Calling all fish owners! Is this Tetra going to lay eggs? Edit: Solved

[Halfpasthen]

I went back and looked at your tank size and stocking and I have several thoughts.
#1 you only have 2 skirt tetras and you don't know if you have 2 females or a male and female. Likely she won't even release eggs if no male is present to stimulate the behavior.
#2 you have 2 gouramis in a 20 gallon. Depending on the species of gourami that may be wildly over stocked. 2 dwarf gouramis would be fine. But pretty much any other species and your already over max capacity for what this tank will hold.

I already mentioned this but tetras usually require male and female to be present for the eggs to be fertilized. The female lays unfertilized eggs and the males make their um donation as they're being laid.

 

[NatJ]

you only have 2 skirt tetras and you don't know if you have 2 females or a male and female.

Very good point.
If they are both females, there will never be any fry.

 

[Weeg]

#2 you have 2 gouramis in a 20 gallon. Depending on the species of gourami that may be wildly over stocked. 2 dwarf gouramis would be fine. But pretty much any other species and your already over max capacity for what this tank will hold.

This I definitely knew. I bought this tank from someone off of Craigslist, since I wanted to start out with an established tank rather than worry about circulating ect. He already had the Gourami's in it. I knew that once they got big I would either need another tank, or to rehome them. This I am definitely aware of.

 

[Weeg]

#1 you only have 2 skirt tetras and you don't know if you have 2 females or a male and female. Likely she won't even release eggs if no male is present to stimulate the behavior.

True. Based off of Google images, I'm totally guessing that I have a male and a female. Is it possible to tell gender based on looks? The supposed "male" has always been much slimmer, where the supposed "female" has been more round. I could very very easily be wrong since of course, google is only so reliable.

 

[Halfpasthen]

This I definitely knew. I bought this tank from someone off of Craigslist, since I wanted to start out with an established tank rather than worry about circulating ect. He already had the Gourami's in it. I knew that once they got big I would either need another tank, or to rehome them. This I am definitely aware of.

Oh good. If you have plans to upgrade them you'll be fine. I would not try to read fry until they're out of the tank. Both for stocking purposes and because of the predation.

 

[Weeg]

Oh good. If you have plans to upgrade them you'll be fine. I would not try to read fry until they're out of the tank. Both for stocking purposes and because of the predation.

Got it. Even with a breeding box? I was always worried about predation from the Gourami's. Honestly, even once the fry got bigger I didn't think it would be a good idea to put them in the tank freely, I would need another tank. It would make the most sense to get another 2 gallon, and put the Gourami's in there. Then let the fry into the current tank setup. I think that is what I'm going to try to do. With that, I still don't even know if I actually have a make and a female.
I guess its a waiting game. I'll wait until the breeder box arrives, and if she spawns before that, than everyone can just have a hay day, so be it. If she doesn't, I already ordered the box, so I guess I'll give it a try, and try to find another tank for the Gourami's. I need to do that anyway, so this will give me a kick start.

 

[Halfpasthen]

True. Based off of Google images, I'm totally guessing that I have a male and a female. Is it possible to tell gender based on looks? The supposed "male" has always been much slimmer, where the supposed "female" has been more round. I could very very easily be wrong since of course, google is only so reliable.

Tetras are really hard unless they're a species with really noticeable sexual dimorphism.
But regardless. Skirt tetras do not "mate" per se. The females develop eggs, the males and females display, do a mating ritual, the unfertilized eggs are scattered along with the male donation. You cannot move a female to a breeder box separate from the male because she will never release her eggs without a male to spawn with. Once they have spawned all fish including the parents have to be removed if you want any chance of rearing the fry.
Most professional breeders will use breeding mops. Once the fish have spawn they remove the mops to another tank and allow the spawn to hatch. Most people will never "accidentally" breed tetras. Especially in a community tank. Live-bearers are another story. They are born fully capable of swimming and stand a change of surviving with lots of hiding spots.

 

[Halfpasthen]

To be clear, the females are never pregnant and do not get mated in the traditional sense. The males cause them to release and scatter their eggs and the males fertilize the eggs that are released.

 

[Halfpasthen]

There will never be babies if you separate the male and female and it's very unlikely they will spawn In a tiny breeder box. And even if they did spawn in the breeder box they will still eat the eggs unless you have some sort of material like a breeder mop.

 

[Weeg]

But regardless. Skirt tetras do not "mate" per se. The females develop eggs, the males and females display, do a mating ritual, the unfertilized eggs are scattered along with the male donation. You cannot move a female to a breeder box separate from the male because she will never release her eggs without a male to spawn with. Once they have spawned all fish including the parents have to be removed if you want any chance of rearing the fry.

I figured that is how they do it. Netflix documentary's have a few episodes here and there that include fish spawning/breeding. I assumed that was probably how it went. I would need to put them both in the breeding box.

At this point I'm wondering if I should just cancel the order on the breeding box. Starting to sound like a lot more effort than its worth....
It would be fun, but with my Gourami's and not knowing gender, and etc, etc, etc, doesn't sound like the best setup.