Zebra Danio Won't lay eggs, help please.

I have had my zebra danio fish for a little less than a year and she was kept in a bowl. When I realized how bad that was I starting saving up for a tank. She is currently been in a 10 gallon tank with no other fish for about a week. It was already cycled by my goldfish until they were moved to a bigger tank, So it has been cycled for about 9 months. I know they are soppose to be kept in groups but the other zebra danio died and I can't get more. She got fatter and fatter and I realized she was pregnant. She has been like this for many months now and won't lay the eggs. I don't know what to do? Is she fat because of eggs or is it something else? Her scales are not poking out like a pine cone. And she has a appetite but has trouble getting the food. Please respond quickly.
I did a 75% water change 4 days ago and then another one the next day about 50%. What should I do next? I'm testing the water tommorow for ammonia and will let you know what it is. I don't have nitrite and nitrate tests anymore as I ran out.

 

Can you post a pic?

 

I can't get a good picture but she looks like the one is this thread. She use to be a lot slimmer. Can a fish be trans gender? Also I forgot to mention he use to have red gills because of poor oxygen in the bowl but they have gone away since I added him to the tank. I tested the ammonia, I use the API freshwater test kit. It is at 0ppm . Thanks for replying so quickly.

 

She could be eggbound, or she might have dropsy. Can you see her scales sticking out anywhere?

 

Nope I don't see any sticking out. If she is egg bound how come she won't lay them? she has been like this for months

 

It's pretty normal for adult female danios (and most cyprinids) to be fat like that. If she's been like that for a long time without showing any symptoms of illness, I'd say she's most likely fine.

 

if she is the only fish it is quite simple : she won't release eggs

 

I thought zebra danios can lay eggs without a man fish present? I can't get more so what should I do? Can she die because of this?

My other danio was like this and when she finely layer the eggs she died the next day. I don't want this to happen again. What can I do?

 

Is she acting fine? Water parameters good? Honestly then not much but get a bigger tank and some friends... zebras need their schools, also they are super active and need more swimming room then a ten gallon can provide... any chance you can get at least a 20 long at the petco dollar/gallon sale? You can move your decor, gravel and filter over and not have much if any of a cycle...

 

She does act fine and the water parameters are good. Do you know when the sale is?

 

Think it's going on now, might have just ended... not sure, sorry... call them and check? Maybe if just over will honor it?

 

Okay I will start saving for a bigger tank and when I get more danios they will go in that tank. Can she stay alive with eggs inside her for 3 more months? The sale ended you were right. Also if she happens to lay eggs in the future with the male I don't want babies? How can I prevent them from getting fertilized?

Also what can I do in the meantime to encourage her to lay the eggs?

Sorry also she does have red gills still, there's a air stone in there and a filter. Since I recently added her two weeks ago could she still be recovering? She doesn't scratch on anything or have an outer mucus so it's not flukes.

 

What are your current parameters?

 

Ammonia is 0 and I ran out of nitrite and nitrate tests so I will probably get some this weekend. I use API

What should I do to encourage her to lay the eggs? Is she going to die

 

I don't think she's going to die but the best way to get her to lay her eggs is to get her into a bigger tank with more of her own kind. Have you looked at used tanks?

 

I found a really cheap 20 gallon for 32 dollars. Will probably buy that and a filter in 2 months, however my parents might now allow more fish

I just realized the 32 dollar aquarium is the wrong dimensions for my stand. If you happen to run across a high 20 gallon be sure to include the link and let me know. Thanks for all your help

 

What area are you looking in?

 

I found one in the us for 26 so I'm very happy and asked for it for Christmas

 

Update: I'm getting a 20 high gallon tank and 4 more danios.

 

Any chance you could get a 20 long??? The 20 high while it gives more water, is just taller... the 20 long will give them the swimming room they need

 

I have 1 zebra danio in quarantine in a 10 g tank. She is full of eggs and will not lay them, she has been fat for many months. I bought 5 more danios (currently in a separate tank, 20g) to see if they would encourage her to lay the eggs. I haven't added her because she is almost double the size as the other 5, is it safe to put them all together so she lays the eggs? If it is safe should I put marbles on the ground of the 10 gallon add the other 5 danios with her, wait about 48 hours to see if she lays them and then put them all in the 20g? Any tips on raising the fry. After they eat their sacs and are free swimming, what do I feed them?

 

How do you know that she is full of eggs and not just fat?

 

Female Danios usually are pretty big bellied compared to the males. And I have had Danios many times over the years in stones, heavily planted etc... I've never had a survivor I've a couple times seen what might have been fry but Danios are pretty efficient at eating their eggs almost as soon as they drop them. It's honestly part of the reason I keep going back to them, because I don't have to worry about fry.

 

I don't need fry I just want to be prepared in case there are any survivors. Here is picture of her. The only reason I know she has eggs is because she released 5 of them and I didn't realize it and I started doing a water change so she stopped. So she has layed 5 of them but still she a lot in her.

 

Personally I'd put her with the others as she's probably quite stressed being alone. I wouldn't worry about the eggs or any potential fry. They are a shoaling fish. She will likely drop her eggs once she's comfortable.

 

Okay I'm going on vacation in 2 weeks, coming back and moving 15 days later. Should I wait till all that is over with or just do it now?

 

Do it now. No point in leaving her stressed while you are away.

I have a school of danios in my community tank and danio fry pop up regularly. There are lots of hiding places but none survive until adulthood unless I remove them to a growout tank. Always a few young ones swimming around in the main tank though.

 

Okay should I
1. remove the substrate and add marbles in the 20 or just keep it how it is and fish out the eggs once they are layed?
2. Leave it how it is
3. Put all of the danios in the growout tank have them lay her eggs and then put all the adult danios together in the 20g?

 

I would just put her in the 20 with everyone else and let it be. You said you're going on vacation and then moving. Fry take considerable effort and time to get and then keep... Best to try your luck at rearing fry when you have three months to dedicate to them. Vacation time away and moving stress on the fish as well as your distractions are apt to be detrimental to their health anyway.

 

Okay should I be concerned that she is much older than them therefor bigger? Would there be a chance the fry could survive after the move and vacation? If I got someone to feed them while I was gone and used the marble method?

 

No worries about her being older, they are... Umm, indifferent about the age of their date.... Danios are friendly fish I have never seen aggression beyond males chasing each other and the females when spawning. As for fry surviving, I guess it could happen but the odds would definitely not be to in your favor especially considering it'd be your first venture into rearing them too.

 

No worries about her being older, they are... Umm, indifferent about the age of their date.... Danios are friendly fish I have never seen aggression beyond males chasing each other and the females when spawning. As for fry surviving, I guess it could happen but the odds would definitely not be to in your favor especially considering it'd be your first venture into rearing them too.

Okay should I use the marble method then?

 

You need to spawn her, or she may die. Egg binding is an issue with danios.

Whatever choices you make, put her with 3 males and add a water change of cooler water. That usually does it.
I was at a friends house today, and she had found a few (4 or 5) danios in her planted community yesterday - they were young, but a good size. Most of the time, they get eaten, or we overfeed them.

 

You need to spawn her, or she may die. Egg binding is an issue with danios.

That is good to know! I've never heard of egg binding! Makes sense though. Not to hijack a thread but does the same apply to female betta? My sister has a sorority and three are painfully full of eggs and she can't figure out how to get them to drop.

 

Okay do I use the marble method tho? I will be adding her tommorow if not cause I'm doing a water on the 20g

 

I've never tried to actually get fry from my danios. She will spawn over any substrate though all she needs is a male.

 

Ik but I would like to try to keep the fry alive and I read that the eggs will fall between the marbles out of reach if the adults so they don't eat them. So should I use the marble method? If the fry do survive what do I feed them once they are free swimming? sfsamm