Live Aquatics Plants Help

[Cameronb_01]

Hi Guys,
I have just begun landscaping my new Rio Juwel 400. So far I have put in one rock, a large piece of wood and four live plants. Everything was going fine, until, having cycled my tank I put in as a start two one month old baby Mollies. I feed them and everything but they are eating away at the big plant you see in the picture as you can also see in the picture some of the leaves have already started to split and tear because parts have been eaten in the middle. At this rate I am going to be left with nothing but a couple of ugly stumps. I have also noticed that the Mollies have left the other three plants alone. How do I stop my plants being destroyed? Are certain fish only compatible with certain plants? Are there chemicals I can use? What should I do? Please help!!
 
Thanks a lot Cameron
 

 

[Wills]

Im not sure on the type of plant that is but if the Mollies are eating it will be because its got soft leaves though mollies are not known to eat plants too much are you sure the leaves are not just dieing off ?

There are no real chemicals to use the best optin would just to be to stick to thick leaved plants like the amazon sword you have there.

Wills

 

[Byron]

I'm thinking similarly.  Mollies do need a lot of "green" food, and will naturally eat some types of algae.  Many fish will pick algae and food off of plant leaves, though usually not sufficiently to be termed "algae eater."  But mollies do like their veggies, so it could be the biofilm they are eating or picking at, or the plant leaf if it is soft like Wills said.
 
Make sure they get the green-based foods, like algae/spirulina/kelp based flake as a staple.  Blanched spinach, cucumber, zucchini are other possibles.  These might prevent them from being to voracious on the plant, or not.
 
Byron.

 

[Cameronb_01]

Thanks so much guys
Could you please suggest some thick leaved plants which might look good in my tank or perhaps a site were I could purchase some?
 

 

[Byron]

The larger (common) amazon sword should be OK, there is one in the photo.  Java Fern and Anubias (these attach to wood or rock, and like some shade, as under floating plants) are pretty tough, and I don't think any fish will eat JF.  Mollies preferring harder water, an ideal plant is Vallisneria.  Once it is established, it should be OK.  I've had a tank of this with mollies and the plants thrived.
 
Duckweed floating might come in handy here; the mollies would eat it, it is highly nutritious, and even mollies are unlikely to eat it all as it is fast spreading.
 
Byron.