What fish would you recommend with my...

[AllusiveLife]

With my live bearers in the 160 gallon tank... I want ideas and I want you to be mostly sure of it, and make sure they don't eat live plants.. Nor would they eat the babies or pick on the adult mollies guppies ect...

 

[AquaNut]

Good luck finding fish that don't eat fry!

 

[AllusiveLife]

You're kidding me...

 

[Kossy]

Absolutely not, all fish (besides vego fish) will eat fry. Unfortunately. This is what breeding nets are for. However its a 160g tank. If this is a heavily planted tank. The fry will have a greater chance without a breeding net.

 

[teknikz]

firemouths look great and so do blind cave fish....the cave fish wouldnt be able to see the fry so that would keep fatalitites down

what about some kribs? or a few ram's?

or even maybe an elephant nose....they're great

Tek

 

[AquaNut]

I'm curious to know what kind of water params you keep your livebearers in. Most livebearers prefer slightly alkaline, hard water. A lot of the peaceful community type fish (like tetras or angelfish) come from the Amazon and prefer soft, acidic water. If you keep your tank fairly neutral, it wouldn't be an issue, but if you keep it especially for livebearers, this will affect your choices. (Yes, I know some of you UK folks keep all nature of tropical fish in your 'liquid granite' water lol, but I'd hate to recommend it to someone and have them lose a whole bunch of lovely tetras or angelfish to pH shock).

 

[cichlidmaster]

Here are a few choices to consider............

These come with colorful mounting poles!!

These come in a wide array of colors..........

Before you get all mad............J/K..........

CM

 

[AllusiveLife]

I think I would consider it more neutral... But I have tons of plants on one side of the tank because I have to get new light bulbs on the other side cause they just end up sorta dying...

 

[Alien Anna]

I have an SAE in my livebearer tank. However, I couldn't 100% guarantee they wouldn't eat fry given half a chance. It's nature, isn't it - natural protein!

 

[Inchworm]

Better take the moms out, too. I've seen guppy moms turn around and eat the fry as soon as they popped out. That's why they make breeding traps with slats on the bottom so the fry can drop out and away from the mother fish.

You might want to consider getting some cory cats. They are usually so busy looking for food on the tank bottom that they don't bother livebearer fry.

 

[AllusiveLife]

Oh my bad, I wasn't being very descriptive of what I have in my tank...

tons of green corries 8 shrimp 2 plecos 1 dojo loach. I think that's what it is I might have a couple more but I will remember when I look at the fishtank... I don't want to look at it right now cause that would mean I would have to go into the other room wile theirs annoying people...

 

[Dman]

OH i know the best thing for that size tank... How bout a nice Red Tail Catfish there harmless i swear or even a nice Tiger Shovelnose Catfish

Honestly i would try some yoyo loaches or skunk botia's they always seem to be playful and yet harmless.



Damien

 

[smb]

Do you want a tree that grows Million dollar bills also?

Most fish eat their fry. Cichlids, in general don't and will die protecting the fry but they eat plants, so I guess they're out.

IMO, you can't find any fish that either won't eat plants or fry. Most fish eat either fry or plants..or both.

 

[guppymonkey]

I'm curious to know what kind of water params you keep your livebearers in. Most livebearers prefer slightly alkaline, hard water. A lot of the peaceful community type fish (like tetras or angelfish) come from the Amazon and prefer soft, acidic water. If you keep your tank fairly neutral, it wouldn't be an issue, but if you keep it especially for livebearers, this will affect your choices. (Yes, I know some of you UK folks keep all nature of tropical fish in your 'liquid granite' water lol, but I'd hate to recommend it to someone and have them lose a whole bunch of lovely tetras or angelfish to pH shock).

I have known most livebearers to adapt to most any type of water parameters. Some people have told me that guppies are brackish. I have kept them for many years and never had a problem keeping them in regular freshwater. Some fish like Angels won't survive in hard water but guppies and other livebearers can survive in soft water.