fat SAE photos

Hi all,

I (well, my husband. I tried and best I could get was a blurry blob)
finally managed to get some photos of the fat SAE I've been talking about..
not the best photos to show off his portliness, since he's really hard to
take a photo since they move so fast... so these photos are the best we
could manage...

so.. is he fat or still within the "normal SAE BMI range"?

linda

http://lindamar02.tripod.com/fat_SAE/

"LM" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I (well, my husband. I tried and best I could get was a blurry blob)
finally managed to get some photos of the fat SAE I've been talking
about..
not the best photos to show off his portliness, since he's really hard to
take a photo since they move so fast... so these photos are the best we
could manage...

so.. is he fat or still within the "normal SAE BMI range"?

linda

http://lindamar02.tripod.com/fat_SAE/


If that was a Platy, I'd say it was pregnant :-)
Mine are about 6 months old and are big but not as fat as that.

Peter

ROTFLMAO- he's fat!

Tony

so.. is he fat or still within the "normal SAE BMI range"?

linda

http://lindamar02.tripod.com/fat_SAE/

Thusly "LM" Spake Unto All:

so.. is he fat or still within the "normal SAE BMI range"?

http://lindamar02.tripod.com/fat_SAE/

She certainly looks a bit, uh, big boned.

I've only seen SAE's look like that immediately after a big meal.

It seems healty, so it's not dropsy. It could be some intestinal
parasite of course, but I doubt it.

Had it been another fish I'd have suggested it might be a gravid
female, but SAE's rarely if ever spawn in home aquaria, so that seems
unlikely.

So... It may be you've got obese SAE's, yes.

Mean_Chlorine wrote in
:

http://lindamar02.tripod.com/fat_SAE/

So... It may be you've got obese SAE's, yes.

Yes, I second that.

Had it been another fish I'd have suggested it might be a gravid
female, but SAE's rarely if ever spawn in home aquaria, so that seems
unlikely.

Well, that isn't actually so rare. They do spawn, and even when they don't,
they can get filled with eggs. The fatter fish might be a female belly full
of eggs - and fat, too. Give them LOTS of water movement, do a huge water
change and drop the temp with 1-3 degrees (C) and see what happens. If you
see them dancing with high heads and faded side stripes, they might thing
of laying eggs.

Liisa

Thusly Liisa Sarakontu Spake Unto All:

spawning SAE
Well, that isn't actually so rare.

Wow!
I was under the impression it was one of those species which are
nearly impossible to get to spawn without hormone injections. Thanks
for the info on how to do it, that is definitely something I would
like to try!

Liisa

faded stripes is a sign of spawning? hmm.. one of the SAEs had a faded
stripe the other night.. i thought he/she was stressed from being harassed.

the tank temperature is about 76F... it does have two Aquaclear 200
powerheads (running the UGF) and one HOT Magnum for the 37G (tank has a 20G
tank foot print, just several inches taller).. so I think it has plenty of
turbulence... I suppose I can add my spare powerhead to add more
waterflow...

even if they spawn, unless I can find the brood, it'll become food for the
others :-(

linda

"Liisa Sarakontu" wrote in message
. ..
Mean_Chlorine wrote in
:

http://lindamar02.tripod.com/fat_SAE/

So... It may be you've got obese SAE's, yes.

Yes, I second that.

Had it been another fish I'd have suggested it might be a gravid
female, but SAE's rarely if ever spawn in home aquaria, so that seems
unlikely.

Well, that isn't actually so rare. They do spawn, and even when they
don't,
they can get filled with eggs. The fatter fish might be a female belly
full
of eggs - and fat, too. Give them LOTS of water movement, do a huge water
change and drop the temp with 1-3 degrees (C) and see what happens. If you
see them dancing with high heads and faded side stripes, they might thing
of laying eggs.

Liisa

yeah.. all the fish are quite healthy. the SAE's are about 2 years old.. no
sign of parasite or anything.. shiny scales, active.. just.. portly...

I suppose it's no use to try to put 'em on diet? since they'll end up
starving the other fish, or eat my plants to a stump...

linda

"Mean_Chlorine" wrote in message
...

I've only seen SAE's look like that immediately after a big meal.

It seems healty, so it's not dropsy. It could be some intestinal
parasite of course, but I doubt it.

Had it been another fish I'd have suggested it might be a gravid
female, but SAE's rarely if ever spawn in home aquaria, so that seems
unlikely.

So... It may be you've got obese SAE's, yes.

"LM" wrote in :

faded stripes is a sign of spawning? hmm.. one of the SAEs had a faded
stripe the other night.. i thought he/she was stressed from being
harassed.

Faded stripe is also a sign of stress in this species. And they even can do
the "dance" when discussing about who is the boss, when the light come on
in the morning, when they have just been eating or when they just feel like
dancing. I've been told that the actual breeding dance is more intensive
than the normal dances.

the tank temperature is about 76F... it does have two Aquaclear 200
powerheads (running the UGF) and one HOT Magnum for the 37G (tank has a
20G tank foot print, just several inches taller)..

Very small tank for this species. SAEs are fast swimmers and like to have
ROOOOM to dart from one end of the tank to the other, and so a long tank
is a must. They will hardly breed here. Perhaps they are fat because they
don't get enough exercise?

even if they spawn, unless I can find the brood, it'll become food for
the others :-(

That's what normally happens if SAEs lay eggs in a community tank.

Liisa