Let Nature Take Its Course

[SuperColey1]

I noticed yesterday that all my fish had become active and the tonight........BOOM

The Betta springs into action and gobbles a black molly fry. (The larger Black Molly is giving birth slowly)

Or not so slowly. lol

The fry don't stand much chance in this tank!!!
If the mother doesn't get them, one of the other 3 mollies go for them.
If one of the mollys doesn't get em, the Betta chases them
If the Betta doesn't get them, a glolight is after them.
BANG tha danios are awesomely fast , and are getting a good feed tonight.

You may think I am a sicko, but it is just so awesome watching them do exactly what they would do in the wild, so call me sick if you want, but its only the same as watching nature on your TV.

I cannot believe how awesome the danios are at hunting!!!

 

[Betta5]

I know what you meen, when my angels do it to my guppy fry. Just to watch them creep up then BANG! they strike fast and grab it. This was at a time when i was over run with fry and my guppies kept dropping and i though just leave them!

I dont think your a sicko, its all part of fish keeping.

 

[Yetti]

Hmmmmmm, maybe i should get some live-bearers then!

 

[SuperColey1]

I have 3 female mollies and 1 male. every 2 or 3 weeks it is an activity fest. none ever survive, and its just letting the fish act naturally. I get excited normally but last time I didn't have Danios and Glolights, just the Betta and he took 1 week to complete the job.

This is really good to watch because its not just baby fish getting eaten, its watching the different type of fish and pecking orders, competing like they would in the wild!. Very interesting.

She must've had about 80 because there are 40 or so still behind the spray bar, and another 10-15 hiding in the plants and Ive seen the others eat 20-30 so maybe more!! she was huge (the other black mollie female is preggers too)

 

[eschaton]

My experience is three or four fry survive out of every single batch. Then again, I keep little fish who can't swallow fry really once they're more than two weeks old. And I plant my tanks quite heavily.

 

[SuperColey1]

My experience is three or four fry survive out of every single batch. Then again, I keep little fish who can't swallow fry really once they're more than two weeks old. And I plant my tanks quite heavily.

My experience is none survive as long as you have one fish that is persistent (Betta) or that are damned quick (glolight tetras and Danios), so hence. if nooone swops for plants quickly as in my post in the Buy/Swap they'll be gawn

The Betta finished both the last spawns

 

[puddle_inc]

HEY, could you do me a favor? if you keep like 10 of the babies or more (depending on how many is left) i will buy them in mid feb. i can't now but i'd love to buy some young ones to start soon!

they will most likely be breed in tubs and small ponds. but anyway, i'd love to buy some then.

 

[NightStalker]

Its great and all, and i know what you mean.

But the problem with your arguement of it being just like in the wild is kinda bogus. Its like sticking someone in a cage with a lion, not like in the wild. In the wild predators give up and swim on to some other part of the river or ocean, however here the predators always in the tank, and the prey has nowhere to escape.

But yeah i like watching my oscars taking out feeder gold fish

 

[SuperColey1]

Its great and all, and i know what you mean.

But the problem with your arguement of it being just like in the wild is kinda bogus. Its like sticking someone in a cage with a lion, not like in the wild. In the wild predators give up and swim on to some other part of the river or ocean, however here the predators always in the tank, and the prey has nowhere to escape.

But yeah i like watching my oscars taking out feeder gold fish

I can understand what you are saying here, but it is a 75% planted tank, and the fry learn within the first 5 mins where to hide, hence my picture has so many in the same place. the bigger fish can't fit behind the spray bar, so the fry can go up or down depending on wether the predator is above or below. There are also lots hiding within the plants.

Then when you turn the lights out and put the moonlights on, they all come out and feed on whatever they can get, just like in the wild!!!.

 

[Marshall..]

Sicko's

 

[SuperColey1]

Sicko's

As predicted someone would say that, so he obviously doesn't watch nature problems where fish eat fish!!!!

 

[eschaton]

The sick part of it is not the fact that you feed live food to your fish. It's not required, but certain animals (most reptiles and amphibians) require it.

Killing is a fact of life, the weird thing is people getting a visceral thrill out of seeing their pet kill. As I said in another thread, would you lock a rabbit into a room with your dog so it could be killed?

 

[~T~]

Not really like in the wild as molly fry would never be on the menu of danios/bettas/glowlights but I know what you mean, it is interesting to see how the other fish hunt and at least theres no danger of disease.

 

[SuperColey1]

The sick part of it is not the fact that you feed live food to your fish. It's not required, but certain animals (most reptiles and amphibians) require it.

Killing is a fact of life, the weird thing is people getting a visceral thrill out of seeing their pet kill. As I said in another thread, would you lock a rabbit into a room with your dog so it could be killed?

I'm not getting a visceral thrill out of watching my pets killing. I am in fact watching a visceral instinct of the pet which is to eat whatever food is available. Its called survival of the fittest.

Live food is not necessary, you are correct but I feed them bloodworm once in a while anyway. Danios main diet in the wild is insects from the surface, but I will bet my bottom dollar, that they take fry if they happen to come across them.

We all know Tetras love a bit of meat. This is not a thrill of watching a bloodbath at all, in fact it is quite the opposite. I am watching the different pecking orders in the tank, and how they are reacting to this.

As the other poster said, they are correct that molly fry wouldn't be on the menu for these fish, but I bet fry of some sort are.

I think just to please people who don't watch creatures eating other creatures on nature programs, I will take 1 of 2 options.

1 - Buy a 6ft x 6ft x 6ft tank and buy 40 breeding nets never letting any fry perish to their mothers, and then wonder where to put the 5000 fish I have in a few years time

2 - Take all my female fish to the vets and get them neutered, so I can stop the carnage.

Unless you want to come here once a month and save the fry?
(You will notice that I have put them up in the buy and sell section for collection!!!! I am not breeding to feed)

 

[Azaezl]

My corys are breeding at the mo and I have a male and female senegalus who have bred in the past. So I don't get over run with fish if they both lay eggs I'm just going to leave the eggs in, if they are eaten then good but if any fry do hatch then I'll remove them and give them a chance(unless a ridiculous amount hatch, then I'll have to leave some of them).

I don't see any problem in leaving the fry for the other's to eat if you haven't got the room for them, it's really hard to find new homes for fish. I had such trouble getting rid of my geo and he was beautiful(luckily my garden centre took him in, they normally don't) so getting rid of something as common as bronze corys would be a nightmare, I'd much rather leave the eggs/fry to be eaten then have to struggle to rehome lots of little ones. Also my lfs has a dozen or so baby sens and so has the garden centre so I'd have nowhere for them and no decent sized spare tank.