Will Gbr's Eat Their Own Fry?

[cooledwhip]

I have 3 pairs of GBR's. 6 all together. I plan on putting them all in a 20 gallon long until they pair off and leaving 2 pairs in the 20 gallon. I want to know if say one of the pairs lays eggs and they hatch, will the other pair eat those eggs/fry? I know some cichlids raise their own fry and I believe GBR's are like that, but I don't know if they will eat another PAIR's fry. Thanks

 

[BettaBettas]

GBR?

 

[cooledwhip]

GBR?

german blue ram

 

[BettaBettas]

ah ok, cant say I know anything about them, sorry

 

[Byron]

Yes, they might.  It is usually the eggs that are eaten by other fish, but the tiny fry can be as well.
 
A bonded pair of cichlids that have spawned will usually guard the clutch of eggs and then the shoal of fry.  Sometimes things go wrong, depending upon the species, environment, water conditions, or the individual fish themselves.  But assuming they have truly bonded they will be good protective parents.  However, they may or may not be able to defend the eggs/fry from other fish.  And other fish will, given the opportunity, attempt to eat the eggs certainly, and often the fry.  Once the fry reach a certain size, other fish tend to ignore them, as fish eating fish is not common with most aquarium species.

 

[cooledwhip]

Thanks Byron. I am not too worried about losing a couple fry. I have heard of people saying the female eats the eggs but I'm not going to worry too much. If it's a real problem I can just move them to a different tank and leave the male to raise the fry. I'm really excited for this, I have them all in a 10 gallon now and I'm waiting for the 20 to cycle a little bit. I got mini clay pots for 10 cents each at my walmart clearance sale. I put those in there and cracked some so they have lots of smooth surfaces to spawn on. 

 

[Byron]

Thanks Byron. I am not too worried about losing a couple fry. I have heard of people saying the female eats the eggs but I'm not going to worry too much. If it's a real problem I can just move them to a different tank and leave the male to raise the fry. I'm really excited for this, I have them all in a 10 gallon now and I'm waiting for the 20 to cycle a little bit. I got mini clay pots for 10 cents each at my walmart clearance sale. I put those in there and cracked some so they have lots of smooth surfaces to spawn on. 

 
I believe the female is usually the guarder of eggs/fry, with the male guarding the territory around her.  This can reverse, but unless you definitely want to retain as many fry as possible to sell or whatever (in which case artificial hatching could be used), I would not separate the parents.  Doing this could cause the other to eat the eggs; any form of stress can result in the parents eating the eggs.  Six of this species in a 10g is very crowded, as I believe you know, and almost certain to cause issues.  But once you can keep the pair together without the others, they may prove to be good parents.

 

[AbbeysDad]

I think it's important to have good plant cover/hiding places for fry. Newly born/hatched fry are often hunted by other big fish...sometimes even the parents! It amazes me, as Byron pointed out, that after just a few days, the little fish (still small enough to be a tasty meal) are ignored by the big fish. So if the eggs and then the new fry make it a few days the danger is over and you can focus on giving them the right foods several times a day to grow up big and strong. 

 

[cooledwhip]

I think it's important to have good plant cover/hiding places for fry. Newly born/hatched fry are often hunted by other big fish...sometimes even the parents! It amazes me, as Byron pointed out, that after just a few days, the little fish (still small enough to be a tasty meal) are ignored by the big fish. So if the eggs and then the new fry make it a few days the danger is over and you can focus on giving them the right foods several times a day to grow up big and strong. 

Yes that's kinda a given.... I have lots of cover already....