Pregnant serpae?

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sdb

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May 4, 2004
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One of my serpae tetras (I've got two) is very fat, like twice as round as the other one. All the other tankmates are normal size and I don't overfeed.

Could she be pregnant?? I don't know how to sex them, and they look totally identical.

If she is, or could be, (I don't even know if it's a she!), should I move her and set up my 5 gal? Leave her be? She hangs out alone behind some plants and is a little moody, too. But she's totally healthy, color is great, comes out to eat.

I'd appreciate any advice, thanks.
 
Tetras are egg layers. Typically they broadcast spawn- meaning thy pretty much just let 'em fly while swimming (both eggs and sperm). The eggs will be a tasty treat for all the other fish in the tank- parents included. You don't need to do anything special- just enjoy the show.

If you did want to raise any fry you would need to set up a separate tank with marbles or other bottom cover that eggs could fall through so as not to be eaten. Move the pair over, feed well, and wait. Sometimes the move alone (or a water change) will trigger a spawning. The fry need infusoria type food for a few days after they absorb their yolk sac, then newly hatched brine shrimp.
 
It's not totally unheard of that one or two fry would survive. I have three Diamond Tetras that were hatched in a community tank and actually lived. You'd need lots of plants where they could hide and enough mulm or schmutz to produce food for them, but it could happen.
 
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