Is My Tetra Going To Lay Eggs?

[bristlenoseitplecoman]

I know it's hard to see but she is the largest one.

snap. it refuses to post my pictures. either way my tetras belly is really rounded on the sides as well as up and down. she really looks lke she is going to have eggs but im not sure. her belly has been increasing in size for a week now.

 

[neutron20]

Its super common for tetras to just over eat and look plump... could that be possible?
 
Or she is pregnant and she might lay eggs while you sleep and the eggs might get eaten..
 
Do you plan on keepin the babies if that was to happen?

 

[MBOU]

Tetras would be gravid (the term used when they carry eggs rather than babies). In female tetras in most cases, they are much deeper in the body than the males to compensate for the eggs she has to carry. She will regularly produce eggs, whether she lays them or reabsorbs them is another matter as tetras are not so easy to encourage to spawn nor save the eggs before they are eaten, unlike livebearers.
 
If you watch her each day for a few months, you will gradually notice a cycle of when she is at her biggest and when she shrinks down a bit, though she will never be slim again as she will be in a constant cycle of producing eggs.

 

[bristlenoseitplecoman]

sry i didnt reply right away. I tried to change my email and it took me a long time to figure out. Im not going to keep the babies. My tank is already near full. if any survive they can grow. I definitely have enough cover. I don't try to feed them much. I made that mistake a long time ago. now i skip feedings almost ritually. she is the oldest of all my tetras. I think ive had her for 2 years. I think she may be pregnant but what are the signs between that and overweight?

Tetras would be gravid (the term used when they carry eggs rather than babies). In female tetras in most cases, they are much deeper in the body than the males to compensate for the eggs she has to carry. She will regularly produce eggs, whether she lays them or reabsorbs them is another matter as tetras are not so easy to encourage to spawn nor save the eggs before they are eaten, unlike livebearers.
 
If you watch her each day for a few months, you will gradually notice a cycle of when she is at her biggest and when she shrinks down a bit, though she will never be slim again as she will be in a constant cycle of producing eggs.

oh. well ive never had a tetra lay eggs before so I wasnt sure. Ive known she is a female because of her larger complexion but she has gotten rounder sideways rather than vertically. I will expect her to lay eggs than. She was one of my first fish still living. the other is a bristlenose pleco. they are the most stubborn fish i have ever had and i didnt want to lose her.

 

[MBOU]

Chances are you'll never see the eggs, they are egg scatters and will just chuck them all over the gravel...

 

[bristlenoseitplecoman]

ok. thats fine. i dont really want a bunch of new tetras anyway. thanks for the help and ill try to keep her progress updated here.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Catfish are pretty good at finding eggs in the substrate. 

That's why cories lay the eggs elsewhere (under leaves, etc.) and plecos dig caves to lay the eggs and raise the fry.

 

[MBOU]

And the moral of the story? Catfish are smart... tetras are not

 

[bristlenoseitplecoman]

thats very true. My Brochis catfish will have a good time then and so will my upside down catfish. thinking about it eggs would probably be the most healthy thing for them to eat lol. thanks for the help.