# Need help with my female betta



## chrissysaurus (Aug 27, 2010)

I've had betta fish in the past, but they were always male.
This year, my friend gave me a female betta fish, and this is the first time I've ever had a female one.

So she's about 5-7 months old or so... and the past month I've noticed she's been making bubble nests, so I was a bit confused about her gender since I always heard that only males make the bubble nests.

Then this week I've noticed her belly was getting swollen and a white dot was under her belly, so I thought I was overfeeding her (I feed her 3-5 pellets a day). Today her belly looked REALLY swollen so I only gave her one pellet. I also noticed that white dot under her belly was much more apparent.

Im gone from my room for a few hours, then I come back, look in her tank, and I see eggs in her bubble nest! I was surprised. :shock:

But now, hours after she laid those eggs, she seems to be picking at the eggs, or perhaps even eating them? Or maybe just placing the eggs elsewhere in the nest, I cant tell. (shes also still adding bubbles to her bubble nest as I type)

What should I do during this time? Should I remove the eggs from the tank or let her eat them (I hear that female bettas ''re-absorb'' eggs)? Also, do I need to change the water, feed her more/less, add something to the water, etc? Help would be appreciated.



EDIT: There is no male betta around, she is the only fish in the tank. I am also not interested in breeding her, hehe.


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## Bettas are Betta (Aug 3, 2010)

wow! What if she thinks shes a male and female. 
Male: bubble nest 
Female: eggs
Male: adding bubbbles and maybe placing the eggs in stronger spots in bubble nest.

I heard that can happen when the female thinks shes a male and female!


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## LoveSGSE (Aug 2, 2010)

Haha wow. Interesting. She's probably eating them, but don't worry. She won't be bloated. You can do a wc for her to clear off the eggs. Just return to normal wc and feeding schedule. After she laid her eggs, her belly won't look so bloated. I've got a female that laid eggs and ate it herself. No problem


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## chrissysaurus (Aug 27, 2010)

by WC do you mean water conditioning? I changed the water for her tank about 2 days ago and added some water conditioner, but should I do it again anyway? The brand I use is Nutrafin Betta Plus. Also, even though I changed the water 2 days ago, should I change it again?

And yeah, I noticed she looks much skinnier now.

..and she really thinks shes both female and male? Wow, lol.


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

Females can flare and make bubble nests. The white dot is normal for a female. That is where her eggs come out of. Her bloat was probably just because she was full of eggs. Females can make eggs and drop without a male present. The eggs will probably never hatch in a situation like this.


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

How interesting and special fish you have, I have only read about females doing this and have never seen it myself...lucky you....could you post a pic.......she really has strong procreation instinct....that is so neat.......
And what everyone else has posted I agree, she will most likely tend the eggs until they fungus and then eat them and that is a good snack for her, she may poop white for a day or so and this is normal, I would make an extra water change as the rotting eggs may cause an ammonia spike if she doesn't eat all the eggs.


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## Ajones108 (Jul 7, 2010)

It would be interesting if this female was somehow a he/she and fertilized her own eggs, tended to the nest, and you somehow ended up with hundreds of betta fry...


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## chrissysaurus (Aug 27, 2010)

Heres a picture of my fish










I know, shes in the 1 liter tank temporarily. Please dont say I am cruel =/ Im waiting on money to buy her a nice 1 gallon tank.

You can see the bubble nest above her.

And to Oldfishlady, should I remove all the eggs right now?


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## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

Wow she/he does have very long fins


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

Its hard to tell from the pic but it sure looks like a male, but it has to be a female since it dropped eggs...lol......

I would make a water change and remove the eggs in a day or so, give her time to eat them, they are good for her...

Can you get a better pic of you betta so we can see it better....


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## chrissysaurus (Aug 27, 2010)

Sarada said:


> Wow she/he does have very long fins


I know, I realized that too. And Im surprised because isnt it the males that usually have long fins?


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## chrissysaurus (Aug 27, 2010)

Oldfishlady said:


> Can you get a better pic of you betta so we can see it better....


Ill get on that a little later, its hard to take good pics of this tank


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## chrissysaurus (Aug 27, 2010)

Here ya go. Tried taking a better pic with a light shone over the tank (my camera is horrible at closeup pics apparently. I apologize)
You can see the clump of eggs above her. And if you look closely at her belly she has an ovipostor(?)


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## Phoxly (Jun 14, 2010)

Very interesting  how could it would be if she asexually reproduced lol. Pretty girl none the less.


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## chrissysaurus (Aug 27, 2010)

She is a pretty betta and Im lucky to have her 


And thank you, everyone, for your advice. It helped out, now Im not freaking out like "OMG she laid eggs what do I dooo?" :lol:


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

Great pic and yes, I do think it is a female and maybe it is her position but she looks to have a pretty long tail, anal and ventral fins too but it may just look that way from the angle...nice looking female by the way...I would keep the eggs like that for at least 3 days...I am nearly 110% sure they will not hatch...but stranger things have happened......


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## Phoxly (Jun 14, 2010)

I hope they do haha, but thats just me >


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## Amour (Jun 26, 2010)

I just wanted to say that you shouldn't keep her in only a 1 gallon tank either. They need at least 2. Idealy, they'd be happier in a five gallon tank.


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