Why Fish Eat Their Babies
Yes, fish eating their babies, also known as filial cannibalism, is common. To understand why, let’s consider some reasons.
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Survival of the Fittest
- When resources are scarce, parents may eat weaker offspring to enhance chances of survival for healthier fry.
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Population Control
- Controlling population and maintaining harmony becomes crucial to species survival.
Fish Prone to Eating Offspring
Furthermore, not all fish are prone to eating offspring. Betta, Molly, and Guppy are the most common species to eat babies.
- Species Variation
- How often it happens also depends on species. For instance, Guppies frequently consume newborns.
Preventing Fish from Eating Their Babies
How do I stop my fish from eating their babies?
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Separation
- Separate Molly babies as adults are likely to eat them.
- Remove eggs by taking out spawning decoration to raise fry separately.
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Platies Behavior
- Platies are voracious and may eat anything fitting in their mouth, including their own babies.
- Stressors like insufficient food can trigger more cannibalism.
Additional Tips
- Survival instinct makes fish value self-preservation.
- Molly babies unprotected so likely eaten by adults or other fish.
- Small size makes fry easy targets for predators.
Conclusion
Separate males and females after laying eggs is the best way to prevent fish from eating babies. If separation is not possible, provide plenty of hiding spots for fry to escape and ensure enough food for parents to avoid desperation.