Not to sound evil but ....

[Crocodylus]

Aside from separating the pregnant females, and not having them cavort with the males, what’s the best ‘natural’ way to control the fry population in an established tank? Someone recommended a while ago buying a couple of Angels to errrr.. manage the population. My setup is as follows, have a 40G with 6 coryes, 10 neons, 6 guppies, one male platy and about 15 silver mollies. I also have a 10G with 2 very pregnant platies, 10 guppy fry, 12 mollie fry and about 5-6 platy fry (I guess the females are slowly releasing the frys) I would love to have all the big fish in the big tank and use the smaller one for a quarantine/breeder (when needed) tank.

Any recommendation would be well received. Thanks!!

[famman]

You don't sound like you approve of 'err' a natural solution. The most common solution to too many fry is often, their parents. If angels are too aggressive for your taste, try a small barb.
good luck
:)

[mogurnda]

Sounds like an opportunity to me. Ever wanted a small, interesting predator, like a leaf fish? Your livebearers will fill the tanks to bursting if you don't do something.

Oops, i just read you have neons. Scrap the leaf fish, but you get the idea.

[Crocodylus]

How about a school of cherry barbs? would they do the 'good' deed? :D

[OrionGirl]

If you don't specifically make efforts to save the fry, the adult fish--including mom and dad--will 'do the deed' for you. No need to add anything.

[Crocodylus]

so far 4 days and 'mom', 'dad', 'cousins', 'friends', etc. are ignoring them :mad:

[mogurnda]

I have to disagree about the self-correction. Previously, I had a tank overrun with sailfin mollies, even when I put a few scats in for good measure. Only way that problem was solved was when I left town and got rid of the fish. The numbers they can pump out are quite amazing. The platies I have now are fairly prolific, but are easier to keep under control.

[OrionGirl]

Hmmm. Guess all the live bearers I've had were less kind to their progeny.

[Crocodylus]

Originally posted by OrionGirl
Hmmm. Guess all the live bearers I've had were less kind to their progeny.

On a side note, i bought some Otos yesterday (about an inch in size) and the moment i released them to the tank, the mollies started chasing them!! :mad: :mad: , but yet they dont touch their mom offsprings :rolleyes:

[LMOUTHBASS]

is it that fish eat their babies??? sorta erases the purpose of breeding

[tricksterpup]

Big fish always eat little fish.

[PumaWard]

I've found Red Phantom Tetras are the best for neutralizing fry.

[yashinfan]

Originally posted by LMOUTHBASS
is it that fish eat their babies??? sorta erases the purpose of breeding

To control the population, obviously! Imagine a tank where all the babies lived- always. In a year it'd burst full of fish!!!!!!!

[optix]

live bearers not eating their young eh, I thought cichlids were the only ones that did that :P. I would say try some barbs I guess. I would think that the parents would take care of them themselves though.

[viboy]

Stop feeding your fish and I am sure that the fry will eventually be eaten.