# Can the female lay eggs with no male present?



## RayneForhest

Last night, I come home to find Ms. Fishy Fishy guarding a mass of eggs in the upper corner of her aquarium. 

I'm totally confused. 

Do the females contain eggs for prolonged periods of time?

Do they 'gestate' eggs as in, if she were introduced to a male, could he have fertilized her eggs way back, but she just laid them now?

I dont know how this works, and I will appreciate any response I get on this topic.

I took some pictures, and some videos I'll have them up later if necessary


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## BlueHaven

Yes!
I think they can. 
My female laid eggs and was eating them, trying to keep up with them. It was though because of my male who was on the other side of the divided tank.
They are no longer in the same tank (divided).
She has also made a bubble nest (with no male).

I have read that people's females do this at times, without a male present.


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## RayneForhest

She ended up eating the eggs. I just felt SO badly for her. She was trying so hard to keep them up there. 

Out of curiosity, how long would it take her to produce eggs again?


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## Tisia

sometimes females will lay eggs, then usually eat them, sometimes they just absorb them back into their bodies. they won't be fertile without a male around


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## RayneForhest

Ever since I got the male on May 19th, she's been freaking out trying to get to him.
I dont feel it would be right for me to put them together because I dont know what I'm doing, nor am I prepared to breed them.


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## SashimiBetta

RayneForhest, I feel the same way!

Yes they can!
But eggs without males never work out, so don't get your hopes up!


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## Oldfishlady

Betta eggs are fertilized externally when their vents meet during the embrace...some speculate that some fertilization also occur under the nest too as the milt and eggs meet under the bubble nest....

It not uncommon for female to drop eggs and either build a nest and tend to the unfertilized eggs, leave them on the floor or eat them...usually they absorb them.......generally a female will be ready to spawn again after about 3 days.... if she is healthy to start....


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## RayneForhest

http://youtu.be/sjKBh5TMXcg

Ok, so this is not the best view or quality. BUT... here's her sterile batch.

She laid all those eggs, (bunches on the floor) PLUS she laid even more later on that night.

Keep in mind, I meant to add a song over this video. The song you hear is not planned... its just the intro to Garfield.


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## indjo

Most fish have 2 egg sacks (incl bettas) which are always filled with eggs. If for some reason these eggs developed, the female will absorb or release them regardless with or without a male present. She may gather them in one bunch after they were laid. But it's not her nature to care for them. Usually she will eat them the following day.

Betta eggs are fertilized externally (like OFL said) so without a male they will never hatch.


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## RayneForhest

indjo said:


> Most fish have 2 egg sacks (incl bettas) which are always filled with eggs. If for some reason these eggs developed, the female will absorb or release them regardless with or without a male present. She may gather them in one bunch after they were laid. But it's not her nature to care for them. Usually she will eat them the following day.
> 
> Betta eggs are fertilized externally (like OFL said) so without a male they will never hatch.


Gotcha. 

That clears up a lot of questions. 
It made me think she was 'caring' for them when she would scoop some up then place them back with the floating bunch. After about an hour of doing so, she started eating them.


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