Could My Dwarf Rainbow Be Pregnant..?

[mattlee]

i noticed today 1 of my femle rainbows was larger than before in the belly area. could it be pregnant, ill etc. feeding well and no abnormal behaviour etc

 

[indigoj]

Could be heavily gravid but I've never seen mine look that big and they spawn regularly (no fry as the other fish see rainbow eggs as a real delicacy LOL) I'd try feeding some pea and go easy on any high protein food for a few days, I'd say she looks a bit bloated more than anything.

 

[Joe97]

My tetras sometimes look bloated but they get better the next day...

 

[drobbyb]

I would try what indigo said. Rainbows eat mostly plant matter in the wild and when stuck with a high protein diet they tend to get bloat. Feed cooked shelled peas and buy some spirulina flake to help with the veggie problem.

 

[mattlee]

tried peas and cut down feeding but the little rainbow is still the same... alot of my other fish wont touch the peas so cant just feed them, but the rainbows and platys love them..... should i start getting worried?

 

[indigoj]

I'd lay off feeding for a day or 2 (completely) and get hold of some spirulina flake in case it is bloat and maybe do an extra slightly cooler water change - this could trigger spawning if she is just very eggy.

 

[Ben M]

one of my otocinclus catfish got really fat once, i tried peas, but it still died. i think it was dropsy.

 

[mattlee]

I'd lay off feeding for a day or 2 (completely) and get hold of some spirulina flake in case it is bloat and maybe do an extra slightly cooler water change - this could trigger spawning if she is just very eggy.

ive just put her in a breeding trap on her own as this is all i have at the minute.... not much room in there but at least i can starve her for a couple of days to see if it helps.... whats in spirinula flake?

 

[mattlee]

I'd lay off feeding for a day or 2 (completely) and get hold of some spirulina flake in case it is bloat and maybe do an extra slightly cooler water change - this could trigger spawning if she is just very eggy.

ive just put her in a breeding trap on her own as this is all i have at the minute.... not much room in there but at least i can starve her for a couple of days to see if it helps.... whats in spirinula flake?

sorry meant spirulina

 

[drobbyb]

Usually fish meal, oils, spirulina algae, brewers yeast, etc. It's just normal tropical flake but instead of more fish, they add spirulina algae. It's a great staple for most omnivorous fish.

 

[indigoj]

Spirulina flake is good stuff - mine go nuts for it. You should be able to get it cheap on ebay. I use it rather than standard flake as I feed a lot of meatier pellets/bloodworm due to having the perch.

 

[mattlee]

cheers for the advice guys, ill check it out and try it