# Ram Cichlid to control Guppy Fry?



## SilverOrchid (Jan 6, 2012)

I was doing some research on fry population control with another fish (for variety and since I don't want a serious over population in a few months but I don't want to take out all the females, and my local LFS don't buy them up) And I came across a few different articles, blogs, forums that suggested Ram Cichlids and Guppies. What do you all think? what are some other options? I do not want a schooling fish since this is a predominately a guppy tank.


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Its not a combo I would've picked because guppies like hard, hard water and rams like soft, soft. I see the point, you want a fish large enough to eat fry, but that will not eat the males (usually smaller0 or harass them or chew up their tails. Most any cichlid with eat fry or eggs if given the opportunity. but most will grow the parent-eating side as well.

You could do a divided tank with a small enough grid that only fry could through. Then you could put anything on the other side.

Usually people have a guppy eater in a separate tank and move the culls themselves after keeping the best male.


----------



## SilverOrchid (Jan 6, 2012)

I thought about that but in my attempts of catching the fry to move to another tank The only way i could do it was to lower the water level considerably and pull up all the decorations. Between that and the net chasing them two and fro the adults were very stressed out, I will look more into the angels but honestly I've never been very fond of them.


----------



## Kimberly (Jan 22, 2012)

What about some platies or swordtails? They are known to be good eaters. Obviously if you had multiple make sure they were all female. Otherwise i thought dwarf gouramis are good fry eaters too.


----------

