Giant Neon Tetra

[MattyM]

Hi all - I have a giant neon tetra. I assume it's a female and that she is egg laden. She has been this way a few weeks, and moves around, eats, no heavy breathing or anything. Just chill: 

From what I've read, breeding neons involves dropping the ph and temp, and providing a spawning ground of sorts. And even then it could take several tries. I'm not that interested in breeding tetras right now, and am more wondering how long it will take her to reabsorb the eggs (assuming she is indeed egg laden). 

Tetra folks - have you seen anything like this and/or tried breeding them? 

 

Edited July 20, 2023 by MattyM

[Biotope Biologist]

Wow quite gravid indeed! I doubt she will reabsorb the eggs she will likely attempt to lay on some plant. Whether the eggs make it to fryhood is up in the air. 
 

While generally it’s easier to get tetra to breed by simulating the rainy season, they don’t require it in captivity so you very well could end up with neon fry!

 

All my tetra breeding attempts ended in the eggs being eaten so best of luck

[nabokovfan87]

Put a cup or jar of marbles in the tank and maybe the eggs will fall below?

On 7/20/2023 at 12:55 PM, MattyM said:

Hi all - I have a giant neon tetra.

Just a bit of insight. I've had barbs and rasbora that get like this and you search the internet and go ah well that's dropsy and pull the fish from the tank.

Unfortunately, there's so little clarity when it comes to abdomen swelling and to internal issues. Everything is sort of lumped into a big bucket and sometimes it's just a female fish waiting to breed or who has bred and is developing fry.

As a beginner trying to learn the hobby, that's one of the things l look back on today and realize how misguided I was by the "beginner advice".

For the sake of it, I would make sure you have some Epsom salt on hand for use, if you need to.