Xenomorph

ok guys, I know I'm likely to cop some flack from some members of the board who will disaprove of what I'm trying to do - constructive comments are welcome, but please be gentle?

I'm looking for a fish (or two) that I can introduce into my community tank (specs in my sig) that are known to eat the fry of livebearers - I'm right on the cusp of overstocked atm and have no way of passing on the fry to a shop or any other method - except for the old porcelain bus - it will need to play nice with the more mature fish however.

If the rainbow shark is going to conflict I might be able to get away with transfering him to the Betta tank (that's if they'll play nice too?)

Sorry for the long post - I'm in a story writing mood

In summary: I need to know if a rainbow shark will co-exist well with a Betta? Regardless of the answer I need a predator that eats livebearer fry in addition to normal flake food but will not bother the other mature fish.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

capekate

Hi There
Well in my opinion you should never put a shark in a betta tank. As far as the fish eating eggs and fry, there are so many fish that will do just that including the frys own parents. What fish in that 55g is giving you the over abundance of eggs and fry?

~ kate
edit: OPPPS.... just looked at your siggy again... need I ask which fish is giving you the over abundance? hehe....

COBettaCouple

I'd agree with Kate on both points. The shark won't get along with the Betta and livebearers do a pretty good job of eating their own fry without needing to add another fish and overstocking the 55g.

Xenomorph

I've heard that the adult usually eat their young - believe me I'm not doing anything to discourage it! (unless I'm overfeeding?) Will the platys decide on their own when they've got enough of a population and start eating more? It's possible that they are eating some of the fry - but I'm still getting 2-6 survivors out of each batch, I'm really looking fore zero population growth (if that is achievable).

TheEssigs

A Gourami will eat fry and small fish that will fit in its mouth.

sirdarksol

Anyone know where platy fry normally hang out? If it's at the surface, are there any plants high in the tank that the fry can hide in? If there are, you might want to remove them. Their survivability drops if they lack hiding spots.

If it weren't for the guppies, I'd say you could try an African butterfly fish. They tend to eat any small fish that are near the surface.

Edit: And there's nothing wrong with letting nature take its course. Animals die in the wild. Their flesh isn't going to waste.

jsalemi

My platy fry hung out deep in the Amazon Sword plants -- don't know how many were born, but there's three survivors that have pretty much hit juvenile age. I'll have to get new pics and post them one of these days.

COBettaCouple

I'm not sure what fish would eat the fry and not eat the adults.

sirdarksol

I think it comes down to "What can get the fry in its mouth, but not the adults?" combined with "What can swim faster than the fry?"

KonaBoy

Maybe a Swordtail? Thats what my dad used to have for guppy fry control