uprooted plants and displaced gravel

[trollmaster]

I'm really struggling to prevent this issue, can anyone offer some advice on how to stop it from happening in the future

[dorvex]

Got plants, what fish you got with them?

[TwinTankman]

African cichlids tend to be quite aggressive towards plants, they can cause a lot of damage.

[flarionix]

I've had my fair share of struggles with African cichlids and plants. I had two java ferns in with them, and every morning, those little guys would've uprooted them. I tried to bury them deeper, but it didn't work - they'd just rip chunks off and then it'd get stuck in the filter. I eventually gave up and got rid of the plants altogether.

The gravel's another story. My cichlids are always moving it around, and every time I clean the tank, there's this one spot that's clear down to the bottom. Haven't found a way to fix it yet, so I just smooth it back out each time I clean.

[flinta]

Cichlids are just naturally inclined to do this sort of thing.

[dorvex]

I've had luck with Java fern and anubias, they seem to hold up to cichlids pretty well. I just zip tie them to the wood or rocks, keeps them from getting uprooted. Had both in with my africans and americans, no issues.

[trollmaster]

The worst part is, it keeps exposing the UGF, which is a real pain to deal with.

[dorvex]

UGF not the best choice for cichlids that love to dig.
How deep is the gravel on top of the UGF?

[trollmaster]

The gravel depth is about 1.2 cm, and it's only getting uprooted in one specific spot, which is where the UGF is uncovered.

[dorvex]

To be honest, 1.2 cm just isn't enough for an UGF, regardless of the fish you're keeping. Most UGFs need at least 1.5 - 2 inches of gravel on top to function properly.