my fish is sort of swollen from it's jaw and my brother thought it ate the aquarium pebbles and he grabbed it under water and shook it and these things came out and they weren't rocks! they were eggs! will they hatch cuz it's only 1 fish does she need the male to fertalize!
2007-04-10 07:30:24 · 11 answers · asked by wiwa lover! 3 in Pets ➔ Fish
The females of some species of cichlids carry the fertilized eggs in their mouths until they hatch. They are called "mouthbrooders." If there are other fish in the tank, most likely there is a male and he fertilized the eggs for her. If you don't have any other fish, is this a new fish?
It is possible that she had the eggs when you brought her home from the store. Some of the cichlids will carry the eggs for up to three weeks before they release (spit) the babies. Some species will actually let the babies back into their mouths when there is danger near.
The females do not lay eggs and pick them up unless they are courted by a male and enticed into a breeding situation. If she is not too traumatized by your brother's rough handling of her, she may pick them up again and carry them to term. Leave her alone and see what happens.
Do not add any other fish because they will eat the babies if she carries them to term and they hatch.
2007-04-10 07:54:38 · answer #1 · answered by 8 In the corner 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You need a male to fertalize the eggs. They probably haven't been fertalized, so I would take them out of the tank and discard them. Unless you recently got the fish and she was in a tank with males. Keep an eye on her and make sure she's okay. You could ask someone at the pet store about the swollen jaw.
2007-04-10 07:58:30 · answer #2 · answered by me 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, they can lay eggs without a male, but the eggs will not be fertilized (no babies).
2016-05-17 04:56:57 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No they need a male or the eggs are not fertalized. To keep them from decaying, I would remove them from the tank.
2007-04-10 07:33:26 · answer #4 · answered by danielle Z 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
You need a male to fertilize the eggs. I would watch it closly for any trauma your brother might have inflicted.
2007-04-10 07:52:36 · answer #5 · answered by lilith 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
most fish deposit the eggs, then a male they don't even know comes along and fertilizes them. the children grow up on their own. if you only have female fish, it might not. depending on how long ago you got the fish, the father might be someone at the pet store.
2007-04-10 07:35:20 · answer #6 · answered by Meggie 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Yup, needs a male.
2007-04-10 07:35:12 · answer #7 · answered by Jennifer 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you do need a male to fertilize the eggs.
2007-04-10 07:34:38 · answer #8 · answered by otter_woman 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
your fish needs a male.
2007-04-10 07:34:06 · answer #9 · answered by robertnancy d 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
'I don;t know what kind of fish you have, but no, fish don't lay fertilized eggs, the male must be present.
MM
2007-04-10 07:34:12 · answer #10 · answered by magicman116 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋