Keeping the population down....

[Jimmy Twotimes]

Hi Guys

Need some advice on a bit of a strange subject! I have a 35 gallon tank which has 7 Neon Tetras, 3 Kuhlis, 1 SAE, 4 Amano Shrimp, 2 Platies and loads and loads of guppies. We love the guppies but they are breeding like crazy. I did get rid of some females but now some of the babies have grown into baby bearing females and I'm being overrun with babies.

I cant off load anymore to friends as they have already taken some, and they are too small to give to the LFS. I was wondering whether I could add to my community a fish that may naturally eat some of the babies or smaller guppies. I know this might sound cruel, but its got to be better than flushing them away down the toilet .

It cant be something that will attack the slightly larger fish but something that may casually take the odd baby guppy should it wander into its path....

Any advice appreciated.

Jimmy

 

[SirMinion]

Anything with a mouth big enough will eat them.

We had some silver dollars once, who are supposed to be vegitarian, but they would always keep our tank guppy fry-free, whether we wanted them to or not!

However, remember that silver dollars get quite large.

 

[wuvmybetta]

How big are your shrimp? Give them a few months and they'll do the job.

 

[Jimmy Twotimes]

I've had the shrimps a while now but they arent interested.......

It would need to be a fish but a solitary one that wouldnt get too big. I dont want to add any shoalers as I dont want to overcrowd the tank.

Those guppies are starting to get out of hand...

 

[David]

A couple of angelfish will happily do the job. Just be careful, they will grow and may end up eating your neons.

 

[The-Wolf]

A betta will happily eat fry

 

[guppymonkey]

I have a problem with overloaded guppies too! When they are newborns and for about a month afterwards they can be fed to bettas (which will gorge themselves on them). I can't really think of any fish that would get rid of most of the guppies without endangering your other fish though.

I am setting up an oscar tank to help with the overload of adult guppies. I know that oscars don't NEED to be fed live food but in addition to being a really great pet they can get a guppy treat.

 

[Jimmy Twotimes]

Ahhhh, a Betta sounds cool. Any particular type (or will the standard Siamese Fighting Fish be OK)?? Will male or female make any difference?

Cheers Guys...

 

[cometcattle]

Keep in mind, the betta might go after the guppie's long flowing fins. The guppies could be mistaken for another betta, I believe.

 

[The-Wolf]

sorry i just realised you are in the UK
It is illegal to feed any fish to another fish here.

don't do it

 

[WheelmanCA19]

he isn't feeding one fish another fish, he is simply putting two fish in the same area as each other. How would he know that one would be eaten?

 

[Jimmy Twotimes]

Wow, not sure i totally understand the not feeding fish to other fish law (isnt this part of nature - big fish eat little fish??? ) but I'd rather do that than flush fish down the toilet or throw them in the bin....

Sounds like the Betta idea is out then if it may mistake my guppies for another Betta or nip fins. Not keen on angel fish either if its going to eat the neons...

Looks like i'm running out of ideas here....

 

[The-Wolf]

Wow, not sure i totally understand the not feeding fish to other fish law (isnt this part of nature - big fish eat little fish??? ) but I'd rather do that than flush fish down the toilet or throw them in the bin....

Live fish
Live fish should never be offered as food to predatory species. Besides being cruel, this can introduce diseases and may lead to a reluctance to accept dead or dried foods. Almost without exception, aquarium fish can be trained to eat dead or dried foods and get all the nutrition they need from this.

Taken from Pratical fish keeping see article

 

[Link]

I'd try and get rid of all the female fish that you can, they can store sperm so even if they only mated once then can have a few broods from it.
If your not careful any fish you introduce could eat the ones that you already have.

 

[Jimmy Twotimes]

Cheers Link, I'm kinda desperate to sort the problem cos my tank looks real nice with the mix of fish but I know in a few months time I'm gonn abe overstocked and the problem will not go away.

Its just choosing which fish I should add to my community that will improve it......

Wondering if any crustaceans would help, a crab or something (but that might attack my loach and SAE i guess.... )