Female endler blockage while birthing fry, now bloated/pineconed

The basics...10g tank, 78 degrees, ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 10, kh 3, gh 8, Whisper pf10 filter, test water params 2 times a week, 30% water change once a week, tank inhabitants are 5 female endler's and a handful of hitch hiker pond snails, java moss and anacharis for plants, fed twice a day with either nls small fish pellets or omega one flakes.

One day ago one of my females started giving birth to fry (this female is at least a year old). After birthing about five of them, she seemed very agitated. She very quickly developed a "lump" in the anal area at the birth canal. She then hid in the java moss. Today when I looked in the tank for morning feeding and her stomach was horrible misshapen, scales around the head are pineconing and her belly looks pink.

I had heard that elb females can die from birthing fry when they get older...but if this is a blockage, is there any way to help her?

 

I have only had Endlers for a short time, so I'm not going to be much help, but I have read about others whose females were unable to successfully birth all the fry and some got "stuck". I think it just happens from time to time. It's not surprising since the fry are rather big. I don't know how you could help her, but it doesn't sound like she has much hope of recovering. I know it's hard to watch the fish suffering, though. I hate to suggest letting her go.

I have heard that Endlers life span is about one to two years in captivity. What would you consider an older Endler?

 

Has she had many batches of fry before? There really isn't a whole lot you can do, she'll probably die.

 

ninjuwat...she was a full grown adult when I got her 5 months ago and started having fry two days after I brought her home (not her first batches of fry but her first with me).

cichlidnut...she has had at least seven broods since I got her, hard to tell sometimes with the other females in the tank but I keep a fry journal and she is pretty regular at 22 or 23 days.

I know I will probably lose her, I guess my inner turmoil now is if I should be thinking of euthanizing, trying a salt bath or letting mother nature take it's course. I hate to see her suffer but I would hate to think I euthanized if she had a chance of healing. I turned off the tank lights for her, hoping it will be less stressful.

 

Personally, I'd just leave her alone and see what happens.

 

I know you keep oodles of endler's...have you ever had anything like this in one of you elb tanks?

 

Yeah, it does happen some times. Sounds like she's had tons of babies and this may be the end of her life span. I try not to get too attached to the individual Endler.

 

Sorry to see she may not make it. How big is her belly now compared to before the blockage? Does it look like she still has a lot inside?

 

cichlid nut...tons is an understatement, those five females have given me over 200 fry in just five months! I am giving them away to people and trading with the lfs for fish food just so I don't get overpopulated.

aquatic...she is not bloated like a typical dropsy, the swelling/bloating is centered around the birth canal and last I checked, there now appears to be some degree of septicemia. I would pull her and put her in a separate tank but I know if I do anything to disrupt her it will stress her to death at this point so for now it is lights out in the tank, keep it a degree warmer and hope for the best. I think all of the females I got at the lfs were probably close to a year old (or if they weren't then, they are now) so with all the broods they have had, the poor girls are probably worn out. So glad I opted for separate male and female tanks, I can't imagine what would have happened if they were chased all the time.

Well, her fight is over. :-(

I checked the lump and sure enough there was a dead fry trapped in the birth canal. Thankfully she went quickly (and I know it is nothing contagious to the rest of the tank).

 

I'm sorry, iwrm At least you don't have to worry about the other tank's inhabitants.