Keeping guppies and neon tetra together in an aquarium is a dream come true. They are quite compatible hence you will be blessed with a beautiful and attractive tank. But luck can turn within few months once guppies or neon tetras start to breed. The thing is neon tetra are known to eat their fry so when you see guppy fish breeding, you worry about their fry too. And the mind-wrecking question that will pop up constantly is: will neon tetra eat guppy fry?
Well, Neon tetra will eat anything that will fit in their mouth either it is poop or a guppy fry. And guppy fry is so small and still developing the defense mechanism. So, neon tetra will easily fit guppy fry in its mouth and eat it up without a second thought.
I know, it is scary but hey there is always a solution to every problem. Thus, in this article, we will learn more about whether or not neon tetra will eat guppy fry. And if they do, how will you save guppy fry from neon tetra.
Let’s get started and dive into the vast sea of eye-opening knowledge.
Will Neon Tetra Eat Guppy Fry?
Yes, neon tetra will eat anything that will fit in their mouth. You must already know how large fish will eat up small fish.
Here is an article about Why Is My Neon Tetra Not Eating? – Here Is What You Can Do
Guppy fry is small and hence neon tetra can easily eat them up with no mistakes whatsoever. I know you might think of neon tetra as a bully or killer.
But actually, they are not. These tetras will not intentionally feed on guppy or try to harm them.
During their daily shenanigans, these tetras will come across many things in the tank and their love for food gets the best of them.
Neon tetra will randomly eat things present in the tank if it fits their mouth and even if it is a guppy fry. They cannot distinguish food from guppy fry or anything in the tank.
You might like to learn more about Tetra Fish Diet | What do Tetra Fish Eat: A Complete Guide.
How Can You Stop Neon Tetra To Not Eat Guppy Fry?
To be honest, you can’t stop the neon tetra and make them not eat guppy fry. Sorry, my friend but if the guppies breed in the same tank as neon tetra, then there is a very low chance of survival for both eggs and fry.
You may be able to save the eggs using various substrates, decorations like spawning mop, plastic grate, etc.
But when it comes to guppy fry which will apparently swim around in the tank, the chance is pretty thin.
Guppy fry will come across neon tetra once in a while when they are in the same tank. And, neon tetra will eat the guppy fry without knowing the damage it is doing.
However, if you really want to save your guppy fry and make the neon tetra quit eating them, you can do few things.
Separate The Breeding Pair Of Guppies
You need to move and transfer the guppies breeding pair away from the community tank with neon tetra.
The best way to save the guppy fry is to not let them be born in the community tank where neon tetra can eat them.
You can add the guppy fry back when they are strong enough to protect themselves from neon tetra or any other fish.
Separate The Neon Tetra And Parent Guppies From The Guppy Fry
If you start to see the guppy fry in the tank and you miss the whole breeding process, don’t panic. See you guppy fry are already adapted to the water present in that aquarium.
So, you cannot risk transferring them into a new tank. Guppy fry will be very fragile and sensitive to changes when they are still young.
Neon tetra will not have to eat guppy fry to kill them, the change of environment will do. Hence, you need to look for the alternative as transferring the guppy fry is out of question and context.
So, you can transfer the bigger and adult fish to the next tank till the guppy fry grow big enough to defend themselves.
This process can be risky and hard to do but it will be your only window to save the guppy fry. This way neon tetra will not be able to feed on the guppy fry.
And guppy fry will grow freely in the tank with no stress from the presence of bigger fish.
What Fish Apart From Neon Tetra Will Eat My Guppy Fry?
Well, not only neon tetra but also some other fish like angelfish, betta, etc. fish will feed on your guppy fry if you keep them together.
In a community tank, you will have many types of fish and most of the active swimmers and bullying fish will end up eating guppy fry.
Here are some of the fish that will eat your guppy fry:
- Betta Fish
- Angelfish
- Gouramis
- Swordtails
- Swarf Pufferfish
What Fish Will Not Eat Guppy Fry?
Yes, I am giving you a window to keep some fish with guppy fry too. Isn’t it great how some things can have both negative as well as a positive side like two sides of the coin?
Okay, Let’s keep the philosophy aside and talk about fish that will not eat your guppy even when they are in the same tank.
Here is the list, have fun:
- Shrimps (Aww these cute things will not even bother your guppy fry)
- Kuhli loaches
- Whiptail catfish
- Banjo Catfish
- Glass Catfish
Frequently Asked Questions
I know the never-ending quest of questions will bother you. So, I tried to collect some of the most asked questions and gave answers so it will be easier for you to research more. Hope this helps.
Can Guppies Breed With Tetras?
Absolutely not. No, Guppies will not crossbreed with tetras or any other fish other than guppies themselves.
Although there is a slim chance of guppies breeding with fish that looks and behaves similar to guppies.
Can Guppy Live With Neon Tetra?
Oh absolutely. Both neon tetra and guppies are peaceful and schooling fish and can be easily housed together.
Here is an article about How Many Neon Tetras Should You Keep In School Together?
They will make your tank beautiful and thanks to their similar size, they will be adorable and comfortable together.
You might like to read more about How Big Do Neon Tetras Grow In Size?
Do Tetras Eat Their Babies?
Yes, sadly, tetras are known to eat their young ones without any remorse or guilt. I guess they might not be intentionally feeding on their babies and have no idea what they are doing.
Tetra Fish will eat anything that will fit in their mouth. That’s why experts suggest you separate the adult tetras from the breeding tank as soon as the female tetra lays eggs.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, guppy fry will not be safe if you keep them together with neon tetra. Bigger fish tend to eat smaller fish present in the tank and you can’t change that. What you can do is separate the breeding guppy pair before the guppy fry is born. When guppy fry will not be present in the tank, neon tetra will not be able to eat it.
So, if you want to have guppy fry and neon tetra then it is time to get a new tank and keep them separately. You can add them back in the same tank when the guppy fry is big enough to protect itself.
You will do fine if you listen to the things I have told you in this article.
Good Luck!!!
Happy Fishkeeping!!!
Recommended Articles:
- 7 Amazing Types Of Neon Tetras
- 10 Reasons Why Neon Tetras Are The Perfect Pet
- How To Tell If A Neon Tetra Is Going To Lay Eggs?
