Fish have many different conditions when compared to humans and other animals, making them fascinating but also tricky to take care of at times. So, with that in mind, why is your female betta fish full of eggs?
If your betta fish is full of eggs, that means she’s pregnant. Betta fish are not live breeders, so the eggs are not fertilized. Even when full of eggs, your betta fish cannot have babies without a male counterpart to fertilize the eggs.
The rest of this article will cover why your betta fish is full of eggs, how to tell if she’s full of eggs, what to do if she has eggs, how long betta fish can hold eggs, and FAQ.
Why Your Female Betta Fish Is Full Of Eggs
Congratulations, your female betta is pregnant. Or this is the default term used. They aren’t technically ‘pregnant’ since they don’t have live fish inside them. The eggs they have aren’t fertilized yet, meaning they can’t be born until a male comes and fertilizes them.
When they’re fertilized, the eggs will have a black or gray dot inside them. The drops will grow, so keep an eye on that. The growing is a good sign since that means the young fries are on the way and will hatch soon.
However, there is a chance female eggs will go unfertilized, whether because there are no males present or no males fertilized the eggs. This is perfectly fine, and there’s actually a term for this condition. The eggs will be referred to as slugs.
How To Tell If Your Female Betta Fish Is Full Of Eggs
One sign your female betta is pregnant is the look of her stomach. Like with humans, a betta’s stomach will become plump when she’s ready to mate. She’ll have a fuller stomach that’s easy to spot. There’s also another sign: loss of color. This is normal and nothing to worry about.
Similar to the loss of color, to spot pregnancy, look out for white stripes on her body. These white stripes are the biggest sign that she’s pregnant. While on the topic, look at her belly. Even if it’s not plump, you’ll see a white dot similar to the white stripes. These white markings are signs.
What To Do If Your Betta Fish Has Eggs
The good news about this is that you can choose what you’d like to do. If you don’t have a male betta fish, you can go get one and put him in with the female. That way, when she lays the eggs, he’s there to fertilize them. A pre-existing male in the tank will do this too.
Once the eggs are laid, remove the female. There’s a high chance she’ll see the eggs as food and eat them. This is why you should remove her until the eggs are hatched, then, you can put her back in, and she’ll be safe with the new additions to the tank.
However, you can also choose not to let the female mate. You can remove her or the male from the tank and put them in separate ones. Or, if you don’t have a male, then you can do nothing. When the eggs hatch, prepare to remove the male for a short period of time.
Wondering why there are Betta eggs on the bottom of your tank?
The reason why you prepare to remove the male is that there’s a chance they will see the fry as food and try to eat them. Only do this if he begins to eat the fry. After, feed the fry with fine foods to raise them. Just make sure to keep an eye on the male as the fry grow up.
How Long Female Betta Fish Can Hold Eggs
This may come as a surprise, but female betta fish don’t hold their eggs for long. They’re designed to hold eggs for a short lifespan; on average, female bettas only hold eggs for one to two weeks. This short lifespan is completely normal, especially in young fish.
Now, that’s how long they can carry eggs. Let’s talk about pregnancy as a whole. Female betta fish will lay eggs and wait for a male to fertilize them. This is when the male betta fish will make a bubble nest to put the eggs in, signaling he’s ready for mating.
When the eggs are fertilized, like holding the eggs, they have a short time before they go to the next stage. Within 24 to 36 hours, the eggs will begin to hatch. This means that within a day, you’re going to start seeing baby fish in your tank.
Another thing to keep in mind is the amount of eggs a female betta fish can carry at one time. They can carry anywhere between 5 and 500 eggs at a given time. This is because bettas aren’t livebearers, so they need lots of eggs to make up for that.
Lastly, depending on the water conditions, a female betta fish can lay new batches of eggs every 48 to 72 hours. If you want to help the pregnancy process, you should make sure the tank and the water inside it are clean at all times. This gives them ideal mating conditions.
FAQ
Pregnancy and eggs in fish is a commonly researched topic, and here are some of the FAQs: can a female betta fish die from being too full of eggs, is your betta pregnant or just fat, and will the parents care for their youth?
A Female Betta Fish Can Die From Being Too Full Of Eggs
There are risks involved with being full of eggs. They can die from a condition known as egg binding. This condition leads to internal infection, egg cavity explosions, and death in extreme cases. It’s a possibility, but keep in mind that it’s rare.
Most female bettas will release or reabsorb the eggs into their body to prevent this condition from happening. There are no signs to tell if and when egg binding will happen, so, unfortunately, this isn’t a condition you can spot or prevent.
The Difference Between A Pregnant And Fat Betta Fish
Using the signs covered earlier, you can determine if your betta fish is pregnant or fat and constipated. If there are no white stripes or dots markings, then your betta fish is fat, not pregnant.
If you see no signs of pregnancy, then that means you need to cut back on the food you’re giving your betta. This will reduce the plumpness of her belly and return her to a normal, healthy weight.
Male And Female Betta Fish Do Not Care For Their Youth
At the start, the male betta will monitor the eggs in the bubble nest. He’ll protect them and replace any eggs that may fall out. After the eggs are hatched, he won’t care for them any longer. He won’t make sure they’re fed, and he won’t protect them.
The female is completely uninvolved. After the eggs are laid, she does nothing to aid the process. This is why it’s so important for you to be involved after the eggs are hatched. You’ll need to make sure they’re well-fed and taken care of. Otherwise, they won’t have support.
Summary
When a betta fish is pregnant, she will become full of eggs and lay them within one to two weeks. During the mating process, remove the female from the tank when the eggs are laid, and when they’re hatched, watch the male to ensure he won’t eat the fry.
You can choose how to react to the situation by either persuading or dissuading the pregnancy. You can separate the male from the female to prevent fertilization of the eggs, or you can leave them together and wait for the eggs to hatch within 24 to 36 hours.
Lastly, it is possible for a betta fish to die from being too full of eggs in a condition known as egg binding. It is uncommon, and the betta fish herself has defensive mechanisms to prevent it. They will either release or reabsorb the eggs.