Can Female Betta Fish Lay Eggs Without A Male? Yes

can female betta fish lay eggs without a male? Before we can even answer we need to know do fish even lay eggs and what about betta fish? There are fish that have eggs but they mate and fertilize their eggs while still inside these fish are called viviparous much like us humans.

These fish are called livebearers because the fish are born whole and ready to go as the egg was inside the fish. So do fish lay eggs outside the body yes they sure do these fish are called oviparous as they spawn or lay eggs?

Betta fish come under this category as they lay or spawn eggs. Glad we’ve got that sorted so betta lay or spawn eggs but do they also do this even if the male isn’t present?

Can Female Betta Fish Lay Eggs Without A Male

can female betta fish lay eggs without a male? Yes, they sure can although those eggs will not hatch as the male needs to fertilize those eggs.

Why Do Females Release Eggs On Their Own

Female fish including betta are always producing new eggs. A healthy female betta can produce more eggs every 14 days or so. If she keeps making more eggs she needs to get rid of some of those eggs. Usually, betta females absorb the eggs rather than laying them.  

If those eggs are rotten she will release them if she is ready to mate she will release them. If not they tend to re-absorb them.

How Long Do Betta Fish Carry Eggs For

Betta will produce and carry eggs for around 14 days and then either mate and spawn her eggs or absorb them if no male is present. Although as we have discussed it’s perfectly normal for the female to release her eggs regardless.

How Do Betta Lay Eggs

Betta carry their eggs for around 14 days and then release them via a tiny tube some have dubbed the egg spot. This egg spot looks like a tiny grain of rice under the abdomen where the body meets the fins.  This spot is where the ovipositor is positioned. The ovipositor is the scientific name for the tube and opening which the eggs pass through.

What Do I Do When My Betta Fish Lays Eggs

This is a slightly loaded question. As there are a number of scenarios that may have taken place. First, we need to know if there’s any other aquatic life in the tank with her. Is there a male with her or is she on her own? Are you trying to breed them etc?

Let’s go through the main scenarios together and answer them all one by one.

Betta Laid Eggs On Her Own 

The female betta laid eggs and she’s the only fish in the tank no other aquatics either just the female betta. If the female laid eggs there were probably no more than 30 eggs tops she will probably eat some too.

Keep an eye on your water parameters and check for ammonia. Do your normal due diligence if the eggs are still there after a day or two give the substrate a quick vacuum. Job done.

Betta Laid Eggs No Male But Other Fish Or Aquatic Life 

Chances are the betta will eat the eggs herself or the other fish will eat them for her as most fish love eggs. Even some snails will eat those eggs so keep an eye on where the eggs fell and if they’ve been eaten. As above give it two days to check water conditions and if you think eggs are still present hoover them up.

Why We Need To Remove Fish Eggs From The Tank

If we leave the eggs in the tank and no one eats them after a week there gonna be rotten and fungus and other bad bacteria will rise in the tank. After a short time, those eggs can become toxic to the life in the tank. So if uneaten give the tank a good hoover.

Male And Female Together When Eggs Were Laid

This should be perfectly fine as the male should have made a bubble nest just prior to the eggs being laid. And he will catch the eggs after they have been laid fertilize them and even bring them to the nest. 

Even any eggs that fall out of the nest are caught and replaced by the male. He will guard the eggs until they hatch which takes 4 days. If any eggs are found on the substrate they are probably unfertilized at this point. 

You will probably have to remove the female once the male is guarding the eggs as the female is not as paternal and the male might be a bit overprotective. You can vacuum any eggs that have fallen into the substrate at this point.

How To Tell If Betta Fish Is Pregnant And About To Lay Eggs

Technically because they spawn or lay eggs they are never pregnant only livebearers are considered pregnant. Anyway, how we can tell that they are going to lay eggs? The betta will develop white stripes along its sides and a white spot under the belly. This white spot is the egg spot we spoke about earlier.

Female Betta Bubble Nest Building 

 

Although very rare it has been observed female betta make a bubble nest on their own before laying eggs. Females do also make smaller bubble nests when the males are making the main bubble nest.

What Betta Eggs Look Like 

Betta eggs when unfertilized will look like little tiny white oval-shaped balls. Once fertilized they will become fuzzier and will grow just a bit bigger.

Once in the bubble nest, you will be able to see them as little white dots within the bubbles.

Where Betta Lay Their Eggs

Under normal conditions with a male, they will lay by the bubble nest the male built, and then either the male or both in some cases will take the eggs and place them in the bubble nest. If on her own they will lay and the eggs will fall to the ground.

Can Betta Change Sex

Yes, indeed it’s been observed and reported that betta can change sex. Although rare unlike other species of fish betta are kept on their own so there’s no hierarchy to determine their place in the pack so to speak.

Female Betta Lay Eggs Even Without A Male Present Conclusion

can female betta fish lay eggs without a male Indeed female betta can lay eggs even with no male present. Although those eggs are pretty useless as they will never hatch. In order for eggs to hatch they need to be fertilized by the milt of the male. That being said they still do lay eggs on their own.

We as hobbyists can tell when a female is going to lay eggs in a couple of ways. One she may start building a small bubble nest. This indicates that she’s ready to mate and has been carrying eggs and it’s time to lay them eggs.

Betta females also develop white stripes down both sides of their bodies and what’s known as an egg spot under the belly by the tail. This spot appears to be a small white spot the size of a grain of salt this is the ovipositor this is where the eggs are released. 

I sincerely hope you enjoyed reading and feel free to look around the site some more thanks again. I’m leaving you with some articles from the do fish series hope you enjoy them.

Do Fish Series 

Do Fish Hibernate What Is Torpor

Do Fish Feel Pain How We Know A Fish Is In Pain

Do Fish Sleep Can We Tell If Fish Are Sleeping

do fish lose scales? lets investigate

Do Fish Cough?