# How can you tell when a fish is ready to lay eggs?



## Ruthiebaby88 (Jul 29, 2010)

Do they do through a cycle?

My ps elongatus chailosi male is chasing away every fish except for one particular female and he's dancing for her for everything he's worth! He's got a little cave dug out but he does most of his dancing out in the open water.

I am surprised he's focusing so much on this one female since there are 4 in his harem.

She ignores him for the most part. Poor little fella.

Do they get fat tummies or something when they are ready to lay eggs - or is the only way to tell after they've got a mouthful?


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## Ruthiebaby88 (Jul 29, 2010)

she is the littlest one of the group in fact my name for her is puny petunia

does anyone else name their fish?


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## Kanorin (Apr 8, 2008)

Yes, females go through an estrous cycle (of sorts). Unlike mammals, cichlid females are not born with all of their eggs - they have to produce them (or at least mature them). When a female is ready to lay eggs, she probably releases some hormones that males can sense and her egg-tube will also start to distend. This can take up to 2-3 days sometimes before she even lays the first egg. During this time, expect that the male will court her and pretty much ignore any other females.

Sounds like she might be ready to lay eggs within the next 48 hours. Look just anterior to her anal fin - do you see an extra bump or tube that isn't there on the other females?


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## Ruthiebaby88 (Jul 29, 2010)

yes there is a bump there - maybe I should do a water change - sounds like other people have more luck with spawning after a water change?

thanks! I didn't see anything about that in any of the reading i've done


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## Kanorin (Apr 8, 2008)

I'm not sure if there is any actual data about hormones which are released by females - I'm just guessing that they do. The males definitely know when a female is almost ready, and there are a few egg-snatching catfish and cichlids which also have a knack for sensing females which are ready to lay eggs. My synodontis multipunctatus will follow around a female who has her eggtube distended and is ready to lay eggs in my tank.


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## Ruthiebaby88 (Jul 29, 2010)

I did a 45% water change - (It was going to be a 50% but one of my catfish swam into the siphon so that was the end of that!)

And turned the temp up to 80 - 82 degrees - they spawn more in warmer temps right?

She's still swimming around with the little bump on her belly.


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## tchoked (Mar 15, 2008)

read somwhere to make the water about 1* colder


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## Guams (Aug 21, 2009)

When I try to trigger spawning activity I do a water change and make sure that the water going into the tank is 2-3 degrees colder.


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