Thinking of trying another planted tank...

[DMD123]

My last go around with a planted tank seemed like a lot of work in some ways. First my choice of plants was okay but I realized that the Java fern was super messy and I had constant plant debris everywhere. The anubias did pretty well and I had success with some types but not others. The stuff from Petsmart and Petco did well but I pretty much lost the fancy types from Buce. Then when my bristle nosed plecos started to breed and I had baby plecos everywhere, the anubias had holes in the leaves from those little monsters and the tank looked horrible.

So this time around Im thinking of an anubias only tank with my hairy puffer as the sole occupant. This would be in the 46g bowfront, which is the tank I had done as planted previously. Not 100% sure if I am going to go this route but looking for something different, especially in a tank where the inhabitant is not really a mover.

Is there any other plant that is similar to an anubias that I should consider? A plant that is durable and does not make a lot of waste with dying leaves or what not...

 

[fishguy1978]

The only other plant I would recommend is bolbitus. It's similar to Java fern. Maybe Java moss but it can be messy.
Bolbitus

 

[DMD123]

That looks very similar to the windelov java fern I had. Was kind of a messy plant. Was hoping for maybe something in a thicker leaf like the anubias but maybe taller or longer for a background plant.

 

[fishguy1978]

A. frazeri grows taller

 

[DMD123]

A. frazeri grows taller

That one looks promising. A taller plant with elongated leaves should work well in the taller bowfront

 

[sir_keith]

I'm not seeing a happy outcome here, because all live plants, even Anubias, tend towards 'messy.' If they're not happy, they will wither and die, quickly or slowly doesn't matter, it will inevitably be messy. If they are happy, they will grow profusely, and that profusion in and of itself will be 'messy.' Like this-



New growth at the crowns, atrophying down below, roots everywhere; fighting for light and survival; it's what plants do. I actually like that kind of wild exuberance, as shown clearly in the state of my garden, but not everyone does.

 

[DMD123]

The anubias were very clean in comparison to the Java fern. The Java fern was constantly having pieces die off and pieces breaking off as part of its normal propagation method. Plus the plants root base held a lot of waste which I would have to gravel vac up. This time around I wont have a ton of little fishes with little fish poo everywhere just the puffer with medium sized waste that I can gravel vac up easily. My anubias was doing quite well with multiple times having it flower and having decent growth. Didnt really get messey until baby plecos were going at it. I had to trim a bunch of leaves off to get it looking somewhat better. I think if I stay with the anubias family it would be within the type of mess I would be willing to deal with.