What can I do with that female mandarin?

[BlueWorldAquatic]

just wondering, are you sure they are eggs that making her that huge?

Usually eggs are dropped or reabsorbed by the female if a male is not around.

I have never seen a mandarin like that, is she eating fine?

Ken - BWA

[Delphinus]

Well ... personally I worry a little that your female (and mine for that matter) are egg bound. I see this problem in my FW fish from time to time and with these small fish it's either something that eventually fixes itself ... or it doesn't. I don't think there's anything we humans can do to help.

[Reef Pilot]

I think she is bunged up with all those white worms...

[daniella3d]

Yes unfortunately that is a very good possibility.

I hope that the stimulation of mating with the male will eventually push things out.

I have heard of it in fresh water fish but not in marine fish yet. I cannot even find one reference of this on google for marine fish. Maybe that's because they so rarely breed in aquarium?

Originally Posted by Delphinus

Well ... personally I worry a little that your female (and mine for that matter) are egg bound. I see this problem in my FW fish from time to time and with these small fish it's either something that eventually fixes itself ... or it doesn't. I don't think there's anything we humans can do to help.

[daniella3d]

Yes she is perfectly healthy and eating well.

I am pretty sure it's the eggs that are making her so big. she is not fat and I doubt that she has internal parasite because that much would surely make her very sick. It's not the first time I see a pic of a female full of eggs either

Originally Posted by BlueWorldAquatic

just wondering, are you sure they are eggs that making her that huge?

Usually eggs are dropped or reabsorbed by the female if a male is not around.

I have never seen a mandarin like that, is she eating fine?

Ken - BWA

[Nano]

I'm a newb to saltwater, but I know with goldfish you can "handspawn" them you know by gently pressing on the belly to extract the eggs, would this possibly work for her if she's in pain or distress? just wondering :P

[daniella3d]

The problem would be to catch her in between the liverock and probably by the time she would be weak enough for me to manage to catch her, it would probably be to late and she would have an infection.

I read that with fresh water fish epsom salt is the only thing that can help (and sometime massage like you are describing) but my magnesium level is already quite high, so not sure that this is working with saltwater fish.

To be honest with you, I would be a bit scared of pushing on her belly the way she looks right now. I have read horror story about a female fish splitting open from having too many eggs and not being able to release them

Originally Posted by nanomano

I'm a newb to saltwater, but I know with goldfish you can "handspawn" them you know by gently pressing on the belly to extract the eggs, would this possibly work for her if she's in pain or distress? just wondering :P

[BlueWorldAquatic]

see if the male helps first, if she's eating ok, it may not be a parasite.

for constipation, frozen peas work too.

[daniella3d]

frozen pea? how do you get a mandarin to eat frozen pea??

She is not doing any better...I have seen her spawn each night for the past 2 or 3 nights but nothing is released so I guess she is egg bound

dunno how this is going to end but that does not look good for her.

Originally Posted by BlueWorldAquatic

see if the male helps first, if she's eating ok, it may not be a parasite.

for constipation, frozen peas work too.

[Myka]

How are you checking for eggs? Or are you just judging by the size of her that she isn't releasing eggs?