# How to stop fish from digging up plant?



## rocketshipwalker (Aug 28, 2011)

I don't know if it's my ghost shrimp, my endlers, my snails, or my betta but someone keeps digging up my new Amazon Swords.
Just about every morning when I wake up and every day when I come home from school, at least one of the plants is floating instead of stuck in the substrate.
It's kind of annoying having to fix it all the time.
Is there a way I can stop them from doing that?


----------



## kittenfish (Dec 1, 2013)

You can't change your fish's behavior, but you can place some rocks around the base of the plants to hold them down until they are well rooted.


----------



## aselvarial (Feb 21, 2014)

I have one who insists on digging up his new plants as well. I've taken to just floating them in his tank until they have good roots, and then planting them as far down as I can and sorta packing the dirt down around it. I've even caught the bugger at it! Good luck!


----------



## TerriGtoo (Jul 2, 2013)

LOL. yep, had the same thing happen with some of my smaller new plants. I found out that it was my MTS that were the culprits. I've got some that are quite large and they like to travel through the gravel and plow through anything in their way....including plants.


----------



## tankman12 (Nov 13, 2012)

How deep is the substrate?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## rocketshipwalker (Aug 28, 2011)

Thanks for the feedback! I've currently left the one they keep digging up floating. I don't want to reach in my tank three times a day to fix it. Haha

I have about an inch of gravel.


----------



## BettaMummy87 (Jul 26, 2014)

rocketshipwalker said:


> Thanks for the feedback! I've currently left the one they keep digging up floating. I don't want to reach in my tank three times a day to fix it. Haha
> 
> I have about an inch of gravel.


Try piling up the gravel a bit deeper around the sword. 2 inches maybe? Even better if you can add some soil for it. They are pretty bouyant. Its taken about 2cms of soil and a good inch and a half of sand to hold mine down. If not you can buy rings/strips that you can place on the plants. I havent done this yet as I am worried about using lead in the tanks... but I am tempted to because of my darned pogostemon erectus. WILL NOT STAY DOWN! >:/ lmao.


----------



## tankman12 (Nov 13, 2012)

Ya make the gravel at least 2 inches. Deeper the better. It shouldnt come out if you make it deeper.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------

