betta with guppies for population control?

Question

i want to get a long fin male betta (so he cant swim so fast) for my guppy tank, for population control purpose. will he kill my adult guppies, thanks

yomi m, thanks.

magicman, thanks

Answer 1

A male betta wouldn't really be the best choice for population control in a fry tank. Young fish are not their food of choice and they will only eat them if other food is not readily available. Better would be a few male swordtails or a few giant danio. Both of these will readily eat all of the fry they can find.

MM

Answer 2

He wont kill your adult guppies however he also wont kill your fry, I keep male betta's in my guppie and sword tail tanks for the reason that they will force the fry into a school and actually protect them from their parents.

Male bettas are wonderful fathers and I wouldn't breed fish without a male betta in the tank as well to protect them.

Now if your tank is big enough I would like to point out that a small eel (not a tire track or fire eel these will get to be 3+ feet long) but a small eel will eat the fry and not bother the adults. The other fish you should try are angelfish, they are wonderful at eating anything smaller then them.

Answer 3

Yup, few male bettas will eat fry and its unlikely he will kill the adults. I have one who will pick off a baby guppy now and then but really doesn't make a point of it. Now female bettas seem to be big on the eating fry thing.

I have one who will forgo any other food I try to offer her if there is fry in the tank. I keep a pair of wild guppies for her so she has a supply of fry to eat. Of course she may be a freak and what not.

Answer 4

I've only heard that bettas would pick on your guppies. According to the compatibablity chart from Petco, female bettas and guppies should get along, but just watch them closely to make sure that the betta isn't picking on your adult guppies, if it picks on them too much they will eventually die!