What Fish Is A Good Fry Eater?

[jonnyf84]

Hi, i just got some riccia recently which means my sword fry population is booming beyond my control, can i have some opinions on what would make a good fry eater, they can't be too aggressive or too large because it's a delicately planted tank so cichlids are probably out of the question due to their nature of uprooting plants, and it cant be livebearers that are likely to cross breed with the swords such as mollies. I thought a betta maybe, a small angel (not ideal because it would grow too big)....

the tank is 115L.

A tricky one to answer i know but any opinions would be great.

 

[MOW4T]

danio's of some sort!?

 

[Jonty]

I've found larger tetras like black phantoms are good, or some type of gourami

 

[Monty-2010]

Gouramis would be good

 

[fishnovice]

Mollies can#t crossbreed with swords, different genus although they look similar.Good fry eaters and not aggressive. Just make sure all mollies are the same sex or you will have a molly fry problem too!Avoid platy, very closely related to swords and cross breed readily.

 

[jonnyf84]

Thanks for your ideas, i'm looking into congo tetra's and bettas at the moment, gourami's wouldn't be good for my set up, although the substrate is completely planted they are all low lying plants so there's too much open water and also the water flow is stronger than they like, i know bettas appreciate still/slow water movement but i'v found them to be more adaptable. I'm not really a fan of mollies, if i was to keep them i would want a bigger, brackish tank with at least 8-10 of them.

Any other ideas? Does anybody know of a small predatory cichlid that won't uproot plants or bother my cherry shrimp and cardinals? I'd really like a cichlid in this set up but i'm completely stumped for ideas....

 

[fett999]

I've got a pair of german blue rams in my tank and I haven't had a problem with plants being uprooted or my shrimp being eaten.

 

[meguro]

how will an angelfish grow too big, is ur tank less than 18inches high?

 

[EllieW]

My congo tetras dont touch my mollie fry. Not sure how sword fry compare in size though.

 

[jonnyf84]

My congo tetras dont touch my mollie fry. Not sure how sword fry compare in size though.

Really, thats disappointing as i was edging towards congo's, i thought they had a bit of a reputation as fry eaters...

how will an angelfish grow too big, is ur tank less than 18inches high?

No, they will grow to big for the aquascape, look out of proportion, bother my cherry shrimp and probably my cardinals too.

I've got a pair of german blue rams in my tank and I haven't had a problem with plants being uprooted or my shrimp being eaten.

I love GBR's but i'm not sure they'r big fry eaters.


I knew this one would be a tough one to answer..... What about a type of headstander? I'm streching for ideas now

 

[fishyfeet]

My congo tetras dont touch my mollie fry. Not sure how sword fry compare in size though.

Really, thats disappointing as i was edging towards congo's, i thought they had a bit of a reputation as fry eaters...

how will an angelfish grow too big, is ur tank less than 18inches high?

No, they will grow to big for the aquascape, look out of proportion, bother my cherry shrimp and probably my cardinals too.

I've got a pair of german blue rams in my tank and I haven't had a problem with plants being uprooted or my shrimp being eaten.

I love GBR's but i'm not sure they'r big fry eaters.


I knew this one would be a tough one to answer..... What about a type of headstander? I'm streching for ideas now

tigar barbs are good too, i had some green ones, need a few though to keep the unagressive, i think i had six. di

 

[jonnyf84]

tigar barbs are good too, i had some green ones, need a few though to keep the unagressive, i think i had six. di

I've never kept tiger barbs so its a option, but again i worry about my cherry shrimp... - do tiger barbs readily eat fry?

 

[fishyfeet]

i doubt it, they will eat very small young fry but as they are not that big the wont attempt anything too large, i full say fully grown cherries would be too big, di

 

[loraxchick]

i would nix the betta idea, although your tank is beautifully set up for one and he'd love it in there. ive tried my bettas for guppy fry control. they really are not as good for it as you would imagine. sure, they eat a few weak/deformed ones initially, but quickly give up the chase and then you are left with loads of fry anyway.
just thought id share my experience.
best of luck.
cheers

 

[fishyfeet]

i doubt a betta would, they arnt very strong swimmers whereas barbs never giveup, like little "angels" and they are fast too. di