The usual setup of this tank without plants.

This tank does not usually contain any plants. However, when I see that the occies have fry that have just become free swimming, I might throw a big clump of Java moss from one of my other tanks into this setup. Java moss not only gives fry some wonderful hiding places, but they always seem to be able to find food in there, presumably in the form of microorganism that live in the moss. It's a very convenient way of feeding very small fry, and they seem to grow up a lot better in the presence of Java moss.

A big clump of Java moss in one of my other tanks. This would be ideal to put in with the occies, because it is completely clean of algae thanks to a colony of Xiphophorus helleri.