why do fish eat their babies?

Answer 1

It depends of the type of fish. Some fish will ferociously defend their fry and protect them until they're capable of fending for themselves. In certain fish both the mother and father provide care and protection. (these type of fish will attempt to eliminate all other fish in the tank to protect their babies).

Other fish have limited maternal instincts (they'll protect them or ignore them for a few days and then might resort to eating them if they can).

Many fish treat all small fish as FOOD, regardless if it's their own progeny they're eating.

In the wild, baby fish (fry) that fall in the last category typically avoid larger fish and don't tend to stick around where the bigger fish are. In a tank environment there's no place to go (basically the tank confines the baby fish to remain in close proximity to the parents and they can end up as food). Biologically, it is counter-productive to consume offspring...so it's all due to the artificiality of the aquarium.

Answer 2

It's all about the protein...

When fish are fed well and there is an abundance of food (like in the spring) they will spawn. They realize that there is enough food to procreate. If there is not enough food, they do not spawn. They will not be in good condition and the female will not produce eggs. The male is always ready but just like with humans, it is the female who says when.

I keep African cichlids and most of them are very good parents. Some of the females will actually carry the eggs around in their mouths for up to 3 weeks until the eggs hatch without eating anything during that time. She will become thin, but suffers no lasting ill effects if food is available after she releases the fry.

If they are starving, they will eat their own. Better that the adults survive to spawn again later than die along with the fry. It's all about the protein.

Answer 3

Fish in the wild have so much more room than in their aquarium. Fry will usually try to stay hidden, but your aquarium may not have good hiding places. Even if it does have good hiding places, it's not too hard for them to be found in an aquarium.

In the wild, the fry will hide, and the parents will never see them again. I would assume that fish who eat their own fry probably don't have any understanding of what they're doing, because in the wild their fry would be 100 miles away with a suitable hiding place.

Of course, there are so many different fish with so many different behaviours that it's difficult to make such general comments about their actions.

Answer 4

In nature most fish live 1 per 100s of gallons. There are numerous different fish is the same body of water. Thus it's unlike that most fish will ever met up with their offspring. As a result evolution didn't select most fish for maternal/paternal instincts. Most fish will eat any thing they can fit in their mouths. It's just the nature of bring a fish.

Answer 5

This is a wild guess from observing other animals in nature .. certain animals will actually kill their young if in captivity but in the wild they will actually nurture their young .. maybe as a way to protect the child in a way that says ' Not going to let you suffer like us ' then again that's just a wild guess

Guppies though are the worst! female's will go through that painful process of flippin all over the place like a mad fish 'n carry over 10 young's only to eat em up right after!

Answer 6

Basically because they are moving about in front of them. Fish hunting is a reaction and they do not see them as babies but as food.

Answer 7

they mistake the eggs for food or they baby fish for food

Answer 8

specific is they are hungry adequate they unquestionably will. I many times have a pair of 50% survival value for my fry as quickly as I launch them into the community tank (as quickly as they are approximately 2 weeks previous). of path I even have African cichlids and that they are extra aggressive, yet goldfish would properly be cannibalistic none the fewer. in case you relatively need all of them to proceed to exist you will desire to separate them, yet in any different case assume the main efficient of them to complicated it out! Congrats

Answer 9

Well basically, because they can. Many fish species are opportunistic feeders, even if it means cannibalism.

Answer 10

It's called survival.