How to prevent Guppies eating its young (for bare tank)?

**14litre** · 9th Jul 2012, 10:44

My female guppy breed for the 2nd time and she has been eating her young whenever she sees it.

this is an old picture of my tank.

http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...9&d=1338259867

the pebble has been replaced with a small pvc pipe.
I also have a mini nana (tied to a bogwood) placed on the left of the drift wood.

I guess there's not enough plants for the young to hide.

I am reluctant to get more plants because I want to keep it as a low-tech tank, no lights, no CO2.

If really no choice, then I will get more mini nanas.

but how do you guys prevent the guppies from eating the young, for a bare tank? Is it impossible or must I fish out the young and put into a breeder tank (but wait, I can't possibly keep watching the labour process leh)?

**lucasjiang** · 9th Jul 2012, 18:00

If the tank is totally bare, then it is not likely that fry will survive without intervention. In such a scenario, you can put the female in a floating basket or in a net so that the fry can swim out through the gaps. You will have to estimate the date the female will give birth to fry by the size of her belly, the date of the previous batch of fry, and the darkening of the gravid spot.

As for your tank, you can put some low light plants like java moss and java ferns for your fry to hide, and some of them might survive to adulthood without intervention. In an established tank, there will be sufficient population of micro organisms for 1-2 of them to feed on, so they might not need extra feeding, or you can specially feed them too.

**Bieffe** · 9th Jul 2012, 19:07

I am a newbie but form the information I gathered and read. You already have some basics there. If she can't see she won't eat. Best is use a breeding net. Otherwise a tray with small opening will do. Once out will drop to the bottom.
Some plants also great! Also bottom of tank darken it with news paper etc. top place some floating plant or raffle strings in strips also can.
Feed her more food.

**wongce** · 9th Jul 2012, 19:32

Bro,my suggesstion is to have breeding mop,plastic plants or at least more hiding place for guppy frys. Best is have those floating breeding nets/basket/box to remove the adult after giving birth. It is better to at least have a running air pump with a sponge filter in any breeding tanks to keep the survival rate higher and provide basic filteration.

**14litre** · 10th Jul 2012, 09:41

Originally Posted by lucasjiang

If the tank is totally bare, then it is not likely that fry will survive without intervention. In such a scenario, you can put the female in a floating basket or in a net so that the fry can swim out through the gaps. You will have to estimate the date the female will give birth to fry by the size of her belly, the date of the previous batch of fry, and the darkening of the gravid spot.

As for your tank, you can put some low light plants like java moss and java ferns for your fry to hide, and some of them might survive to adulthood without intervention. In an established tank, there will be sufficient population of micro organisms for 1-2 of them to feed on, so they might not need extra feeding, or you can specially feed them too.

Originally Posted by Bieffe

I am a newbie but form the information I gathered and read. You already have some basics there. If she can't see she won't eat. Best is use a breeding net. Otherwise a tray with small opening will do. Once out will drop to the bottom.
Some plants also great! Also bottom of tank darken it with news paper etc. top place some floating plant or raffle strings in strips also can.
Feed her more food.

Originally Posted by wongce

Bro,my suggesstion is to have breeding mop,plastic plants or at least more hiding place for guppy frys. Best is have those floating breeding nets/basket/box to remove the adult after giving birth. It is better to at least have a running air pump with a sponge filter in any breeding tanks to keep the survival rate higher and provide basic filteration.

Thank you so much for sharing all your advice and suggestions.

I did a check last night and looks like there are no remaining frys around.

I will either get more plants (mini nana or moss or ferns) or breeding net (I had one many years ago but a small one is still "too big" for my 14litre tank) or diy the breeding mop.

quite sad to see the frys being chased after and eaten up.

it's another month to go before the female goes on labor again. will try to get these ready by then.

Cheers bros.

**jonachin** · 19th Jul 2012, 08:12

better way is to net out the female and put it in other tank for temperary....

**14litre** · 19th Jul 2012, 14:44

Originally Posted by jonachin

better way is to net out the female and put it in other tank for temperary....

Thanks for your suggestion.

The mummy will eat the fries as long as they are in the same tank.

I am making a diy breeder divider and hopefully the fries will "drop" safely to the bottom.
the thread is here:
http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...-14-litre-tank

**HappyGuppies** · 17th Aug 2012, 00:13

For me, I rear the fries in another smaller bare tank, using the same water from mother tank.

**14litre** · 17th Aug 2012, 09:52

Originally Posted by HappyGuppies

For me, I rear the fries in another smaller bare tank, using the same water from mother tank.

do you transfer the fries to the bare tank after they were born in the mother tank?
if it is, does your mother guppy eat its fries too or do you have plenty hidden places for the fries before fishing them out?

**HappyGuppies** · 17th Aug 2012, 20:21

Originally Posted by 14litre

do you transfer the fries to the bare tank after they were born in the mother tank?
if it is, does your mother guppy eat its fries too or do you have plenty hidden places for the fries before fishing them out?

Hi 14litre,
There are a few ways actually. I'm not sure if my ways are correct but I've been using one of these methods for a few years. As long as the water remains the same, or the water really cycled, it should be okay.

You can try one this:
Separate pregnant fish and place her in another container/tank. Place it in a quiet place. For me, I sometimes cover the top a little so it remains a bit dim. Best if use same water. Nourish well but don't overfeed. When she has dropped, there'll be an hour or two where she remains 'dazed'. After that she will grow hungry and feast. If possible monitor well and remove mother fish after she has dropped. Catch her gently, if possible. For me, I quickly return her to her tank and nourish her again. The fries remain in the container/tank they were born in. I feed a drop of microworms immediately since they start munching straightaway.

I've seen breeders using betta tanks, added with a lot of moss for the fries to hide. Their fries seem to be well, but I find the tanks for breeding rather small for the mother.

I think your mother fish ate the fries because she was left too long with the fries after she dropped. Guppies are naturally hungrily-aggressive towards anything tiny and moving. If you are busy, you may want to add in a breeder net, so when she drops, her fries squeezes through the holes and swims away from her.

Good luck ya!