cardinal retirement plan

[Hybridfish7]

So I have a group of wild colombian cardinals from my (currently unsuccessful) breeding project. Thinking of retiring them for now to my 30 long with my el tigre endlers and chili rasboras. My main concern is the cardinals eating the endler fry. Will they? The tank is very heavily planted and I have a dense covering of salvinia at the top. The endler population is only now rising, with 3 of my original females, two males they gave birth to, 3 juveniles that are just showing signs of maturity and 2 fry born last night. I'd like it to increase more but also want the cardinals to get out of their algae covered void of a 10 gallon breeding tank.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Most fish see fry as on the menu. For some this even includes their own fry. In addition, fish eggs are a luncheon delicacy for most fish. I have a lot of fish spawn in my water, but if I want to get fry to survive I used a species only breeding tank and, when needed, a species only grow tank. At least with live bears the eggs develop inside the female and when the fish reach a free swimming stage, she gives birth.

Heavy plant cover will likely mean even if they are on the menu, a few fry should survive. Howerver, when I was breeding Montezuma swordtails I concluded that the juvies were eating newborns. Each spawn was getting ever smaller and the juveis seem better equiped to eat them with a ton of plant cover. My guess is the adults would given the opportunity.

Also, I know for a fact that amano shrimp at adult size can and will eat newly free swimming bristnose plecos or any other very small fry thay can catch. Only keep smaller shrimp in tanks where you have spawning fish.

 

[Red Cichlids]

I agree with TwoTankAmin. Take a close look at cardinal tetras' mouths and you will see they look like mini piranhas up close. They will definitely eat the small livebearers, but if you have enough cover, some will survive. I currently have a solitary cardinal in with a tank of various sizes of dragonblood peacock fry with a very good survival rate. I wouldn't trust it with brand newly swimming ones though. Guppies/ Endlers over a couple weeks old should be fine. I recommend catching out the newborn ones and putting them in a net breeder box for a few weeks.