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i wanted to do a live bearer tank which would be feeder fish for a larger predatory fish.i did this a few years back and became overrun, so i have to questions, firstly if i am told correctly a 1male to every 2 femal ratio is the best so the male doesnt over stress the females, and whact is a good way to manage the fry since my oscar cannot eat that many fish?

With many fish, you can prevent further matings, and thus more offspring, by separating the male and female. Unfortunately, with internal fertilization, livebearers can hold sperm to fertilize eggs within her over many broods. Thus, you can't really control how many babies are made.

My recommendation would be to find other ways to get rid of fry. One way would be to simply cull them. If that's not an option, you can bag them up and give them back to the store as feeders; unfortunately, livebearer fry is next to worthless unless you're breeding some fantastic strains. A third way is to get more predators. There are a variety of smaller species of predatory fishes such as leopard ctenopoma, South American leaf fish, and African butterflyfish, that can be kept in an aquarium as small as 10 or 20 gallons.

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i heard a betta could take care of over population of the fry, i think this will work but woudnt the betta nip the guppies long fins?

You could start of with 1-3or4 and after the first lot of fry that count will be well out any way. Get a good size fish by its self but not big enough/variety to eat the adults and it will keep the population under control easily.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info
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Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

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3 to 1 is a good ratio with Guppy's. Some Livebearers will eat their fry & so I don't think that you're going to get overstocked. Oscars eat quite a few fish & so you'll be feeding him for free.

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ok so in my 10 G i should start off with one male and 3 female?

Don't get a betta fish he'll mistake the guppies for other betta and kill them