disease?

[blueboy]

this morning i noticed that my female banggai had what appearred to be a distended gut, or something that looks to be coming out of her vent. she is not acting stressed and her respiration is normal. her and my male had been flirting lately and i was thinking they were about to breed. he was displaying and doing that vibrating thing they do to impress the ladies. so question, could this be a result of laying eggs, or some complication? i have noticed that when my cichlid lays eggs something protrudesfrom her vent for a day or so, might this be similar? the pair has been in the tank for a few months and water parameters are stable. any help/ideas will be appreciated.

[Instar]

That tiny little protrusion is called the ovapositor. Its the tube eggs are delivered through for fertilization. Keep an eye on them from a distance near night fall as you don't want to distrub the spawning and fertilization of the eggs or the scoup of the male as he gobbles them up. These may spawn at night as they can see in the dark. :grin: Good luck and happy parenting.