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Longear full of eggs.


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#1 Guest_MBLONGEAR_*

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Posted 25 September 2014 - 04:26 PM

Hi all, I have a 70 gallon tank with 2 Longears. A male, and a female.
I used to have 2 Females, but about a year ago one died. She was full off eggs and after a autopsy this was confirmed.
The current female I have is also full of eggs. Nearly bursting at the seams. She has been plump for a very long time, atleast 8 months.
This morning I have noticed she is acting a little bit strange, really burying herself in vegatation, and just laying her body very sluggishly. She is also breathing a little heavy. I am worried that there is something wrong with my Female.
I have had these fish for about 4 years. I have never seen them lay eggs, usually they just get reabsorbed I believe.I have also never seen the male 'courting'. He just doesn't seem interested.
I just did a water change.

#2 Guest_MBLONGEAR_*

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Posted 25 September 2014 - 05:52 PM

Well, 3 hours after the waterchange there was no gill movement.
Sigh...
Only the male left now..
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#3 Guest_mikez_*

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Posted 25 September 2014 - 07:03 PM

well that sucks. I lost a female flagfin shiner that blew up like that. I don't know if it's egg binding but that's my theory.

Don't have anything more useful to add, I mainly opened your post cause I liked your avatar.
Sorry

#4 littlen

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Posted 26 September 2014 - 09:05 AM

Ya, it definitely looks like she was severely egg-bound. I haven't seen a 'normal' gravid female sunfish of any species look that bloated before. I've seen other species look that bad (a big ole Tautog comes to mind) where her eggs needed to be expressed, or gently squeezed out by hand by a vet. But every season the same thing would happen--eventually leading to the removal of this particular female's ovaries.

The bigger issue is WHY was she retaining her eggs like that, and not reabsorbing them as you mentioned? Usually infections are to blame. By the looks of your fish, I am not surprised at all she didn't make it. I would think that she probably has some degree of fusion between the ovaries and her internal organs. Sorry for your loss.
Nick L.

#5 Guest_MBLONGEAR_*

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Posted 26 September 2014 - 06:20 PM

I really should have bumped the temp up in order to try and trigger a spawn. I just didn't really want to deal with fry. I plan on taking into school and open it up in a lab and take some samples (I am pursuing education in fisheries at university)

#6 littlen

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Posted 27 September 2014 - 06:12 AM

I wouldn't beat yourself up over it too much. My thoughts are that this was out of your hands--that something else (infection of some sort) was to blame. I hesitate to think that the temperature alone was responsible for this outcome. They'll breed in a wide range of temps. I'm assuming you kept yours ambient...upper 60's/low 70's? That would have been fine for them to spawn.
Nick L.

#7 Guest_MBLONGEAR_*

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Posted 27 September 2014 - 03:11 PM

Yeah 'room temperature' low 70s. I had her for over 4 years. Grew her from about 1.25"

#8 Guest_ttman_*

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Posted 29 September 2014 - 08:26 AM

so you cut her open and she is full of eggs?

#9 Guest_butch_*

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Posted 29 September 2014 - 06:54 PM

I've seen the similar condition in a musky and a walleye once. Something's wrong with the ovaries, perhaps the reproductive tracts were infected or diseased. Don't think it was egg bind.




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