Guppy fish is one of the most popular tropical fish for home aquariums and are relatively easy to care for and can add a splash of color to any tank. But there are days when these fish will show some unique yet excruciating feature that will leave you questioning your choice. For example, for the first time, when I started seeing the missing parts in the dead fish in the guppy tank, I just overlooked it thinking the filter might have done that. But one day, I saw guppies roaming around the dead body, leaving me with a question. Do guppy fish eat dead fish, or do I imagine it?
Sadly, the answer is yes; guppy fish will eat dead fish if there is one in the tank and are opportunistic feeders in the wild and eat just about anything they can find. But remember, dead fish can harbor bacteria and parasites that can harm your guppies.
Similarly, eating too much dead fish can lead to health problems like bloating and constipation. So while it is not necessarily harmful to guppies to eat dead fish, you should keep these few things in mind.
In this article, we will explore the truth about guppy fish and dead fish. We’ll answer the question of whether or not guppies eat dead fish as well as look at some of the potential health implications of eating dead fish.
So, let’s get started!
Do Guppy Fish Eat Dead Fish?
Yes, sadly, these guppy fish do eat dead fish present in the tank. However, it is a common behavior for these fish and is not something that you should get alarmed about.
Guppies are opportunistic feeders and take advantage of any food source they can find. So, the diet might range from dead fish to plants and even algae. While it is not uncommon for guppies to eat dead fish, certain health risks accompany this behavior.
I would never suggest letting your guppy eat dead fish, as health concerns are associated with this. Instead, I recommend removing the dead fish from the tank as soon as possible.
So, while it’s not their first choice, guppies will consume dead fish if necessary. Therefore, if you have a guppy tank, it’s important to remove any dead fish as soon as possible to prevent them from being eaten.
While there is no nutritional value in eating a dead fish, guppies do not seem to care. If you have a dead fish in your aquarium, your guppies will likely attempt to eat it.
Will Guppy Eat Dead Fish?
Yes and No. Your guppies will most definitely eat dead fish, but only when they discover it in the tank. It is not their regular diet or the food they crave for. On the other hand, the dead fish you just happen to have in the tank is an easy snack for alive guppies swimming around.
And no, it is not intentional or a hunting instinct. Instead, it is their natural instinct to choose a food to eat that is soft and easy to swallow.
A dead fish just happens to fit those criteria. If you do not want your guppies to snack on their tank mates, then you need to remove the carcass as soon as possible.
Guppies are attracted to anything that smells or looks like food. So, if you leave a dead fish in the tank for too long, the guppies will eventually find it and eat it.
You can avoid this by removing the dead fish as soon as possible. It is also a good idea to do regular water changes and clean the tank often.
This will help keep the water quality high and prevent the growth of bacteria that can cause disease in your fish.
Do Guppies Eat Each Other?
Well, if we are talking about the diss and war between two adult guppies where one ends up eating the other, then the answer is no, as this scenario will never occur in a guppy tank.
However, if we are talking about a mother guppy eating her babies, the answer is yes. This might sound really cruel and inhumane, but it is actually what happens in the wild.
Guppies are not cannibals and typically do not eat each other. However, if they are starved or feel threatened, they may resort to eating their tank mates that are smaller in size and fit right in their mouth. This is why it is important to provide your guppies with enough food and avoid overcrowding their tank.
But no adult will ever try the stunt of eating another guppy in the same tank. How can they even do that? These guppies are physically incapable of eating another guppy, thanks to the small size of their mouth.
The only thing an adult guppy can do to another guppy is give a good nip which will only annoy the other fish but won’t cause any serious damage.
So, the answer to this question is no; adult guppies will never try to eat each other. Phew! That was a close one.
Why Do Guppy Fish Eat Dead Fish?
The answer to this question is a little more complicated than you might think. Guppies are actually omnivores, which means they will eat plants and animals. In the wild, guppies typically eat small insects, larvae, and other small invertebrates.
However, guppies are also opportunistic feeders. This means that if there is an easy meal available, they will take advantage of it.
This is why you might see guppies nibbling on dead fish from time to time. While it’s not their preferred diet, they will consume dead fish if it’s available.
There are a few reasons why guppies might eat dead fish. I will list them below for you:
Smell
First, guppies are attracted to the smell of decomposing flesh. When fish dies, their bodies release a chemical called cadaverine. This compound is similar to ammonia, a common guppy food source.
Movement
In addition, guppies are intrigued by movement. So if they see a fish floating around, they may assume it’s still alive and try to eat it. This is why removing any dead fish from your aquarium as soon as possible is important.
Hunger
Finally, guppies might eat dead fish because they’re simply hungry. If there isn’t enough food in the tank, guppies will start to look for other sources of nutrition. This can lead to them nibbling on plants or, in some cases, eating their own babies.
Is It Good For Guppy Fish To Eat Dead Fish?
No, absolutely not; guppy fish should not eat dead fish. Eating dead fish can introduce bacteria and parasites into your guppy’s system, making them sick.
Guppies have sensitive stomachs, and eating decaying flesh can upset their digestive system and lead to problems like bloating.
Remove the carcass from the tank immediately if you see your guppy nibbling on a dead fish. You can also try to feed your guppy live food, like brine shrimp or daphnia, to entice them to stop eating dead fish.
It is a huge risk for guppies to eat dead fish, especially when you don’t know the reason behind the death of that fish. For example, if the fish dies due to a disease, there is a high chance your guppy will get sick.
Health Issues That Might Appear In Guppy Fish If They Eat Dead Fish
If your guppy ingests a deceased fish that has been ill, there’s a good possibility your guppy will develop the same illness. Some illnesses are contagious and easily passed from fish to fish.
If you have more than one guppy and one gets sick, treat all the fish as a precautionary measure. It’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to the health of your beloved pets.
Dead fish can bring various health consequences to your guppy fish when they eat it. I will tell you about some of those here, so it will warn you about all the risks you might face.
Bloating
It is the most common health issue in your guppy fish if they eat dead fish. The bloating makes it hard for your guppy fish to swim and might even cause death.
This is because of the fact that when a fish dies, its body starts to bloat up, and it can cause your guppy to have a bloated stomach as well.
Constipation
It is one of the health issues that might appear in guppy fish if they eat dead fish. This is because eating dead fish can cause the blockage of their intestines. If you see your guppy fish constipated, you should take it to the vet as soon as possible.
Swim Bladder Disorder
Dead fish might bring so many curses into your guppy fish bodies, and you won’t even realize it. Swim bladder disorder is just one of them. It is a very common disease in guppy fish and is often caused by constipation.
And what do you think constipates your guppy fish? That’s right, food that is not properly digested and excreted from the body.
When there is something wrong with the swim bladder, it will affect the buoyancy of your guppy fish. This disease can be fatal if it is not treated properly and in time.
The symptoms of this disease are bloating, difficulty swimming, and floating upside down. If you see these symptoms in your fish, you should take them to the vet immediately.
Parasites
Another reason why you should not let your guppy fish eat dead fish is because of the parasites that might be present in the carcass.
These parasites can infest your guppy fish and wreak havoc on their bodies. Some of these parasites can even be transmitted from humans, so it’s best to err on caution and not let your guppy fish eat dead fish.
Diseases
Another reason you shouldn’t let your guppy fish eat dead fish is the diseases that the carcass might be carrying.
Some of them are easily transmitted to your guppy fish and make them sick. These diseases can cause many problems for your guppy fish and even kill them. So, it’s best to avoid letting them.
Bacterial Infection
A bacterial infection is one of the most common diseases your guppy fish can get from eating dead fish.
This usually happens when the carcass has been decomposing for some time and is full of bacteria. When your guppy fish eats this, they will also ingest the bacteria, making them very sick.
Symptoms of a bacterial infection in guppy fish include:
- Loss of appetite
- Lethargy
- Gasping for air
- Discolored or cloudy eyes
- Bulging eyes
- Popeye
If you notice any of these symptoms in your guppy fish, then it’s important to take them to the vet as soon as possible for treatment.
Treatment for a bacterial infection usually involves antibiotics that must be given to your guppy fish for some time. You also need regular water changes and ensure the tank is clean to prevent the infection from returning.
Should I Remove The Dead Fish Or Let Guppy Fish Eat It?
To remove the dead fish or not, that is the question?
You should remove the dead fish from the tank as soon as possible. If you let your guppy fish eat dead fish, there is a chance they will get sick and die.
There are two main reasons you don’t want your guppy fish to eat dead fish. The first reason is that when a fish dies, it starts to decompose and releases toxins into the water. These toxins can make your guppy fish sick or even kill them.
The second reason is that eating dead fish can give your guppy fish parasites. These parasites can make your guppy fish very sick and even kill them.
So, it is best to remove the dead fish from the tank as soon as possible. Then, you can either bury them in your garden or flush them down the toilet.
You should immediately remove the dead fish from the tank if you have pregnant guppy fish. Eating dead fish can even cause the pregnant guppy fish to miscarry.
Do Guppy Fish Eat Live Fish?
No, guppy fish do not eat live fish. In fact, they are quite peaceful creatures and get along well with other fish in the tank.
But I could not say the same about other fish eggs, though; Oopsss!!! These fish will not leave those floating eggs on their way to swim.
Everything aside, the main point is your guppies will not eat a living fish, so don’t worry about that. You can have too many fish types to choose from to make them your guppy fish tank mate. Isn’t that amazing?
But please remember, if there are small fish, small enough to fit in guppies’ mouths, this story might take a different turn. Also, look for the fish’s temperament and dietary needs before putting them in the same tank.
You don’t want an aggressive and territorial fish in the same tank as your guppy fish. And lastly, please do not overfeed your fish; this might cause different problems like swim bladder disease or bloat.
So, summarizing all this, guppies are not typically aggressive fish, but they may eat smaller fish if hungry.
Do Guppy Fish Eat Their Babies?
Yes, sadly, guppy fish will sometimes eat their babies. It is more common than you think because those babies are small enough to fit in guppy mouths.
If you want to avoid this from happening, it is best to have a separate tank for the babies. That way, they can’t get to them.
This is most likely to happen if the mother guppy is stressed, which can be caused by poor water quality or lack of food.
If you think your guppy might be about to eat her babies, it’s important to remove them from the tank immediately and put them in a separate “birthing tank” where the mother cannot reach them.
Sometimes the mother guppy fish might accidentally eat her babies while trying to eat food off the tank.
What Do Guppy Fish Eat?
Guppies are omnivores, which means they will eat both plants and animals. Guppies eat just about anything they can get their little mouths on in the wild. This guppy diet includes mosquito larvae, small crustaceans, and other tiny insects.
But in captivity, we like to control things a little bit. So, the question remains – what do guppy fish eat in captivity?
The diet of a guppy fish is actually pretty simple. However, it would help if you generally fed them a mix of live and plant-based foods.
Live foods can include things like brine shrimp, daphnia, and bloodworms. As for plant-based foods, you can give them things like algae wafers and blanched vegetables.
Of course, there are also a variety of commercial guppy fish foods available that will provide everything your fish need.
Guppies are not finicky eaters but may not always take to a new food right away. If you’re having trouble getting your guppy to eat, try offering them a variety of foods in small amounts until they start eating.
Additionally, it’s important to make sure your guppy has access to fresh, clean water at all times. A dirty aquarium can lead to health problems in fish, so be sure to do a partial water change every week and clean the gravel or sand.
Conclusion
In conclusion, guppy fish can eat dead fish, which is not good for their health. Therefore, removing the dead fish from the tank is better so that the guppies do not eat it. The best diet for guppy fish combines live and frozen food, flakes, pellets, veggies, etc. Please give them a variety of food so they can stay healthy and happy!
Do you have any questions or comments? Please leave them below!
Thanks for reading!
Good Luck!!
Happy Fishkeeping!!!
