The 7 Best Plants for Cichlid Tanks: My Picks After Keeping Mbunas in a Planted Setup

Last Updated: May 13, 2026

Cichlid tanks and plants have a complicated relationship. Most people assume they can’t coexist. That’s not quite right. But the honest version is this: you can absolutely keep plants with cichlids, but you need the right plants, the right anchoring strategy, and realistic expectations about what cichlids will do to anything they consider rearrangeable. Plants in a cichlid tank are not decoration. They’re a commitment.

If the cichlid digs substrate, the plant needs to be epiphytic or floating. Period.

What People Get Wrong About Cichlid Plants

Most hobbyists go wrong before they even buy the plants. They treat a cichlid tank like a planted community tank and wonder why everything is floating by morning.

The three most common mistakes: buying soft-stemmed plants (stem plants have zero chance with aggressive cichlids), skipping the anchoring step (a plant just set on a rock lasts hours, not days), and not accounting for which cichlid type they’re actually keeping. African cichlid water parameters are fundamentally different from South American setups, and most plant guides don’t separate them.

The biggest mistake of all is adding a rooted plant to a tank with a substrate-digging cichlid and expecting it to stay put. It won’t. The fish aren’t being destructive out of spite. Digging is territorial behavior. The plant just happens to be in the way. If you want plants with a digger, go epiphytic. Attach to rock or driftwood and the problem is solved.

The Reality of Plants in a Cichlid Tank

Here’s what actually happens in a planted cichlid tank. The first week, fish investigate. Anubias gets nipped once or twice, then ignored because the leaves taste terrible. Java fern attached to driftwood holds its position. Vallisneria in the background gets uprooted by a spawning pair establishing territory. You replant it. It gets uprooted again. You anchor it with a weight. It stays.

Then breeding season hits. A pair of cichlids that coexisted peacefully with plants for months decides that the corner with the Anubias cluster is their spawn site. They move every rock. They rearrange the driftwood. Plants attached to those surfaces go with them. This isn’t failure. It’s cichlid behavior. The plants that make it long-term are the ones you’ve secured to heavy hardscape that the fish physically can’t move.

With South American dwarf cichlids like apistogrammas, the dynamic is different. These fish use plants as territory markers rather than obstacles. A dense Java fern clump becomes a spawning cave perimeter. Floating plants provide the shade they prefer. The tank ends up looking genuinely lush, not just planted-and-surviving. That’s the setup where plants really work with cichlids rather than against them.

The 7 Best Plants for Cichlid Tanks

Many cichlid tank setups are barebones with plain substrate and intricate rockwork. These tanks cater to the natural behavior of cichlids, aggressively establishing and defending territory. Still, a plain tank can look pretty boring even though African, Central American, and South American cichlids are some of the most colorful fish in the hobby. Plants change that completely when chosen correctly.

African cichlid lakes like Malawi and Tanganyika have hard, alkaline water that doesn’t support many aquatic plants naturally, which is why epiphytic species dominate the short list for those setups. Central and South American cichlids come from much more biodiverse waterways, leaving far more options open.

The biggest mistake I see is choosing the wrong plants: soft, delicate species that cichlids tear apart within days. The second mistake is impatience. Plants in cichlid tanks grow slower because lighting is usually lower and CO2 isn’t used. Set realistic expectations and stick to the tough species below.

1. Anubias

• Scientific Name: Anubias spp.
• Size: 6-18 inches
• Tank Placement: On surfaces (rock, driftwood)
• Lighting: Low
• Cichlid Type: Central, South American, and African cichlids

Anubias is my top pick for any cichlid tank. I’ve grown it attached to rocks in Mbuna setups and even my most aggressive fish leave it alone. The thick, rubbery leaves taste terrible to cichlids. Because Anubias attaches to surfaces rather than planting in substrate, fish can’t uproot it no matter how hard they dig. It’s the most cichlid-proof plant I’ve found in 25 years of keeping these fish.

Anubias tolerates a wide pH range, making it compatible with both African and South American cichlid setups. Keep it under low lighting and in some water flow to prevent algae from colonizing the slow-growing leaves. Algae on Anubias is its only real weakness.

Some of the most popular species include:

• Anubias nana
• Anubias barteri
• Anubias heterophylla
• Anubias congensis

2. Java Fern

• Scientific Name: Leptochilus pteropus / Microsorum pteropus
• Size: up to 12 inches
• Tank Placement: On surfaces
• Lighting: Low to moderate
• Cichlid Type: Central, South American, and African cichlids

Java fern is similar to Anubias in how it survives cichlid tanks. Rhizome-based, surface-attached, and unpleasant to eat. The difference is size and variety. Java fern gives you more height and more visual options: narrow leaf, needle leaf, broad leaf. Cichlids avoid it almost universally because the leaves are tough and bitter-tasting. Even hobbyists keep them in brackish conditions, which tells you everything about how resilient they are.

Like Anubias, don’t bury the rhizome. Tie it to driftwood or rock and let it root in on its own. A Java fern that’s been established on a piece of driftwood for a few months is essentially immovable by any cichlid short of an Oscar.

3. Bolbitis

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• Scientific Name: Bolbitis spp.
• Size: up to 24 inches
• Tank Placement: Midground or background, high water flow areas
• Lighting: Low to moderate
• Cichlid Type: Central, South American, and African cichlids

Bolbitis is underrated in the cichlid plant conversation. It’s not as commonly sold as Anubias or Java fern, but if you can find it, it’s one of the tougher options available and adds a genuinely distinct look. The lacy Bolbitis difformis and the broader Bolbitis heteroclita both grow from a rhizome you attach to surfaces. Like the other epiphytic options, cichlids leave it alone because the leaves are tough and unpleasant.

Bolbitis needs water flow to thrive. Put it in a dead-water corner and you’ll get algae before you get growth. Place it near the filter outlet and it rewards you with genuinely impressive structure as it fills in.

4. Cryptocoryne

• Scientific Name: Cryptocoryne spp.
• Size: up to 12 inches on average
• Tank Placement: Midground or background
• Lighting: Low to moderate
• Cichlid Type: Central and South American cichlids (best fit); can work for some African setups

Cryptocoryne species are some of the most popular freshwater aquarium plants, and they’re more forgiving of varying water conditions than many hobbyists expect. The catch: they’re rooted plants, so they go in the substrate, which makes them a target for digging cichlids. Best-fit species for cichlid tanks are Cryptocoryne wendtii and Cryptocoryne usteriana, both of which have tougher leaves than most crypt species.

Keep cichlids well-fed and give them other enrichment. A bored, hungry cichlid will eat crypts. A well-fed one usually won’t bother. Use root tabs for nutrition since crypts are heavy root feeders. And if you’re keeping them with any substrate-digging cichlid, expect to replant occasionally. That’s just the reality with rooted plants in this context.

5. Crinum

• Scientific Name: Crinum calamistratum / Crinum thaianum
• Size: up to 24 inches
• Tank Placement: Any
• Lighting: Moderate to high
• Cichlid Type: Central, South American, and African cichlids

Crinum species are harder to find than Anubias or Java fern, but worth seeking out. These bulb plants are partially buried in substrate and produce long, strap-like leaves that cichlids find difficult to eat or uproot entirely. The bulb itself is tough enough to survive being disturbed and will reestablish as long as it’s not completely pulled free.

Crinum prefers hard water conditions, which makes it a natural fit for African cichlid setups. Feed the fish well, provide moderate to high lighting, and give it some water flow to prevent algae on the long leaves. In very favorable conditions it may even flower. (Photo source: Wikimedia Commons, Krzysztof Ziarnek Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0.)

6. Vallisneria

• Scientific Name: Vallisneria spp.
• Size: up to 36 inches
• Tank Placement: Midground or background
• Lighting: Low to high
• Cichlid Type: Central, South American, and African cichlids

Vallisneria is one of the few aquatic plants actually found in Lake Tanganyika, which makes it an ideal fit for African cichlid biotope tanks. It’s also very tough. Fast-growing, with leaves cichlids struggle to eat, and capable of spreading via runners to replace any plants that get uprooted. If a cichlid pulls one plant out, the runners nearby fill the gap.

Popular species include Vallisneria americana, Vallisneria gigantea, and Vallisneria spiralis. Some stay under 10 inches; others will grow out of the tank. New shoots are occasionally nibbled, but established plants hold their ground well. A weighted Vallisneria cluster in the background of an African cichlid tank is one of the most resilient setups you can build.

7. Amazon Sword

• Scientific Name: Echinodorus spp.
• Size: up to 24 inches
• Tank Placement: Background
• Lighting: Moderate
• Cichlid Type: Central and South American cichlids (not ideal for high-pH African setups)

Amazon swords are fast-growing, bright green background plants that can outpace the damage cichlids do to them. They need substrate planting and moderate lighting, so they’re vulnerable to initial uprooting from substrate-digging South American cichlids. Once established with a good root system, they’re much harder to dislodge.

Amazon swords are not a great choice for African cichlid tanks. The higher pH environments of Lake Malawi and Tanganyika push them out of their comfort zone. Stick to South American and Central American setups. Species like Echinodorus bleheri and Echinodorus grandifolius are the most commonly available and most adaptable. If your cichlids keep pulling them out before they establish, anchor the base with a small rock until the roots grip. After that, you’re in good shape.

Which Cichlids Work Best With Plants

Now that you know which plants survive, here’s the honest breakdown of which cichlids are actually plant-compatible and which will destroy anything you put in front of them.

1. Apistogrammas

Apistogrammas are the most plant-friendly cichlid on this list. These South American dwarf cichlids use plants as territory borders and cover, not obstacles to clear. You can run a full planted setup with soft blackwater plants and a sand substrate. All 7 plants on this list work with apistogrammas. They also love floating plants for the diffused lighting effect. If you want a cichlid planted tank that actually looks like one, apistogrammas are your starting point.

2. Ram Cichlids

Ram cichlids are commonly kept in planted community tanks, but there are two caveats. First, rams prefer higher water temperatures (82-86 degrees F / 28-30 degrees C) that stress some plant species. Stick with Java fern, Anubias, crypts, Bolbitis, and Vallisneria as your heat-tolerant options. Second, rams dig when they spawn. Any rooted plant in a spawning territory is getting uprooted. Epiphytic plants are the safe bet here too.

3. Angelfish

Angelfish are the easiest large cichlid to plant around. They won’t nip plants and actually prefer dense vegetation for cover. They thrive in slow-moving water with tall background plants, which makes Amazon swords and Vallisneria natural choices. The one thing to watch: plants like Anubias and Crinum need some water flow to prevent algae, which can conflict with the calmer conditions angelfish prefer. A compromise setup works fine. Use flow near the hardscape where epiphytic plants are attached, and keep flow lower in open water areas.

Julidochromis ornatus

Julidochromis are a Lake Tanganyika African cichlid. The hard, alkaline water requirements of Tanganyika tanks narrow your plant options considerably. Java fern, Anubias, and endemic species of Vallisneria are the practical choices. They work with all three. Anything needing soft or acidic water won’t survive the parameters.

4. Discus

Discus are some of the most demanding fish in the hobby, but plants actually help by buffering water quality and reducing maintenance frequency. The temperature challenge is real: discus need 82-88 degrees F (28-31 degrees C), which rules out many plant species. Java fern, Anubias, crypts, Bolbitis, and Vallisneria all handle discus temperatures. Everything else is a risk. Plants that can survive the heat help the discus. Plants that can’t just create more waste as they die.

5. Geophagus altifrons

Geophagus altifrons are stunning South American cichlids that look incredible in a planted setup. Be realistic, though: Geophagus are earth-eaters by name and by nature. They sift substrate constantly. Any rooted plant in a Geophagus tank will get moved. Epiphytic plants attached to rocks and driftwood are your solution. All 7 plants on this list work with Geophagus in terms of water parameters. The anchoring method is what determines whether they survive.

6. Neolamprologus leleupi

A small Lake Tanganyika cichlid, Neolamprologus leleupi is a cave-dweller that coexists relatively peacefully with plants. Like other Tanganyika species, Java fern, Anubias, and Vallisneria are your best options given the hard alkaline water parameters. These fish interact with surrounding plants occasionally but are not destructive in the way large substrate-diggers are.

Why Plants Struggle in Cichlid Tanks

The term “melting” describes what happens when a newly added plant suddenly dies: yellowing leaves, tissue breakdown, stem rot. It can happen in any tank, but cichlid tanks have several compounding factors that make it more likely.

• Hard, alkaline water. Lake Malawi and Tanganyika cichlid tanks are buffered to pH 7.8-8.5. Most aquarium plants prefer neutral conditions around 7.0. Many simply can’t adapt to high pH and hardness, regardless of how healthy they looked in the store’s soft-water tank.
• Destructive fish behavior. Any cichlid with substrate-digging tendencies can uproot rooted plants before they establish. A plant that can’t establish a root system can’t feed itself or anchor against further disruption. It’s a cycle that kills the plant within days.
• High temperatures. South American cichlids like discus and rams require water temperatures above 80 degrees F (27 degrees C). Most aquarium plants are optimized for the 72-78 degree F (22-26 degrees C) range. At higher temperatures, photosynthesis efficiency drops and soft-tissued plants deteriorate faster.

The solution in every case is plant selection. The plants on this list were chosen specifically because they handle these conditions. Others won’t, no matter how well you maintain the tank.

Final Thoughts

Plants and cichlids are not enemies. They’re just an honest challenge. The hobbyists who succeed with planted cichlid tanks are the ones who stopped treating it like a planted community tank and started designing around the fish’s actual behavior.

Epiphytic plants on heavy hardscape that the fish can’t move. Floating plants for any tank. Rooted plants only where you’re willing to maintain them and replant when needed. That’s the system. The plants on this list survive because they fit that system, not because cichlids suddenly become gentle.

If you’re keeping apistogrammas or small Tanganyika species, a fully planted tank is completely achievable. If you’re keeping large substrate-digging cichlids like Geophagus or a big Mbuna colony, go epiphytic and don’t fight the fish. And if you’re keeping Oscars, save yourself the frustration. Oscars define their tank. You get to watch.

A planted cichlid tank is not harder than a planted community tank. It just requires a different strategy. Get the strategy right and the plants stay. Get it wrong and you’re replanting forever.

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📚 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Freshwater Fish Guide. your ultimate resource for freshwater species, care tips, tank setup, and more.

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🌿 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Planted Tank & Aquascaping Guide. your ultimate resource for aquarium plants, aquascaping styles, substrates, and more.