# Help! Female Betta Eggbound??



## MrsFish (Feb 6, 2012)

My female Betta had been looking bloated a few days ago, so I fed her a pea and then fasted her yesterday. This morning I awoke and found a weak looking bubble nest with eggs in it! The nest was not sufficient enough to keep the eggs from falling out so she has been spending all her time retrieving eggs that fall and replacing them at the surface. She is the only fish in the tank, the only fish I own period! Is this odd? MOST IMPORTANTLY, her ovipositur is still sticking out and she still looks very bloated, will she lay more eggs, is she egg bound? Does she need help, or should I do something for her and what? I received a suggestion on yahoo answers that she is actually a wild male :shock:, which I am very hesitant to believe... Can wild males lay eggs??


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

she's not a male. :T i had a female last year, Caroline. beautiful cambodian female veil, with the prettiest eyes. once, every few weeks, she'd get fatter than usual, and would build a bubble nest. then, the day after she'd build the nest, she'd drop her eggs, eating them. some of them, she'd put in the nest, and would tend to it for a day. it's not that uncommon, for females to build a bubble nest and tend to a few eggs. it's strange, but not uncommon.

also her spot poking out, is fine. one of my females has a VERY prominent egg spot.


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

If it was a wild male and the only fish-you wouldn't have eggs.....

Its not uncommon for a female to build a nest to place her un-fertlized eggs in and tend to for a few day...she will most likely eat them in a day or so or not.....also, if she does eat the eggs-often her poop may take on a creamy/white appearance for a few days-not to be confused with internal parasites....

Need some more info....
What size container is she in, how much and how often are the water changes, water temp, live plants, filter, additives used, appetite/type/amount food/feeding, how long have you had her and has she ever been sick and/or treated in the past 2 weeks...can you post a pic.....


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## MistersMom (Aug 9, 2011)

Luimeril said:


> she's not a male. :T i had a female last year, Caroline.





MY name is Caroline  i dont hear it commonly used...but you are the second person to name their fish Caroline ........how odd....


oh and my fish also have prominent egg spots...


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## MrsFish (Feb 6, 2012)

I thought the idea that she was a male was off the mark, but I guess sometimes nature can surprise you so I thought I'd be thorough and ask, haha. She is in a 5 gallon tank, no live plants. Small Tom filter, 76 degrees. I vary between feeding her TetraBetta pellets and flakes, and sometimes blood worms, with the occasional pea. I've had her about 4 months. 50% water change once a week with Tetra BettaSafe water conditioner added. She has never been sick before. I will attempt to post a current picture in a few minutes if I can convince my camera to work. In the mean time I will say she is very active and curious and looks like she's in tiptop shape except for her belly being swollen and her egg spot sticking out. She is a vibrant purplish blue and her fins are in great shape, no nicks or tears. Thanks


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## MrsFish (Feb 6, 2012)

Well, I'm not sure if I did it right but I uploaded a photo of Domi tending her eggs and also one where you might be able to see how her belly is swollen, but since she is busy tending her eggs on the top of the heater and the back of the tank she is not interested in me getting a good picture of her right now. I will try again though if need be.


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## MrsFish (Feb 6, 2012)

Here's a better one, I think. Sorry they're so big, I don't know how to fix that.


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## MistersMom (Aug 9, 2011)

bigger the better.... i think your female will be fine


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## MrsFish (Feb 6, 2012)

Oh good, thank you!


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## MistersMom (Aug 9, 2011)

any time


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## bettalover2000 (May 10, 2011)

"Diet: In the wild, they feed off of mosquito larvae, mosquitos, other insects and their larvae, daphnia, and worms. In the home aquaria many bettas won’t eat flake food. If you choose to try offering flakes, please be sure they are specifically betta flakes and not tropical flakes. Tropical flake food does not provide the proper nutrition for a betta. Meaty foods should be their staple diet. Vegetables should be avoided. Peas are sometimes suggested for bettas, please don’t. A betta’s digestive tract is not designed to handle that kind of roughage in their diet, thus the reason it acts like a laxative. Feeding peas to a betta can severely damage their digestive tract and lead to permanent damage and early death.
-Tank Region: All over, but mainly the Top."http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=20058&highlight=feeding+peas 

I don't think you're supposed to feed bettas peas....


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

She looks lovely and by the sounds of things you are taking great care of her too....and what an awesome female to have...she would make a great breeder since she has good instincts......anyways...feeding a Pea on occasion will not harm Bettas, however, they should not be used as part of the staple diet due to absorption issue and limited nutrition-in the wild they eat a lot more veggie matter than you think- in the gut of the critters they eat "you are what you eat".....so it will not hurt the digestive tract..

As long as she consumes the flake food as soon as it hits the surface she should be getting all the nutrients from the flake food so not to worry on that....it is a good idea to offer a good quality varied diet as a general rule...pellets, flakes, freeze dried, frozen and live......


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## bettalover2000 (May 10, 2011)

sorry, thx OFL


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