Controlling Livebearer Levels Within A Community Tank

[theotheragentm]

you should be ashamed just letting fry get eaten!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't see why this is the case. It's no different from feeding feeder fish to larger fish or even raising brine shrimp to be eaten. You really can't get into the whole argument of nature at least allowing them some kind of escape and hiding, because they're in a tank to begin with, which is completely unnatural. You can throw the baby out with the bathwater, but offspring being eaten is a way of life for fish. If you have a personal preference of raising all the livebearer fry yourself, that is your preference. I don't believe people should feel bad if the fry get eaten.

 

[: )]

In answer to the original question, why not just have all male or all female groups?

 

[theotheragentm]

In answer to the original question, why not just have all male or all female groups?

Other than Guppies, I've seen all male groups get real aggressive towards each other. All female groups would be an option though. The problem is that most livebearers bought from fish stores are already pregnant and will give birth up to six times from stored sperm.

 

[guppylover1]

I think that letting fry get eaten is fine because it is natrual so i dont think u shud be ashamed at all

 

[TF Keeper UK]

Personally I leave it to Nature. I have 1 male hybrid swordtail/platy, 1 male swordtail and 9 female platys. Some of the females are pregnant and I have no intention of segregating the pregnant females.

Only one survived from the last batch that were born. I call her Gloria!

I just make sure that the population of males is kept low.

 

[fishboy619]

letting fry get eaten is a great way of keeping population down,its also good for the adult fish.its no different from feeding live bloodworms or brine shrimp.its survival of the fittest,only the best fry survive to adulthood in my community tanks,only fry i want to keep get transferd to a seperate tank.keeping the mother in a breeding trap/net only stresses the mother out and can cause problems with the birth.atleast leaving the fry to fend for its self is better then it not having any chance at all.