I've always liked the idea of a Malawi or Tanganyika cichlid tank. When I looked into it there are actually quite few vascular plants native to the Rift Valley lakes, although they don't tend to grow on the rock outcrops favoured by the Mbuna. I'd definitely include plants for their beneficial effect on water quality, although my suspicion is that the Mbuna would eat them.I need to set up a Mbuna cichlid rock-based 'scape at some point. I'm not a fan of planted tanks containing Mbuna - they just look too un-natural for my taste.