Each time my fish has a baby she dies. Does this happen to all fish?
2007-09-24 12:36:00 · 7 answers · asked by kuky e 2 in Pets ➔ Fish
No. If fact, it should only happen to a very few species as a "regular" event.
I'm guessing from the sound of your question that you have a livebearer of some sort. Just like any pregnacy, "pregnancy" for fish is stressful. If there are other factors causing stress as well (overcrowing, poor water quality, wrong temperature) it all adds to to the point it may be more than your fish can handle.
As opposed to many breeders, I don't like to use spawning boxes/nets. I keep a well planted tank, so the females can swim out in the open (if they want) or go into the plants and hide to have their fry. I may lose some to the adult fish, but from the number of fry that survive, you'd never know it.
A lot of breeders are afraid to do water changes too close to the time the female is about to drop the fry, but I keep my fish on their regular schedule.
Another thing that I do that another breeder suggested is to add some salt to the water- about 1 tablespoon per every 5 gallons of water. The salt should be something without iodine added (aquarium salt, or canning, pickling, kosher, or rock salt also work - there's even table salt without iodine now). It did cut my losses of both adults and fry, and it can be used with any of the livebearers.
ADDITION: Premature death can also be from trying to breed fish that are too young. If you can, find a pet shop where they sell the livebearers separated by gender (believe it or not, they are shipped that way!) and keep them apart for a few months - if you only have one tank, use a divider.
2007-09-24 12:48:31 · answer #1 · answered by copperhead 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is common for the new mother to die after giving birth or during, but it doesnt happen to every fish or every time.
2007-09-24 12:41:21 · answer #2 · answered by Akasha 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It might have been stress that caused your fish to die right after giving birth.
2007-09-27 11:43:58 · answer #3 · answered by Chris 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
How many times did she die?
2007-09-24 12:40:49 · answer #4 · answered by conejito 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
depends on the fish
some die
some don't
2007-09-24 12:54:43 · answer #5 · answered by shirleytemplewannabe14 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, they don't die.
2007-09-24 12:45:53 · answer #6 · answered by aquamac 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not that i'm aware of?
2007-09-24 12:38:35 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋