Cacatu Fry Question

[krudolph]

I have two A. cacatu pairs that now have batches of fry. The ones in a 15G long tank just have the parents only and the fry are swimming around and seem to be doing well. Female and male are getting along. In the 30G (48x12x12) long tank I think I have five males and one female (plan was 2 males and 4 females to start and then narrow down to 1 male and 2 females in two different tanks). The pair with the fry (not free swimming yet, just wigglers) are staying on the far right and the other males have always favored the middle and left, so everyone seems happy, at least for now.

I have no experience with the breeding, but have read a lot, but I know there are several on here that do have experiences, so I would like to have your input. I am wondering what the odds are that once the batch, with the six fish tank, start swimming will they be eaten by the other males? There were over a dozen new born guppy fry left over before I took the mother out, but no one ever became a meal. However, the cacatu fry are really small. If I happen to be there and start to see them being picked off, how would they fair with the other pair in the other tank? I am only considering that since I had read that females steal fry from each other (I presume they are not eattin them?). These fry are a couple of days behind the ones in the smaller tank and I would not move them until they are free swimming.

Setting up another tank at this point is not an option, if I want to remain married....

 

[Mike Wise]

Since only the mother looks after the fry, she might have a tough time protecting them from the males. Dad might help keep the other males out of his territory, but he really isn't interested in protecting the fry.