Loaches Online Forum

Hi All,

I have had this particular Reticulated Loach for about 3 years now since a baby, and of those years the last 2 have been where she appears egg bound where lately she has gotten even bigger.

Behaviour wise, nothing has changed. She eats well, moves like normal and is a happy loach.

Does anyone have any tips as to how to get her to release her eggs? I just don't want her to die on me because of this problem.

Joel

Is she the only one of her kind in there?
If not and you have stocking capacity then add about 10 or so of her species and with luck she'll release the eggs in the frenzy.. That is assuming she is egg bound and not carrying an internal growth, although lookking at the pic she is egg bound.
Water changes with cooler water can also help...

Thanks for the reply Doc,

She is definitely not the only one of her species in the tank and there is definitely a male in there too. I am not quite sure if I have enough stock capacity for 10 more, but I could probably go another 4 before my tank is over stocked.

I do weekly (cooler by between 5-8 degrees) water changes between 70-85% of the tank so I can only then assume she just needs some more mates (even though she gets along well with everyone else).

Joel

Ouch, she looks big! I've had females of several species get large with eggs...but not that big! Just my theory, but males seem to be much slower to get into maturity/ breeding mode, not just loaches either, cichlids, catfish, barbs etc., too. Only a very few had problems from what appeared to be egg binding & not in loaches IME.

I had a large yoyo female who became bound and I was sure she was done for. I gave her warm Epsom salt baths a couple times a day and she actually improved. She was back to normal after about three days. Hope she pulls thru!