As A 'culling Fish'

[lolobunnz]

I was wanting to get a nice betta for my fishless cycling 10 gallon tank once it is established. Although they are extremely gorgeous and have amazing personalities to boot the main reason for my interest in aquiring one is to feed excess fry from my platy tank.

Will the betta most likely enjoy a treat like that every once in a while?

I wouldnt want anything to go to waste and its ,uh, kind of? Natural? Lol. You know like fry getting eaten off by predators in the wild to control the population.

Please advise! Im getting pretty excited about it. Ive never had a betta of my own before

 

[Baccus]

Techniqually feeding live fish to other fish is generally frowned upon. But if the fighter happened to be in the same tank as the breeding platy's then it would naturally eat the odd fry (as will the parents), but a fighter will only really eat the fry that a fairly new born. I found once my guppy fry got too around a week old the fighters didn't bother with them.

 

[mike455555]

i had a betta in with my plattys it would eat them up until they were about 5mm in size

 

[Hmongol]

Well you see in the "wild" they do eat each other etc... but they had to work for it to justify your comment there whereas the fry are being sent to the slaughter house instead. You can do it but most people don't like the thought of killing helpless fry. Just do like me, if I can't keep them don't breed them, I think it also works for real life too lol!

 

[mossonthemoon]

As above. It is natural for fry to be eaten, but it is also natural for them to have a chance at survival. The reason zoos and similar places give, for example, seals dead fish despite attempting to provide them with natural habitats is that it is considered cruel to present them with prey that has no chance of survival. I know some people feed their fish live prey, but I do think that most people don't feel terribly comfortable with it.

 

[lolobunnz]

Mosson that was good knowledge to know that equivalency to the zoos. Makes a lot of sence. I will be giving plenty of offspring to lfs around me for they do take them. But it is such a good fresh food source i was thinking for my betta as a treat once in a while as well. But i guess he will just get other delacasies instead. Thanks again everyone as usual u r great

 

[Lawrencejohn]

I feed live bearer fry culls to my bettas. I feel that that is responsible than dumping them somewhere where they can multiply and disrupt the nature's balance. Just my opinion.

I feed live bearer fry culls to my bettas. I feel that that is responsible than dumping them somewhere where they can multiply and disrupt the nature's balance. Just my opinion.

and yes, coincidentally, I also enjoy the chase.