Dogface eggs?

[malibupam]

I just witnessed my 8" dogface puffer, who has been looking bloated these last couple days, circle the tank expelling about a 5 foot trail of what I can only describe as (forgive me) yellowish bubble diarrhea. :notsure:
Now these tiny "bubbles" are all over the tank--some circulating, some covering the LR like snow, some in clumps on the sand.
Eggs, or mystery bubble disease :scared: ?

 

[stanlalee]

eggs with no mate

are your other fish trying to eat it?

 

[malibupam]

No mate. Eighteen hours later, these tiny things are still mostly sitting where they dropped. They circulate in the water if disturbed, but the other fish are leaving them alone. I found an article online somewhere that talked about another kind of puffer's eggs measuring about 0.4 mm in size, spherical. That's pretty much what I've got.

 

[the j.o.p.]

neat i hope they are eggs.

 

[watson3]

Originally Posted by The J.O.P.
neat i hope they are eggs.
Unless I am missing a step in the process, they will need to be "fertilized", which does not seem like an option with only the one fish...

 

[sharkboy13]

well it is possible that if its a female it was fertilized before collecting and was merely going thru her gestation period of sorts. i remember reading an article in REPTILES about a female snake whos mate died years b4 laid fertile eggs

 

[watson3]

Originally Posted by Sharkboy13
well it is possible that if its a female it was fertilized before collecting and was merely going thru her gestation period of sorts. i remember reading an article in REPTILES about a female snake whos mate died years b4 laid fertile eggs
Good observation, but not in fish..The eggs are not fertilized until after they are laid..Pretty sure its like that in snakes too though

 

[the j.o.p.]

i meant hopefully eggs and not a sick fish.

 

[watson3]

Originally Posted by The J.O.P.
i meant hopefully eggs and not a sick fish.
cool

 

[sharkboy13]

[QUOTE=watson3.Pretty sure its like that in snakes too though
no theyre fertlized b4 theyre laid, in amphibs the egss r fertilized after theyre laid

 

[watson3]

Alright..

 

[jon321]

I believe I read a post on this site mabe a year ago about a similar situation with a porcupine puffer...anyone recall?
Jon

 

[sharkboy13]

i also saw the same thing w/ a porky in fish discussion about 4 or 5 wks ago

 

[xdave]

Interesting. My tomato clown used to lay eggs every 2 weeks with no mate in the tank. I wonder if your dogface would breed if you had a male too? Anyways, it's certainly a sign of good health. Are there other fish or creatures in there? Eggs usually get eaten pretty quickly.

 

[malibupam]

Originally Posted by xDave
Are there other fish or creatures in there? Eggs usually get eaten pretty quickly.
The other fish don't seem to be too interested in these. Perhaps if I had a cleanup crew, it would all be cleaned up. Other residents include a clown trigger and a porky, a few tangs, and an angel, so no clean up crew to speak of.

 

[grovey2]

yeah your clean up crew would be a feeding freenzy for your fishy friends lol cool beans on the "eggs" always fun to see things you've never seen before. IMHO