[jpalimpsest]

I'm playing around with the idea of carefully managed guppy breeding to supplement the diet of a community tank with guppy fry. I'd like some input on whether this could work.

The tank is a 38 gallon planted tank that I intend to stock with sparkling gouramis (aka pygmy gouramis), spotted blue-eye rainbowfish, scarlet badis, celestial pearl danios (aka galaxy rasboras), and cherry red shrimp. If I follow through with the plan above, I would also keep 3 female guppies in this tank.

The plan would involve setting up a 6.6 gallon lightly planted tank to house 3 male guppies. Every so often I would temporarily introduce one of the males to the 38 gallon with the females and remove him after the females are impregnated. Thus creating a controlled supply of guppy fry.

Would the planned 38 gallon occupants devour the guppy fry, or am I risking a guppy "epidemic?"

 

[DarkMousy]

The Dario dario would definitely eat them if they're large enough as would the gouramies. The CPD might snag one or two here or there but I doubt they'd actively hunt them like the former 2. You're taking a big risk in a tank that size though - the fish you're keeping are so small that within a few days the fry might be too large for consumption.

 

[jpalimpsest]

You're taking a big risk in a tank that size though - the fish you're keeping are so small that within a few days the fry might be too large for consumption.

That's what I was worried about.
Bummer.
But, thanks for the answer

 

[LB79]

I have 7 platies (5 females) in a 55 with cardinals, narrow-wedge rasboras, and buffalohead cichlids. So far, only one fry has survived.

 

[DarkMousy]

I have 7 platies (5 females) in a 55 with cardinals, narrow-wedge rasboras, and buffalohead cichlids. So far, only one fry has survived.

Platies and buffaloheads will do a better job of keeping them in check. A large buffalohead can swallow a decent sized fish as well.

 

[LB79]

Buffalohead cichlids eat algae.

 

[ADJAquariums]

I think the badis would eat them, not entirely sure on the Rainbows. I am pretty sure that the CPD's wouldn't eat them, and i don't know about the Gourami's. if you make sure theres not a ton of hiding places for them i think you could get away with it, and if any survive you can always sell them or keep them in the tank with the males.

 

[darkcrisis]

I have a 55 gallon with cardinals and guppies. Fry never survive more than a couple of days.

 

[jpalimpsest]

I have a 55 gallon with cardinals and guppies. Fry never survive more than a couple of days.

Just cardinal and guppies?

 

[jpalimpsest]

if you make sure theres not a ton of hiding places for them i think you could get away with it, and if any survive you can always sell them or keep them in the tank with the males.

The problem there is that the other fish in the tank require hiding spaces and plant cover. That complicates things a bit.

 

[LB79]

I don't think you'll have much of a problem. keeping them in check. If you do, you can always get a fish like a single apisto. Apistos are specialized fry-hunters.