Who Gives A Fish Forums

I've had my Betta since August and everything was fine until a couple weeks ago. My female started looking really bloated, so I cut back on feeding her but she just kept getting bigger. I thought maybe I was just being paranoid, but then I realized she was actually getting egg bound - I can see the eggs through her skin and there's this little white dot on her ovipositor. I've tried using a mirror to stimulate her and fasting her to get her to drop the eggs, but nothing's working and I'm getting really worried she's going to hurt herself. She's still swimming great, super active, and eats well when I do feed her, but I'm at a loss for what to do next.

Honestly, I'm not convinced she's egg bound, it seems more like a bad case of dropsy to me. When you view her from above, do her scales appear to be protruding like a pinecone?

If she's indeed egg bound, you might be able to see the eggs through her skin and scales.

I'm not entirely convinced it's egg bound, the swelling seems to be mostly underneath, not rounded on the sides like you'd typically see. You might want to try gently squeezing her belly, see if that helps dislodge any eggs. To me, it's looking more like a case of dropsy, similar to what juicebox mentioned.

I've seen dropsy without the pineconing before, it's not always a guaranteed symptom. Try gently squeezing her, see if that helps release any blockage, and keep us posted on how it goes.

juicebox wrote: ↑Fri Jul 19, 2024 11:28 pm Honestly, I'm not convinced she's egg bound, it seems more like a bad case of dropsy to me. When you view her from above, do her scales appear to be protruding like a pinecone?

I'm getting a bit worried. I'm scared to squeeze her, to be honest. Is there another way I could try? Maybe the wet q tip on a damp cloth thing?

I'm still trying to figure out the best approach - should I try the wet Q-tip method or go with Epsom salt baths, or do both?

I'm not familiar with female bettas, so I'll let someone with more experience take the lead. I did some research and found something that might be worth trying - removing her from the tank and placing her in a smaller container next to a tank with a male betta. The idea is that when she sees the male, she might release her eggs.

juicebox wrote: ↑Fri Jul 19, 2024 11:28 pm Honestly, I'm not convinced she's egg bound, it seems more like a bad case of dropsy to me. When you view her from above, do her scales appear to be protruding like a pinecone?

You could try the Epsom salt bath. It might help with the dropsy.

To help your betta, you can try an Epsom salt bath. Mix 1 teaspoon of Epsom salt with a gallon of dechlorinated water, making sure it's the same temperature as her tank. Leave her in the bath for 15 minutes, then gently place her back in the tank. The Epsom salt works as a laxative, which might help her release the eggs. After the bath, fast her for 24 hours to give her digestive system a break. Once the 24 hours are up, feed her a boiled and peeled pea - it's a gentle, easy-to-digest food that might help her feel better.