something to add to a guppy-fry tank to make it a lil more interesting?

T

tamara323

~*Animal Loving Aquarius Aquarist*~
Feb 2, 2002
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Okay, so I bought a new tank setup for a handfull of guppy fry that I've got. They're only like a week old, so they're pretty tiny. The thing is that I've got this nice tank set up and guppies always swim near the top, so the tank looks really empty and it could definitly hold more of a bioload compared to what little fish I have in there anyhow. (It's somewhere between 15-20 gallons, and has like 10 guppy fry in it, lol)

So I want something, most likely some sort of a bottom feeder, but I need something that won't eat the guppies fry which I've become quite fond of.

My first though was african dwarf frogs, but I'm sure that they'd eat the tiny fry. What about a crab or shrimp of some sort? Any other ideas, I'm quite open minded about this.

Thanks
 
most of the corys are pretty safe.
Pristella or x-ray tetras have very small mouths, new born
guppies are almost more than they can manage
if you have plants an otto or two but only if you have a little
algea started
ember tetras only get to about an inch
khuli loaches
most bottom feaders that would fit in your tank

I am sure that there are other options
good luck
 
Originally posted by tamara323
My first though was african dwarf frogs, but I'm sure that they'd eat the tiny fry. What about a crab or shrimp of some sort?
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I would be a little weary about these as well, even though the fry are quite small at this point, the frogs being as mobile as they are would snap them up in a second. As they get a little bigger though, your crab may be the next predator. The shrimp might be fin, but I don't know enough about them to be sure. Otherwise, I believe SnakeIce is correct with the choices of fishes that may be ok for you. Also, you could try dwarf cories to be assured that they will be ok.
 
Dwarf Cories tend to spend their time in midwater. I would avoid anything which spends significant amounts of time there, but most of the commonly-offered Cories are both bottom dwellers and relatively benign. Rest pretty assured that if one of them is snacking on a guppy fry, it was already dead.
 
FYI: I've had Corys (aneus) eat pencilfish fry that were over 1cm, about a month old as well as the benthic newly hatched pencilfish fry. They are noted in the Apisto circles as being quite fond of dwarf cichlid fry and will raid nests if given the chance.

If it was my tank I'd leave it as is until the guppies put on more size. Not having a high bioload will help with their growth rates and you should be able to do more water changes which will help with growth as well.
 
Thanks for the replies :) I think I might be leaning towards getting a few ottos and maybe dwarf cories, (if either start muching on fry they'll be moved to a community tank.)

The only reason I don't want to just leave the tank until the fry are bigger is because this tank will always be a fry tank, once they get a bit bigger they'll be moved, and more newborn fry brought in.

Thanks for the replies ;) And any others I'd still like to hear!
 
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