live plants and cichlids & crayfish

We will soon be moving our crayfish to a larger tank and we were wondering if he would prefer live plants to the artificial ones. Presently, he loves to chew up and destroy the plastic ones.

Secondly, do cichlids like or prefer live plants?

Thanks,
Buzz

 

I know nothing of crayfish, but if he likes to chew on objects and to destroy them, lol, I suppose he'd do the same with live plants?

As for Cichlids in general, it depends on the species. Angelfish and Discus, for example, are Cichlids and they both love planted tanks. Lake MalawI Cichlids, on the other hand, like rocky settings with a lot of stones/cobbles/rocks in their tanks (and I think lots of caves).

 

Thanks Isabella, you are probably right...I may wake up and find the crayfish and 3 little plant pots with beautiful stalks and stumps! ;D

Buzz

 

The crawfish will destroy live plants just like he does the plastic ones.

Many of your cichlids species will destroy plants also. Like Isabella said, the angels and discus love planted tanks, and the african cichlids prefer rocks. I have a shelldweller tank with lots of live plants in it, and everyone is stumped because these shellies normally bury everything in the tank with sand, but mine aren't the diggers most of them are. Most folks with african cichlids say the fish destroy plants in their tanks, so they don't have them in the tank.

 

Thanks for all the advice. I will opt for more rocky ornaments and forget the potted plants.

Buzz

 

I guess you could keep the plastic plants in (if they can last for a while, that is, lol). And if you don't mind buying new plastic plants every once in a while, why not do that? It'll give some hiding places for your fish, unless you have caves.

 

I'll get some of the harder plastic plants...they should be able to hold up to the crayfish for a little while any way...I will also try to get a few caves in there.

Thanks, Buzz