Protecting plants from koi

[Cdsdave]

Hi all! I have a 65 gal tank with 3koi and a Goldie. I know koi like to eat plant roots but I still try to keep some in the tank. I have 2 Anacharis which they nibble on the leaves but for the most part leave alone. Today though I put some other vegetation in that they quickly dug up and started chewing on! I tried putting larger gravel over the root areas but they dug the plants out anyway. I'm thinking of replanting them in some soil and putting gravel on top of that. In my pond I have no problem using soil in pots to keep the koi from destroying my plants. However I'm not sure how top soil would be in a small tank?

The plants are Staurogyne Repens and Cyperus Helferi.

Any suggestions on how to keep the fish from digging up these plants would great!!

Dave

 

[addy1]

If it was my tank, I would put the plants in a small pot in kitty litter, wrap that pot with some window screening, wire tie it around the plants stem, hide all in some gravel / rocks in your tanks.

(don't have koi)

 

[Cdsdave]

Okay, here's what I did. I put each plant in a plastic container with stone and some aquatic planting medium. I also cable tied (not too tightly) the plants together. This way the fish will have to pull up the entire plant not just sections through the gravel. Keeping my fingers crossed.

PS. For some reason pics are upside down? Sorry

 

[HARO]

Now I've got a headache from standing on my head to view your pictures! :grumble:
John