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man this is challenging

i am loach frenzy, so i did some research but i don't know if i could find the right plant for my 55g tank.

1st - plant need light, loach don't like light

2nd - plant need CO2 so meaning less water movement in the tank, but currently my tank have 1 aquaclear, and 1 powerhead so i have some currents running the tank which i think will reduce the amount of dissolve CO2 in the tank. my loach love swimming against the current by the powerhead though

3rd - loach are bottom feeder i couldn't even put a fake plant inside cause they always digging the substrate for food


any suggestion?

Java fern or anubias on driftwood or rocks? Both are low-light plants and would be good in your situation. I've also had good results with just dropping the java fern on top of the gravel... it will secure it's roots to the gravel, weighting it down. Because the bits of gravel are attached to the roots, it's easy to move and won't float.

Another idea is java moss attached to either driftwood or rocks, but be warned, even tying it down securely, you're going to find little bits and pieces in your filter intake. And java moss is almost impossible to get rid of once you get it in your tank.

In fact, I have a tank that I never intentionally put java moss into. However, I transplanted a few java ferns from one tank with the moss to another without... even after rinsing the plants and thinking I had all the moss extracted, I still wound up with moss in the 'clean' tank.

Edit: Also, I've always run a air stone in my tanks; the plants I've mentioned do well without any additives... Once in a while, I'll remember to add some liquid ferts, but generally I don't do a thing to the tank and they grow well.

Crypts are another low light plant that you could just add fertilizer sticks under the gravel for. However, if the loaches will dig, they're probably not the best choice.

~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~

first off, what type of loach is it? Bolbitus heudelotti, the african water fern will also do good in low light, if you can find it. Attatch it to rocks or wood just like java fern. This plant actually needs water movement to get the best appearance out of it.