Is This Ruby Barb Pregnant?

[doozer]

Hi folks

Wondered if you would kindly help my wife and I. We have had a coldwater tank for many years, never been to big and only housed a few fish, no more than 4 anyway. We decided to up the size of the tank last year to 54lts and transferred our current fish across, this was 3 Rosy Barbs and one goldfish. We have since lost one barb but added another goldfish with no particular problem. However one of the barbs has been growing out of all proportion and I do not know whether the fish is pregnant or sick, it certainly does not appear sick, happily swimming and eating!

I have included a photo to see what you knowledgeable people can tell me......hopefully.

Thanks in advance.....

 

[black angel]

woah...well...dont know if its got egg bound, never seen an egg bound female get that big...could be a form of dropsy....how long has it been like this? likes a temp of between 18-22c so make sure temperature hasnt been fluctuating.

do you have males in the tank? they need plenty of plants for spawning too.

 

[doozer]

woah...well...dont know if its got egg bound, never seen an egg bound female get that big...could be a form of dropsy....how long has it been like this? likes a temp of between 18-22c so make sure temperature hasnt been fluctuating.

do you have males in the tank? they need plenty of plants for spawning too.

Thanks for your reply.....It has been growing for about the last 2-3 weeks, temp hovers around 20-21c, ammonia fine as are nitrites, nitrates slightly up but they are in our aquarium and taps too.....Anglian waters stupid nitrate levels There is another barb in the tank but I think that is female too, they certainly look the same, I guess we had better get some plants in there in case....any recommendations?

 

[black angel]

go to your pet store and get 2 more females and a male...i think that is one seriously egg laden female...usually females can reabsorb eggs or shed them, this one isnt.

get freathery plants for them to go in to.

 

[doozer]

Yikes! Doesn't sound to good

Can I question why it would be a good idea to get some more barbs in there?

 

[nosoup4you]

Because adding a male might coax her into dropping her eggs and barbs prefer to be in larger groups. It is also important to have more females than males so that the males don't harass the females relentlessly trying to mate.