dottyback laying sterile eggs?

[Hhaynie]

My orchid dottyback (Bill) has been alone in a 20 gallon tank for around 6 months now, but I came home yesterday to find clumps/strands of white spheres coming out of her vent. they are gone now, i'm assuming they fell out. has anyone else had something similar happen? is it a symptom of anything concerning? She's active, eats aggressively, and none of my corals are acting weird either. thoughts?

 

[stoney7713]

My orchid dottyback (Bill) has been alone in a 20 gallon tank for around 6 months now, but I came home yesterday to find clumps/strands of white spheres coming out of her vent. they are gone now, i'm assuming they fell out. has anyone else had something similar happen? is it a symptom of anything concerning? She's active, eats aggressively, and none of my corals are acting weird either. thoughts?

Mine mate all the time, well I usually don't see them actively dropping them but it happens and she has been fine since. I think it just happens sometimes.

 

[Hhaynie]

Mine mate all the time, well I usually don't see them actively dropping them but it happens and she has been fine since. I think it just happens sometimes.

I keep her alone though, no mating opportunities

 

[stoney7713]

I keep her alone though, no mating opportunities

Even without a mate they still go through the cycle. I have two female angel fish in another tank and they constantly lay eggs. The male died several years ago.

 

[MnFish1]

My orchid dottyback (Bill) has been alone in a 20 gallon tank for around 6 months now, but I came home yesterday to find clumps/strands of white spheres coming out of her vent. they are gone now, i'm assuming they fell out. has anyone else had something similar happen? is it a symptom of anything concerning? She's active, eats aggressively, and none of my corals are acting weird either. thoughts?

Yes

 

[vetteguy53081]

Mine mate all the time, well I usually don't see them actively dropping them but it happens and she has been fine since. I think it just happens sometimes.

This is excessive mucus in the feces often from feeding mysis shrimp and brine shrimp
Change up diet adding pellets and even LRS fish frenzy to diet

 

[stoney7713]

This is excessive mucus in the feces often from feeding mysis shrimp and brine shrimp
Change up diet adding pellets and even LRS fish frenzy to diet

I don't feed much frozen foods anymore to this tank. Almost exclusively pellets, nori, and flakes. Here's another pic you can see all the tiny spheres. My understanding is that dottybacks lay eggs in clumps of filamentous material and looks like a gelatinous mass when done.

 

[MnFish1]

I don't feed much frozen foods anymore to this tank. Almost exclusively pellets, nori, and flakes. Here's another pic you can see all the tiny spheres. My understanding is that dottybacks lay eggs in clumps of filamentous material and looks like a gelatinous mass when done.

I believe its eggs - I do not believe its a disease/problem unless there are other symptoms or issues

 

[stoney7713]

I believe its eggs - I do not believe its a disease/problem unless there are other symptoms or issues

Happy and healthy, that was a few months ago, I think someone disturbed the pair, maybe me, she kept swimming to the other dottyback and back to their cave I think in an attempt to get him to follow.

The other one I believe is male, his tail is almost always worn from fanning the sand and building tunnels. This one has never had the worn tail.

Really interesting to watch them. Super peaceful and are not bothered by other tank mates.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I don't feed much frozen foods anymore to this tank. Almost exclusively pellets, nori, and flakes. Here's another pic you can see all the tiny spheres. My understanding is that dottybacks lay eggs in clumps of filamentous material and looks like a gelatinous mass when done.

Now I see better
Appears egg-bound but will be caviar for its neighbors

 

[Hhaynie]

Alright, I guess I’ll just keep an eye out for anything else weird. Bill is still zooming around without a care in the world, so I guess she’s fine.

 

[rnaber]

I don't feed much frozen foods anymore to this tank. Almost exclusively pellets, nori, and flakes. Here's another pic you can see all the tiny spheres. My understanding is that dottybacks lay eggs in clumps of filamentous material and looks like a gelatinous mass when done.

What pellets are you feeding you dottyback? I recently bought one and it's not eating the pallets. I was wondering if they are large for it 1mm! I have an auto feeder when I'm not home for an extended time and I want to make sure the fish eats dry food.

 

[stoney7713]

What pellets are you feeding you dottyback? I recently bought one and it's not eating the pallets. I was wondering if they are large for it 1mm! I have an auto feeder when I'm not home for an extended time and I want to make sure the fish eats dry food.

A variety of pellets, Xtreme, NLS, TDO, they are all 1mm and I have never had a problem with them not eating.