Help- I Need Very Small Plants That Rams Will Not Eat

[TigerIssey]

Just over a week ago, for my 24" deep 23 UK gallon almost 2wpg aquarium, I purchased an Ultricularia graminifolia and a Pogostemon helferi, I had not yet taken them out of the pots as I wasn't sure if they were to stay where I put them. Today, I have a measly strand of P.helferi and no U.graminifolia left. They were doing well, till my rams decided they were food.

Could anybody suggest a couple of plants to replace these, that my rams are unlikely to eat.

I have Microsorum pteropus and Anubias barteri var. caladifolia "1705" on bogwood, a Crinum thaianum, A Crinum calamistratum, a Hygrophila corymbosa "siamensis" and an Echinodorus red special. All of these plants are doing well but I would like some extra small plants at the front.

This is my first heavily planted aquarium and the first time plants havn't died on me.

I presume with almost 2wpg I would not need to consider CO2, or should I???

 

[joloco]

I have these:

ISOETES VETATA VARSICULA
CRYPTOCORYNE GRIFFITTII
GLOSSOSTIGMA ELATINOIDES
CREEPING JENNY GOLDEN
LILAEOPSIS NOVAEZELANDIAE
HEMIANTHUS CALLITRICHOEDES

and my rams don't eat them

 

[TigerIssey]

Thanks for speedy reply, will check them out.
Need to find out if my light can support them its only low -medium really.

 

[TigerIssey]

I had a look at some of plants suggested but I think some of these require more light than I have. Are there any more suggestions.

 

[CBBP]

how much plants do RAMs each? I was thinkign of gettign Rams but till they realy mess up my tank plants?

 

[TigerIssey]

Cardboardbox, the rams havn't eaten all plants, just two of them. You can read which ones they did not eat in my first post.

I was away this weekend however on the way back I did get some plants. I could not get Cryptocoryne griffithii, but got Cryptocoryne walkeri (lutea). I could not get Isoetes vetata vesicula, but got isoetes japonica.

I did also get a few more anubias, which I have tied to small pieces of mopani wood at the front end of the tank.

I must admit it is looking much better with these additions, I also got another Hygrophila and some elodea. I think now I would like some tiger lotus bulbs and perhaps Im not sure yet some moss balls.

I would have took a picture however, I mucked up the timer on my lights whilst I was away, and it looks like they have been on all weekend. My tank was a little cloudy when I got back and I had some brown algae. Will sort out in no time, Im not too worried. Out of interest does anyone know if my plants would have suffered for two days if I had not had the light on at all!!

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

 

[pseud]

Rams do not eat plants. They weren't the cause of your plants demise.

 

[TigerIssey]

They were, I watched the female eat them!!!!

 

[Miss Wiggle]

odd, I've never heard of ram's eating plants before. I've kept them in a fairly well planted tank with no problems

 

[TigerIssey]

This was one reason I went for rams in the first place, I wanted a planted tank. All other plants were left alone however I watched the female eat the entire Pogostemon helferi, within about 10 hours. It was new so not that big and I had placed it so that it gave her slightly more cover for her hide out spot, maybe she did not want it there!!. The other plant Uiltricularia gramnifolia, was eaten by both rams slowly over a week. I was quite upset, I really liked the look these two plants gave the tank. Anyway I have added some more, nearly 24hrs ago, so far so good!! ( See earlier post for what I planted yesterday)

 

[joloco]

rams definately eat plants! they happily chomped away on the first plants i had untill i spoiled their fun and got ones that obviously don't taste as nice.

Cryptocoryne walkeri (lutea) is a pretty plant, as is isoetes japonica the only thing with that plant is that it quite likes to grow with its roots in water and its leaves / spikes out of water like this:

http/www.jasaeng.or.kr/wild_flower/mid/016-2.jpg

so you might need to watch it for signs of decay.

i occasionally forget to turn the lights on in my tank when i go to work in the mornings (i know i know i am baaad) and i have to say neither my plants nor my fish seem to suffer for it so i'm sure a very occasional weekend in the dark won't do lasting damage.