How To Stop Fish From Digging Up Plant?

[Lauryn]

Almost every morning my lobelia cardinalis plant is floating instead of stuck in the sand substrate because my Corydoras have dug it up.

I've tried making the sand deeper where it's planted but the Corys still find a way to dig them up.

They love playing in the plants so I don't want to cover with gravel as it might hurt their barbels. Is there a way I can stop them from doing that?

 

[Crispii]

You can keep gravel with Corys.

 

[Orion1066]

Almost every morning my lobelia cardinalis plant is floating instead of stuck in the sand substrate because my Corydoras have dug it up.

I've tried making the sand deeper where it's planted but the Corys still find a way to dig them up.

They love playing in the plants so I don't want to cover with gravel as it might hurt their barbels. Is there a way I can stop them from doing that?

When I have something in my tank, that I wish to keep rooted in the gravel, I place one or two marble chips on the base, or and edge, to cover the base. Depending upon what color marble you choose, I like white, it can also be decorative, and functional.

Good luck.

 

[Zacahriah]

So I have had a similar issue. I have Tiger barbs and a pleco who loves to dig holes EVERYWHERE. I have only Fluval Stratum (no gravel) and that stuff is SUPER light. I had several planted Dwarf hairs and monte Carlo planted but every morning I would wake up to see and least half of them floating around waiting to be replanted. I placed the plant deep into the substrate so that it requires more effort to be uprooted and also simply waited. As the plants grow roots, they will become more established into the sand, gravel or whatever you have. Sand is probably going to be a bit difficult due to how fine it is but once they establish a strong root system I'm sure they will start to stay put. Good luck!

 

[MissNoodle]

But... but the fun is replanting it every morning!!!

Lol I have the same issue with my cories and water wisteria.

You could take bottle caps, drill a hole just enough to fit the stem in, and place the plant in it, anchor it into the sand. Itll anchor it stronger

 

[Elkwatcher]

You could also pot them up in small terracotta and leave them grouped on your substrate. (internet photo)

 

[angelcraze]

You could also use gravel in spots to anchor your plants. Like you don't have to add gravel to the whole thing, just around your cardinalis plants. You'd think the gravel would sink because it's heavier, but the finer particles actually fall between the larger ones and compact.

That or I use bio rings and a piece of floss to cushion and keep it flossed thru. I bury the bio ring and it anchors the stem plant so it can establish roots.
Like this

 

[Lauryn]

You can keep gravel with Corys.

Thanks, Good to know

But... but the fun is replanting it every morning!!!

Lol I have the same issue with my cories and water wisteria.

You could take bottle caps, drill a hole just enough to fit the stem in, and place the plant in it, anchor it into the sand. Itll anchor it stronger

Lol, cories will be cories
I'll give the bottle cap idea a go, and use orion1066 of marble chips

You could also pot them up in small terracotta and leave them grouped on your substrate. (internet photo)View attachment 585264

I love the look and the idea of pots but if it's like vegetable gardening the roots may get rootbound which would then require re-potting

 

[richiep]

I had the same problem so in the end I took their picks and shovels off them, it did the trick

 

[Cherie G]

You could also use gravel in spots to anchor your plants. Like you don't have to add gravel to the whole thing, just around your cardinalis plants. You'd think the gravel would sink because it's heavier, but the finer particles actually fall between the larger ones and compact.

That or I use bio rings and a piece of floss to cushion and keep it flossed thru. I bury the bio ring and it anchors the stem plant so it can establish roots.
Like this
View attachment 585266

What a wonderful idea using the bio ring to anchor your plant, that is so clever! Going to give it a try tonight. Thanks!

 

[Crispii]

Thanks, Good to know

Even Cory say that Corydoras are found in areas that has sharp substrates in the wild.

 

[angelcraze]

I love the look and the idea of pots but if it's like vegetable gardening the roots may get rootbound which would then require re-potting

I've had my swords potted for 4 or 5 years. Same pots, same dirt, I just add a root tab every little while when they look like they need a boost. If anything the plants are a bit dwarfed, but that's ok with large Amazon swords for most tanks and keeping their roots bound is better than letting them set up roots over the whole bottom tank footprint. It also allows them to be relocated.

 

[mattgirl]

I've had my swords potted for 4 or 5 years. Same pots, same dirt, I just add a root tab every little while when they look like they need a boost. If anything the plants are a bit dwarfed, but that's ok with large Amazon swords for most tanks and keeping their roots bound is better than letting them set up roots over the whole bottom tank footprint. It also allows them to be relocated.

If I planted mine in pots would a mixture of sand and gravel work or do they need to be in dirt capped with sand or gravel? I really like this solution to preventing my plants from being uprooted. I have already followed your idea of using bio-rings for some of my plants.

 

[angelcraze]

If I planted mine in pots would a mixture of sand and gravel work or do they need to be in dirt capped with sand or gravel? I really like this solution to preventing my plants from being uprooted. I have already followed your idea of using bio-rings fro some of my plants.

I would use organic soil (or any soil without synthetic fertilizers) because swords LOVE dirt. You wouldn't need to add a root tab for a couple years likely. Soil has a very high cation exchange (CEC), so it absorbs nutrients from the root tab very easily. With soil in the pot, I can't even tell I have dirt in my tank. The dirt totally stays in the pot. I cap it with Pool Filter Sand and gravel about 1/4 of the way.

These are my swords when I was growing them out (and baby angels haha)


I used the same pots when I moved them to my 120 gallon here


And still the same pots

 

[Lauryn]

I would use organic soil (or any soil without synthetic fertilizers) because swords LOVE dirt. You wouldn't need to add a root tab for a couple years likely. Soil has a very high cation exchange (CEC), so it absorbs nutrients from the root tab very easily. With soil in the pot, I can't even tell I have dirt in my tank. The dirt totally stays in the pot. I cap it with Pool Filter Sand and gravel about 1/4 of the way.

These are my swords when I was growing them out (and baby angels haha)
View attachment 585417

I used the same pots when I moved them to my 120 gallon here
View attachment 585416

And still the same pots
View attachment 585415

Your aquarium looks amazing
I'm going to give this a try. Thanks

 

[mattgirl]

I would use organic soil (or any soil without synthetic fertilizers) because swords LOVE dirt. You wouldn't need to add a root tab for a couple years likely. Soil has a very high cation exchange (CEC), so it absorbs nutrients from the root tab very easily. With soil in the pot, I can't even tell I have dirt in my tank. The dirt totally stays in the pot. I cap it with Pool Filter Sand and gravel about 1/4 of the way.

These are my swords when I was growing them out (and baby angels haha)
View attachment 585417

I used the same pots when I moved them to my 120 gallon here
View attachment 585416

And still the same pots
View attachment 585415

What are those wonderful looking plants all along the front and strategically placed all over the 120?

 

[angelcraze]

What are those wonderful looking plants all along the front and strategically placed all over the 120?

I think you are looking at stargrass. I can't keep it anymore in that tank because one angelfish taught the others how to play with stargrass and rip it out sending it floating unch:, but it's probably my favorite stem plant.

 

[mattgirl]

I think you are looking at stargrass. I can't keep it anymore in that tank because one angelfish taught the others how to play with stargrass and rip it out sending it floating unch:, but it's probably my favorite stem plant.

Well shoot. That is a bummer I can see where it would be your favorite. It is a very pretty plant.

 

[NC122606]

Yeah, I have trouble with this all the time...

 

[BakedBrotatoes]

I've kept the plant weights that came with the plants when I bought them. Never got uprooted despite 4 cories in 20 gallon.