Buenos Aires Tetras And Plants

[BPB]

Hey everyone, sorry if this is in the wrong section, it's a general question and this forum gets alot of traffic.

I have 10 medium sized Buenos Aires Tetras right now, and no plants. I'm mineralizing some topsoil right now and am moving in 8 weeks. I want to spend that time conditioning my soil so it is perfect for move in day, and I will want to plant fairly heavily right from the start.

I'm going low tech all the way, with low light, and high quality soil, and a single canister filter for some movement (fairly bad at mechanical filtration though).

I have read so many horror stories on how Buenos Aires Tetras can dismantle a planted tank in days and how they wreak havoc on most plants. I see some people successfully keep them though.

Petsmart and Petco are really tough to get to take fish in my town, most of the time they flat out refuse to, even for free. I don't know if I will be able to get rid of them.

Does anyone have any recommendations of tough plants that they aren't likely to nip at? I would hate to see nothing but frayed leaves all over the tank.

I was hoping to have some tall vals, amazon swords, java ferns, anubias, and probably some cambodia and hornswort. Will any of those plants survive?

Anyone with experience I would really appreciate some advice on what to plant so I don't have to re-home my fish, but can keep beautiful plants. I would hate for all this hard work on my soil to go to waste.

 

[moochy13]

my swords and crypts have never been touched by my BA tetra. ive never seent hem show even the remotest interest in them. i had some xmas moss aswell that was left alone.

 

[BPB]

my swords and crypts have never been touched by my BA tetra. ive never seent hem show even the remotest interest in them. i had some xmas moss aswell that was left alone.

That is good news to hear. I'm finding the more and more people I ask, the more say that it should be fine based on their experiences. I've read so many articles advising caution but only heard one horror story so far out of 10 or so bits of advice I've gotten. Is the tank you are referring to the one pictured in your signature? It looks absolutely fantastic. What are your lighting stats, ferts, CO2, ect? I would love some giant swords like that, you have a similar aquascape to what I am hoping to achieve.

 

[moochy13]

yes that is the tank. they probably arent as giant as you think, the tank is only 15 inches high. its a single 36W bulb in about 133L or something. i dont use any co2, or ferts, or plant food or anything like that. i just let the plants get on with it. whether a fish eats plants is one thing i always forget to check when buying fish, ive managed to get lucky so far in that nothing i have is eating them. my rusty plec demolished one plant when i put him in, but since then hasnt touched them.