I bought this fish 2 days ago. It's small and white and there's nothing special about it....but it had about 12 babies yesterday. And I took a guppie out that I had living with the other fish so it wouldn't distract it from it's babies. But a friend told me that the mama fish might eat the babies. And I was wondering if this was true....I didn't know any fish ate their babies! Thanks!
And also...what do the babies eat?! It seems like they're too small for regular fish food! Help!
2007-02-28 05:42:15 · 12 answers · asked by littleorangecow 1 in Pets ➔ Fish
If the fish had live babies it's a type that's called a live bearer. All live bearers will each their own babies so the only way to be sure the baboies are safe will be to remove all other fish from the tank. Baby livebearers will eat finely crushed flake food without too much problem.
MM
2007-02-28 05:54:44 · answer #1 · answered by magicman116 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Most fish kept in aquariums will eat their babies if given the chance. Even the tropical fish that provide parental care have been known to eat their eggs and fry under certain conditions. If you really want the babies to be safe you should have the babies in a tank by themselves with no other fish.
I am not sure what kind of fish you have but it is clearly a livebearer of some sort and most livebearer fry are able to eat crushed flake fish food from the start. The pet stores also sell finely ground dry food and liquid food for tiny baby fish. Another old standby is taking some hardbolied egg yolk and squeezing it through some cheesecloth. The liquid that passes through the cloth is cloudy from the tiny bits of egg yolk. You can also buy brine shrimp eggs at the pet store and hatch them into tiny shrimp that baby fish can eat. Be careful not to overfeed!
2007-02-28 07:02:18 · answer #2 · answered by Rags to Riches 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The fact that a fish came from WalMart does not determine its species or whether it will eat its young. Each fish has its own species name and would have that name whether it was sold by Wal-Mart, Petco or your local fish store. While some fish do have a protective instinct toward their young, most fish don't and don't see fry as "their babies." Procreation is just a duty that is in their genes and they have no emotional connection to their young like humans. Whether live bearer or egg layer, most fish will eat the fry, not because they are being mean, but just because they see the fry as food. It's just a survival technique. A livebearer of unremarkable coloring is probably a guppy. I can see how you want to be protective of your guppy fry now, but that may change as time goes forward. After giving birth, a female guppy is ready for conception again within a few hours. If there is no male to mate with the female will use stored sperm from the previous mating. So, chances are, this isn't the last you'll see of guppy fry. If you want to protect the fry from being eaten, you should separate them in a breeding tank or give them lots of plants to hide in. The fry should be fed brine shrimp, micro food, and pulverized flakes
2007-02-28 06:17:14 · answer #3 · answered by Venice Girl 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, the mama fish will eat her babies. they don't recognize them as her children, She see them as a snack, however if your fish is a herbivour then you have nothing to worry about. What type of fish do you have? That is the big question. Wal-mart isn't a specific type of fish. Get online and find out what fish you have, but first take mama out fo the tank. Then you can find out what food to feed the fry. Fry is what you call baby fish. do you have grass at the bottom of your tank for your fry to hide. if so, then you can keep mama and your other in the tank with them.
2007-02-28 08:09:52 · answer #4 · answered by jdecorse25 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It would help a lot to know what kind of fish you actually bought. Chances are its not called a "WalMart" fish. Some fish will indeed eat their own babies, I've even heard of livebearer mothers turn around and eat their own right as they come out. However, other fish will tend to and protect their babies. I have a couple of platy fry and they're doing great on crushed up flake.
2007-02-28 05:57:31 · answer #5 · answered by Randy A 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Basically all fish eat their babies. Only a few usually survive, but they need to be separated. Go to Petsmart or a fish store, they sell liquid food in a tube for babies.
Good luck!
2007-02-28 05:57:12 · answer #6 · answered by gizmo 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
some fish do eat their own young if they are hungry enough
put the fish in a seperate tank and feed them regular fih food
2007-02-28 05:55:35 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Live bearers always eat their young and MUST be separated or they will all be eaten,after separating feed same food, but if flake rub betw. fingers to make smaller particles for fry.
2007-03-02 07:39:56 · answer #8 · answered by xxx 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i think that it is true because one of my fish had babies and none of them are in my fish tank today, but i did have other fish in the tank at the time so.....mmmmm you kinda answered my question
2007-02-28 05:50:18 · answer #9 · answered by Mushroom_cake 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
They eat anything including their own babies.
2007-02-28 05:49:41 · answer #10 · answered by RodneyRowland 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋