Pregnant Bettas

Female betta fish, otherwise known as Siamese fighting fish, do not give birth to live offspring. Instead, they spawn, or produce eggs that the male must fertilize. For this reason, female bettas are never actually pregnant, but there are definite stages in their becoming ready to spawn.

  1. Readiness to Spawn

    • Female betta fish usually breed between six months and one year in age. They can become ready to spawn by sharing a tank with a male betta, or you can introduce the fish for the purposes of mating through neighboring tanks for three to 10 days, until the fish show signs of readiness. When a female is ready to lay eggs, the underside of her belly will show distinctive markings. Look for a small white dot or stripe. It will have a full appearance and should not be confused with bloating from overfeeding or constipation (generally due to stress or improper water conditions in the tank). The female will also develop white vertical stripes towards her tail fin. Horizontal white stripes are a marker of stress.

    Intentional Mating

    • Those who wish to intentionally mate betta fish need to make several preparations. Firstly, feed the pair you wish to breed with live food. Secondly, the fish must be introduced. If they have not been living in the same tank, you may place the male and female in separate, transparent containers so they become aware of one another without being able to interact physically. Once the fish appear ready for spawning, you may put them together. The female is ready when her belly distends and displays the proper markings. The male is ready when he blows a bubble nest for the eggs. The male will enfold the female as she lays eggs. This may take more than one session, and the female may rest floating at the top of the tank. When all of the eggs are laid, they drop to the floor of the tank. The male retrieves them and puts them in the nest. Remove the female when the male chases her away from the nest, or he may eat her.

    Tank Conditions

    • No special breeding tank is required, but the Betta Fish website recommends one. You may use a 10-gallon tank with a bare bottom. The water should be approximately 5 inches deep. Add only a plant or two, as shelter for the female, to protect her from the male in case he becomes aggressive, and a large piece of foam material or a leaf. The male will use this to make the bubble nest. Water temperature should be approximately 80 degrees Fahrenheit or 23 degrees Celsius. Acidity levels are also important. A pH of about 7.0 is best.

    Care of Young

    • The young, called fry, will begin to hatch in a day or two and will be swimming in three to four days. When they begin to swim, remove the male to another tank so he will not eat them. Feed the fry twice daily. Baby brine shrimp is a good choice. After two weeks you can carefully change the tank water a little at a time.