# guppies and baby cichlids



## MelissaDavis (Apr 28, 2009)

okqy so we have a 100 gallon tank with cichlids and 2 10 gallon tanks.
One 10 gallon tank holds guppies, White cloud Mtn Minnows, tiger barbs, red eye tetras and one blue dwarf gouarmi.

and the other is for babies.
we currently have 15 baby cichlids that are way too small to put in our cichlid tank. And I have 2 pregnant guppies that I need to add to the breeder tank.

I know that guppies will eat their babies but what I need to know is if my guppies will eat the baby cichlids or if they will leave them alone.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Mouth size is the key. Livebearers eat cichlid fry that fit in their mouths. Cichlids eat livebearer fry that fit. There is a size when guppy fry no longer get eaten by their parents. When the cichlid fry are that size too, they are safe with guppies.


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## MelissaDavis (Apr 28, 2009)

Thanks 

I kind of figured that but I just wanted to make sure.

are baby cichlids naturally bigger than baby guppies are when they are born. Because I know cichlids hold the babies in their mouth until she can no longer eat where as guppies dont.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

IME first released mouthbrooders are about the same length as new born guppies, but some of them are taller. Their hard dorsal can spines also make them a bit harder to eat. But mouthbrooders wouldn't bother mouthbrooding if their babies weren't a tasty snack. Some mothers will let them out, eat a meal, then pick them up again. Making them larger when she lets them go for good.


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## MelissaDavis (Apr 28, 2009)

okay thanks :]


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