Fish Version Of Mcd?

[BlueDragon]

So I get that in the wild Fish would probably come across fry of their own kind and eat them without any problems. But this would only be an occational thing. When we keep Fish in a tank fry are much more and are came by much more often. So is there a chance of the Fish becoming ill from eating too many of their own kind too often? I get that naturally they must be canabals, but is there a limit to be aware of? Has anyone had any problems with Fish eating fry?

 

[PrairieSunflower]

I have had two voracious fry eaters.

One (I still have), has never shown any ill effect to eating fry... I do try and rescue them, but this last time I only managed to rescue 5 (so she must have eaten about 25+).

I did have another female who ate a huge number of her fry, and later died. But I do not believe I can link that death to the fact that she ate her fry... she showed some concerning behavior before birthing her fry and I believe she birthed an insane number of them. I rescued about 20 of them and witnessed her eating others one after another so fast... I believe its very possible she had 50-70 fry.... and am thinking that somehow is what weakened her and lead to her death... not the fact that she ate her fry.

 

[FishBlast]

My male swordtail has eaten about 14 out of 20 fry and was rather plump, he then ignored the rest, only nipping at them and making them jump away. Oddly, the only fry he left untouched were those that were black with a red face. But whenever he saw pink fry, he would eat them.
I don't think fry eating could cause problems since they eventually stop eating them and look bored.

 

[BlueDragon]

Thanks peoples : )

I was just worried about the long term effects on Fish eating own species fry. Not so much how many they eat at once, but more how often they end up eating so many and what that could mean for their health/digestion in their long term lives.

I suppose since they're naturally canabals then they'd have to eat an awful lot an awful lot of the time to feel an ill effect?

 

[FishBlast]

Thanks peoples : )

I was just worried about the long term effects on Fish eating own species fry. Not so much how many they eat at once, but more how often they end up eating so many and what that could mean for their health/digestion in their long term lives.

I suppose since they're naturally canabals then they'd have to eat an awful lot an awful lot of the time to feel an ill effect?

Fish is fish, it's part of their diet anyway. Even the flakes we feed our fish contain fish meat (although probably not swordtail meat lol).

 

[BlueDragon]

Yes, but I don't think it contains the same Fishes meat we have in our tanks? Probably more likely to be off cuts from Fishing ships, no?

 

[FishBlast]

Yes, but I don't think it contains the same Fishes meat we have in our tanks? Probably more likely to be off cuts from Fishing ships, no?

Yeah, but in nature the swordtails might eat their offspring if they're not fast enough. It's just another meal to them. It's like humans being able to eat human meat, even though it's not normal.

 

[BlueDragon]

So in some cases, even in the wild, some Fish would be eating just the same number of their own fry or same species fry?

 

[FishBlast]

So in some cases, even in the wild, some Fish would be eating just the same number of their own fry or same species fry?

Judging by the amount of swordtails I've seen in a video, where they swim like a shoal almost, I think that it is very likely that they can eat them almost like a daily meal, what with the huge amount of females that could give birth any time there.

 

[HAMBONE]

Yes, but I don't think it contains the same Fishes meat we have in our tanks? Probably more likely to be off cuts from Fishing ships, no?

actually there are huge guppy farms in Louisiana that raise guppys for feed.. a lot of the flake foods are ground up wild guppy..

 

[BlueDragon]

Really? I never thought it would work like that. Actually, is seems a bit of a strange idea. Why Guppies? I get they're better (or worse) at breeding than Rabbits! But them as a pose to any other fish?

Is it that Guppies are the safest Fish to use, say, illness wise?

I suppose I'm seeing it as strange 'cause I'm thinking of it like feeding a Dog miced Dog or a Cat chunks of Cat. But it's not the same thing is it? : /

 

[FishBlast]

Really? I never thought it would work like that. Actually, is seems a bit of a strange idea. Why Guppies? I get they're better (or worse) at breeding than Rabbits! But them as a pose to any other fish?

Is it that Guppies are the safest Fish to use, say, illness wise?

I suppose I'm seeing it as strange 'cause I'm thinking of it like feeding a Dog miced Dog or a Cat chunks of Cat. But it's not the same thing is it? : /

It's more like feeding a cat chunks of lion and a dog chunks of wolf. Lol.
There are so many animals fed with unusual stuff, such as chickens and cows fed meat and bone meals.
In the wild, fish eat other species though. Even their own offspring. And I think it goes for reptiles such as crocodiles, who also may eat baby crocs of other families (and sometimes even their own if a father meets an offspring).

 

[HAMBONE]

Really? I never thought it would work like that. Actually, is seems a bit of a strange idea. Why Guppies? I get they're better (or worse) at breeding than Rabbits! But them as a pose to any other fish?

Is it that Guppies are the safest Fish to use, say, illness wise?

I suppose I'm seeing it as strange 'cause I'm thinking of it like feeding a Dog miced Dog or a Cat chunks of Cat. But it's not the same thing is it? : /

guppys are easy to breed, thrive in a warm humid environment, are still breed in huge numbers for pest control, so part of that market gets used for the fish feed industry.. it comes down to economics, if they're is already an infrastructure in place, why not use that product in another market..

 

[BlueDragon]

Thanks both.

Yeah, I can see how it makes sense now.

I've been told I just worry too much : /