I can't believe it! he is actually a SHE!

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AquariumNoob13

I AM NOT A N00B!
Aug 27, 2007
1,281
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0
Bonita, Ca
i was watching my "male" socolofi today and it seemed to be choking on some gravel, so i "stripped" the gravel out of "his" mouth, but the thing was, instead of gravel, out came 2 of the biggest eggs i've ever seen! they were huge! i couldn't tell if there was a yolk spot in the middle of them or not, but they were so huge and i was so surprised because this entire time i have thought that my fish was a male, but now i know i have 2 females!
 

kay-bee

AC Members
Sep 14, 2005
706
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16
Tampa, FL
How huge is "huge"? and what color were they? What happened to them afterward?

Fertilized mbuna eggs are typically a few millimeters in diameter (often no larger than the largest eggspots on their fins) and are orangish in color. When fully matured a female socolofi can mouthbrood over thirty of them.
 

AquariumNoob13

I AM NOT A N00B!
Aug 27, 2007
1,281
0
0
Bonita, Ca
honestly i would say twice the size of her eggspots. they were an orangish color, but she isn't full grown so i doubt she can carry 30 right now. i'm not sure what happened to them, but i think they were eaten by some other fish. by the looks of it she is still carrying some eggs, and her lips are really puffed out and she looks like she is choking constantly, but i think that she is just adjusting the eggs in her mouth. right? by the looks of it i have 2 male labs, both around 2". is it possible that they fertilized her eggs? her mouth has gotten WAY bigger than i have ever seen my other female's get and she has held at LEAST 3 times.
 
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