Plecos and Amazon swords, deadly combo? any exceptions?
Posted: 14 Dec 2006, 16:39
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There are probably some Loricariidae (plecos) that find some of the Amazon sword varieties irresistable, but in my experience, the common problem with Amazon swords and Loricariidae is that the fish is simply too hungry to resist the oppurtunity of the plant.
From reports, some Amazon sword varieties are definitely less apetizing than others.
Some genera of Loricariidae are also less likely to harm plants, for example are almost entirely carnivores, so they will only really eat plants as a very last resort. Other genera may be more likely to attack plants, but I'd say that if you feed them with a constant supply of courgette [zucchini on the left side of the atlantic] or other vegetable/fruit, you shouldn't really have a problem with the plants. I have a fairly large set of (one species tho') Amazon swords in my tank, and there are leaves that are a bit "laced", but it's not a big problem, the plants grow quicker than the fish eat them... [See photos in signature below].
Moderator hat on: Could you fill in your location in the profile [top right of the screen] so that we now roughly where you live - it helps when it comes to localized advice such as where or what you should look for... (and it's part of the rules of the forum too).
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Mats
