Female onyx belly too big?

[isseym328]

Hi guys,

I drive back to my parent's house to check up on my tanks every so often and this time around I noticed that my femal onyx's stomach is a bit swollen. Am I feeding it too much? Is she going to lay eggs? I'm just a little worried because it looks like she is really full. I've had these two wc onyx for probably a good two years now. From the pics what do you guys think?

 

[melissa77]

my female perc is like that just 2-3 days before laying eggs, check under her belly for the ovopositor(spelling??)

 

[isseym328]

Thanks for the post melissa. Can you or anyone kind of describe what the ovopositor look like?

 

[criccio]

It's a little tube that extends out (~3/16") from the anus of the female to lay the eggs. It will extend out from right in front of the anal fin. It doesn't look like it yet on your girl, but, she does look like she's ready to burst with eggs.

Great looking pair, btw.

 

[GSMguy]

wow awsome fish congrats on the spawn

 

[isseym328]

I'm hoping they would spawn. I think it would be the first time for the pair. However there is a lot of other fish in that tank so I'm afraid they might not want to. I'm thinking about removing a fish from that tank so there's less stress for the pair.

 

[joecos]

Beautiful Onyx you got there. She looks like she is ready to pop. If this is their first time they are to lay eggs, well, be ready because it will be an endless cycle. They will lay eggs every 15 ~ 20+ days.

It is extremely difficult to keep the fry alive, but not impossible. I have tried many many times and fail.

If you do succeed - please post your notes and log.

 

[isseym328]

Thanks joecos! I've kept good care of this pair hoping someday they will be a breeding pair. I might actually put them in a tank all by themselves in a month or two when I move. That way I would have a better chance of succeeding with keeping the frys alive. I have seen the threads of other people keeping them successfully and it definitly is a part time job. Keep you guys updated!

 

[Bebo77]

wow... onyx spawning... lucky man...

 

[TarheelFrag]

Cool pics. Looks like you may want to start reading up on clows spawning!

 

[isseym328]

I think in terms of reading up on clownfishes in general I have been pretty active in this forum. However actually taking care of the frys is another story.

 

[sebae09]

man those are some georgous onyx percs, and congrats on being a father lol

 

[isseym328]

I've always wanted to be a father of 100+ kids

 

[skyfireblaze]

be careful what you wish for ...

 

[BAYONNEREEF]

looks like you got something comeing

 

[isseym328]

The eggs will def be food for most of the tank this time around. I probably wont' be able to actively keep the eggs around until I move out and when I get the pair in their own tank. However I do look forward to seeing if my pair has finally become a mated pair. It's nice to see how large they have grown in the past couple years. sniff.