BN Experts please help

[Louiedee83]

Hello All!!! It's been forever but I intend to be around a bit more from now on. Have so much to tell everyone!

Can someone please help me with my BN?

I have an issue with my lady BN. She seems to be clogged up. She's been hiding against the internal filter for a couple of days and I shone a torch on her yesterday morning and she looks a bit puffy with little lumps around her bottom area. I turned off the internal filter and took a rushed video of her where you can kinda see her puffyness and also her bottom looks like she is trying to push something out.She gets a little irritated that I'm shining a light on her.

I don't know how lady BN's work with eggs and all, whether they need a man or what or if she is stuffed with food.... Here is a video that I took of her this time yesterday. I have pics but I'm at work atm and I have restrictions on what sites I can visit so can't upload from photobucket.

Sucker fish Having Trouble Pooping?

Can anyone please let me know if they have any idea what's up with her?

Just FYI, her main diet is hikari algae wafers and some of the NLS pellets that falls to the floor.

I give her zucchini every week although she ignored it when I put it in the other night.

Many thanks

[Hanna]

Hi Louiedee,
IMO there can be 2 things your BN Lady is dealing with.
1. It can be constipation. In this case feed less and if you feed give peas, they love them too, (not only Goldies)

2. It can be eggs she wants to push out, as she looks very wobbly around her 'hips". She doesn't need a male to develop eggs, but if you want babyBNs, of course there should be a male present. Males also make the female to lay their eggs bit easier, as if they turn the ladies on, you know what I mean, . Without a male it can be harder for the ladies to lay their eggs.

Apart from this, her coming more towards the surface ( did I understand this correctly? ) indicates lack of oxygen and you also should check the water params.

Hope this helps, and keep us updated about your BN lady, she seems to be a gorgeous fish.

Cheers
Hanna

[Louiedee83]

Thanks for the response Hanna,

Water parameters are good and I have a large airstone and and air hose connected to that filter you see in the video so oxygen is ok.

I fed the tank for the first time in 3 days last night and she wasn't interested in food whatsoever, she just stayed hiding behind a lump of wood.

If it's eggs, will she pass them on her own or, if after this long period (4-5 days now) is it not looking good for her?

[Hanna]

She should be able to pass them (normally) hope she is not stuck with them    seems a bit long to me...but being behind a wood she may try to release her eggs... I believe an adult male would help.

So is she alone or does she have a male with her? And she doesn't eat at all?

[Louiedee83]

I am beginning to suspect there is more going on than eggs. Bloat perhaps?

[Hanna]

I googled and I found this; http://www.bristlenoseworld.com/t2116-male-or-female-bloat-or-gravid

So I really hope it is not bloat, but eggs, especially being kind of swollen around her anus... tells me that she wants to pop eggs.

Hope this website will help a bit more.

I know when there is a male present he chases her into a cave or log, hole and keeps her in there until she releases her eggs, which can be up to a few days. He won't let her out.

[Louiedee83]

That's the website that I found that made me suspect bloat. She hasn't really come off the log although she has moved around on the log. I would like her to attach to the glass so I can get a good look at her without stressing her out by catching her.

 

[Hanna]

What makes me believe that it is eggs is the swollen part arround the anus. I believe bloat would be a kind of even, regular roundness all over.

How is your BN girl going?