fine, Uaru, a known herbivore, may not, but it also depends on the type of plants. I keep Java fern with Severum, also a known herbivore, are fine. Java fern has tough texture, and some say it tastes bitter (how do they know?) so it is unappetizing to herbivore. Anubia, Buce and Bolbidis with similar tough texture may work too. Some cichlid will destroy plants for the sake of destruction even though they don’t eat plants. Red devil, flowerhorn and Oscar don’t eat but will destroy plants because they are big and powerful. Give it a trial with tough textured plants and it may work.

 

[duanes]

Uaru are predominantly vegetarian (or at minimum 50% so), but there are no aquatic plants in their habitat.
Sounds like a conflict, but they normally eat fallen leaves from terrestrial plants, fallen fruit, and seeds that end up in the river. Fallen leaves and wood probably account for the normal pH of 5 they prefer, and brown tint caused by tannins.
Many of these food items are tough, so even plants like Anubis might be considered tasty, or in the least edible.
One other consideration, since there are no aquatic plants in their habitat, they may instictually see plants, as a place where a predator could lie in wait for them, and need to be cleared away. These instincts don't just disappear because they are in a glass box
Even non-vegetarian cichlids will clear a DMZ of sorts around a spawning site for optimum view of approaching danger.

 

[local hero]

I have a Uaru amphiacanthoides in with a bunch of Crinum thaianum that it barely touches, has been that way for about a year. Allegedly the Cirnum have a bad taste.