Bottom Feeders

[Fish_fanatic]

What type of bottom feeder is ok to put with guppy fry?? Cories, ghost shrimp, or others?

Thanks

 

[Blackpearl]

How about plecos? My pleco seem to ignore my platy fry, and the fry dont seem to be afraid of the pleco. They swim freely around the cave where the pleco is hiding.
You can try arrange the rocks / gravels loosely, so that the fry can hide inbetween gravels to survive.

 

[Essayons89]

I think one of the smaller species of cory such as pandas or a pygmy cory species might work. I wouldn't it past one of the larger cory species to snatch up a fry if given the chance.

Ghost shrimp are another option. Kuhli loaches could be another.



Bryan

 

[lmw80]

What size is the tank?

For larger tanks, loaches or plecos would be good.

For smaller tanks, cories or ghost shrimp would work. (just remember...never get any less than 2 cories..prefferably 3)

 

[TankGirl]

Don't forget that most of the smaller plecos, if you go with a dwarf species, do not "clean up" the bottom, if you are looking for that kind of thing. I don't think you can beat cories or loaches for activity and interest, as well as cleanup. Some loaches will tend to uproot plants, if you have them, in their vigorous rooting around.

 

[Fish_fanatic]

the tank size is 10 gallons. All thats in there is a very think layer of gravel, (just enough to cover the bottom) and hornwort. The reason I want the bottom feeders is to clean up the bottom b/c using the python on a tank full of fry seems dangerous :? So a dwarf species of cories would be ok?

 

[lmw80]

yes...I would say 3 or 4 cories would be good.

 

[Essayons89]

I think the fry might be fine with a dwarf cory species but I've never tried it. The tanks that I use to grow out fry are bare bottom tank- eaiser to keep clean that way IMHO. I agree that it can be a nerve wracking experience to vac a fry tank but it still needs to be done to remove waste.

If a python or a gravel vac/siphon scares you try using piece of airline tubing to vac with and siphon into a bucket. That's what I do. I use a baster to pluck any fry out of the bucket and put them back into the tank.

Bryan

 

[krap101]

you could just get a breeding net and not worry about it

 

[Guppyman]

Bottom Dwellers

Hi. - Corys are your best bet - even the larger species. Guppy fry rarely spend more than a minute or 2 on the bottom of the tank - if at all. If your tank is lit, they will head for the light, that's why floating plants are your best protection. If a Cory gets to eat a baby guppy, it was either weak, deformed - or both. In that case it should be eaten. Mother Nature's way of culling the bad genes. Trying to save every guppy baby born is an exercise in futility - and if successful - insanity! - Frank/Guppyman

 

[TankGirl]

Put a piece of netting over the end of the syphon if you are worried, but my Endler's fry (very similar to guppies) are able to avoid the python - and Guppyman is right (of course) that they spend most of their time towards the top. The bottom feeders are not going to dispose of fishy waste, so you will still need to syphon that up.

 

[docrak]

Had a 4” YoYo loach in with some mollie and swordtail fry. It was pretty aggressively chasing after fry whenever it encountered one. I some times sneak up on my tanks with a flashlight after lights out. I have caught the loach trying to root up a swordtail fry that was hiding in the gravel. Every fish has it’s own personality. But my YoYo loach is a glutten and is rather aggressive for loach. I now only keep panda corries in my fry tank.

 

[Fish_fanatic]

Thanks for all the info guys. I think i'll go with cories