Female Ocellaris, egg-binding?

[Juck]

My female black Occ is huge and off her laying schedule,,, they're a week or so overdue.

She is enormous, so big that the scales around her lower flank are starting to raise where she is fattest. Until yesterday she was eating like a pig, as she always has since I got her nearly 4 years ago. Today she won't touch any food, which has never happened before.

Her breathing seems a little quick, but otherwise she's acting normally. Her ovipositor is visible slightly, but as it's black, it's always visible at least a little.

The broodstock are alone in a 75g tank with 80lbs liverock, good skimming and lighting,, stable temp and water conditions.

They live in a big haddoni. There have been no changes, disturbances or new additions whatsoever to their tank, or any other tank in my house, so I'm positive nothing nasty has come in from 'outside'.

I'm desperate not to lose this fish. COuld it be egg binding or something? Any ideas?

 

[Rare Angels]

It sounds like it could be. I have lost a few females to being egg bound. What do you feed her? Raw table shrimp IMO seems to be a factor. Also, they need more veggies then people think.

Dave

 

[Juck]

Her fave is Frozen brine which I enrich w/ selcon and feed her twice a day,, every day she also gets 800 micron GP's, Formula 2 flake & prime reef flake ,,, I work at home so I feed their tank small amounts every couple of hours.

I saw her poop at least once today, so I'm pretty sure it's not an intestinal thing.

Is it possible to gently express her manually? I know she's not a sturgeon, but knowing this fish as well as I do, I know something is not right, I don't want to leave it until it's too late.

 

[aomont]

I may leave it to the folks with experience on it but have you thougth of getting her out of this spawning ? Like reducing feeding or light cycle. Maybe eggs will stop developing and get reabsorbed...

Anyway, can it be other problem like dropsy ?
Anderson.

 

[Juck]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

I don't really know what dropsy is,, I'll go do some research. I will reduce the lighting cycle immediately,,, it certainly can't hurt.

Quite apart from the fact that she lays 1600+ eggs every month, this is my oldest fish and I don't want to lose her. I want to be that guy who posts here in 2018 that I have a 5" Black Occ called Jupiter that is 16 years old.

 

[aomont]

Any condition that lead to fluid retension in the fish body cavity is generally called dropsy.Although it´s not that common in marine fishes it can happen specially if low specific gravity is maintained.

Between these are liver, intestinal and kidney disease, bacterial or not. BTW I still think about the egg-binding thing can be the problem.

Tell us how it goes and, if there is one in your area, ask a vet or a experienced breeder to take a look at her.
Anderson.

 

[aomont]

How is it going Juck ?

 

[Juck]

Well,, it's been interesting.

On Friday I decided to cut down on the lighting period,,, reducing it to 12 hours (from 17) ,, I also figured it would be a good time to swap out my 10k Ushio bulbs for new 14k Hamiltons. By Friday evening, she was looking awful,, even fatter,, scales lifting everywhere on her flank and still no ovipositor extension.

Dunno if it was the shortened cycle, or the new bulbs, but their Haddoni decided to go for a walk around the tank on Saturday morning.

This evening (Sunday),, it's still not found a new spot, but she's looking a bit better,, the rapid breathing has gone and after 5 days without food, she's just started eating again. She looks a little less-bloated as well.

Whatever the cause, I think she may be on the mend. When the anemone settles and she looks less gravid, I'll increase the lighting again and see if the problem re-occurs.

 

[aomont]

Glad to hear she´s ok !

This lighting thing works well for birds after some egg-laying problems, don´t know if it´s the same for your little fellow but seems reasonable.

Tell us what happens when lighting increases.

Anderson.

 

[aomont]

How is the little girl, Juck ?
Anderson.

 

[Juck]

Hi Anderson,

The anemone is still wandering and the fish are a bit unsettled, but she's eating again. I don't think the anemone likes the new 14k bulbs. My female slimmed down a lot and looks pretty good.

There is nothing else in the 75g tank but the clowns, rock and the anemone,, hopefully it will settle in one place soon and we'll see if they spawn successfully again.

 

[colby]

Glad to hear she's doing well, I have been following the post but I didn't ave any advicw other than pour some X-LAX in the tank and hope for the best lol..glad she is doing well, hope they keep breeding for you...

I have my breeding pair on a 16 hour day cycyle and I will keep a close eye on them because I do wonder if the extended light cycle has anything to do with this problem..