Who Gives A Fish Forums

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

Got plants, what fish you got with them?

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.