angelfish - pregnant or something else???

jparnell · Mar 1, 2005

I've never had angelfish before last weekend. So bear with me.

I have a pair... I think.. they were certainly behaving as such when we picked them out. They're quite settled and happy in the tank. Checked in on them this morning, and one had a significant bulge just behind the side fins. Checked on them tonight, and the same one... the bulge is even bigger. It's even on both sides. Did a bit of research, and it's possible that we actually have a spawning pair, but I couldn't find any pics of pregnant angels.

Help? They don't seem to be exhibiting any abnormal or distressed behaviour, just a bulge. Ideas? Thanks

Amazontankz · Mar 1, 2005

I'm having some trouble with what you mean buy the word "Pregnant". Angelfish are not livebearers and so the female does not carry the fry in a womb<--this is what I precieve the word "pregnant" to mean.

How big are your angels? Are they of a mature size(silver dollar size)? How are they acting? If you do have a pair and they are atttempting to spawn, you will see the pair start to "strip" a flat surface such as a leaf or the side of the tank. This is their attempt to clean an area off to lay eggs on. Then if they do spawn, you will see the female tuck her fins up and slowing lay a line of eggs on the surface while the male follows behind spraying his sperm on the eggs.

However, the bulge you are discribing sounds nothing like anything that would have to do with the angel being "pregnant" or full of eggs. Is this bulge outside the scales, like a growth of some kind? or does it just look like she has a large stomach? What to you mean buy on both sides?

Oh, and just because the angels aren't fighting does not mean you have a match. 2 angels can live peacfulling without being a pair.

Lobo. · Mar 1, 2005

sry my bad... I guess i need to do more reasearch...

jparnell · Mar 1, 2005

I guess it's like a large stomach. Not sure of the anatomy of an angelfish, so not sure where everything is in relation to everything else. What I meant by both sides is when you look at it from the front, both of the sides are bulging the same amount. Know what I mean? It isn't like just one side is bulging and not the other. My first thought was really bad constipation. But things seem normal there too.

They've been cleaning the side of the tank, and one of the leaves. But not religiously. I'll keep a closer eye on them and see how they are in the morning.

Candycat21 · Mar 2, 2005

Sounds to me like you do have a pair. I have a male and 3 females that have spawned a couple of times each, but the eggs haven't hatched....they're still trying to get the jist of it and i guess it doesn't help that the male goes from one female to the other.
Your female does sound like she is full of eggs. To tell the difference for sure between male and female is during spawning. A pink tube (papilla) will appear. The females papilla is more blunt and wide compared to that of the male who's papilla is more elongated and pointed.

jparnell · Mar 2, 2005

Thanks Candycat,
I don't suppose you have any pics of angels ready to lay eggs? Just want to make sure what I'm seeing isn't abnorml.

Thanks again!

Candycat21 · Mar 2, 2005

Lol No problem. Glad to help :dance I'm still a little stupid when it comes to linking pictures onto here, but if you just go and do a google search for Angelfish breeding or something similar like that, you'll find tons of pics and information. I will post a pic as soon as I figure it out LoL

jparnell · Mar 2, 2005

I couldn't find any pics unfortunately. Oh well.

She's been like this for a couple of days... is that normal? I mean, at what point should I start to be worried?

Dangerdoll · Mar 2, 2005

when I had my angels which bred quite often, my female was never markably bulging. Perhaps she's just eating more than the male..... anyhoo, here's a good site on their breeding just in case http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/pterophyllum_scalare.php

jparnell · Mar 2, 2005

then maybe it is just constipation. lol. I wish fish could talk!
Now the hard part - how to feed the rest of the fish in the tank and not the angels - they're pigs!!! Will see if I can have them go a day without food. Cuz this just doesn't look normal.


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angelfish - pregnant or something else???

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