All types of guppies eat their babies, as well as the babies of other fish. Other fish will eat guppy fry too. So in a community tank, the babies live a dangerous life. But why do guppies eat their babies? This type of cannibalism, filial cannibalism, is typical among fish. It is not just fish that eat their young but many different animals as well. Some argue that its a form of natural selection. Baby guppies that avoid death can be healthier, fitter fish, smarter fish who will eventually breed and produce similar guppies which improve the species as a whole.
If you want to help increase the survival rate of your baby guppies, here are some of the things that you can do to reduce the risk of filial cannibalism by adults.
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Add More Plants
Plant dense, movable plants (real or fake) at the bottom of the aquarium to give the guppies with a hiding place. Adults will still eat few baby guppies, but the ones that are adept at hiding will survive.
Use A Breeding Tank
Remove the female guppy from the main tank and placing her in a separate container until she gives birth. Once she does, move the mother guppy back to the main tank and raise the baby fry in the breeding tank until they are big enough to join the others in the main tank.
Floating Breeding Box
At your local pet store or preferred online fish store, you can get a clear box that will either clip-on or float in your aquarium. There’s a mesh portion that allows baby guppies to swim through to escape the adults safely. Others prevent fry from getting out and adults from getting in.
You put the pregnant guppy in the top part of the box. The fry can then swim safely in the lower part of the box. You can use the container to move the baby guppies to their tank or raise them in the box.
