How to Tell If Your Bettas are Pregnant or Fat?

Pregnant Bettas are the cutest fish you can own, and they’re rare enough that they’ll impress your friends and fellow Betta breeders. Pregnant Bettas are called so because they have eggs in their bellies. If you want to breed your pet Betta, then this article is for you. This article will teach you how to check if your bettas are pregnant and also how to know if they are fat so that you can prepare for the upcoming hatching of their babies and betta fish food. Keep reading. 

What to Expect When Breeding Bettas?

Betta fish, or Siamese fighting fish, are fascinating fish that are native to Thailand. They are beautiful, charismatic, and very social animals that are easy to keep as pets, provided that you are aware of some basic requirements of their care. Breeding Betta fish is a rewarding and fascinating experience both for the aquarist and the fish. Breeding Bettas lets you experience the whole process of fish reproduction:

you’ll see the courtship, spawning, and incubation of the eggs until their hatchlings emerge. In many ways, breeding Betta fish is similar to keeping chickens. There is a lot of work involved in breeding fish, so it’s not something that you would do as a pastime or for fun. Rather, breeding fish is something that serious aquarists do when they want to raise and stock their fish to sell or to eat themselves.

How to Tell If Your Betta is Pregnant?

The best way to tell if your Betta fish is pregnant is to look at the scales on their bellies. If you see a yellowish or whitish ring around their scales, then you know for sure your Betta is pregnant. But how will you know? You will have to observe your Betta and wait until she gives birth. Here are some other signs that might indicate your Betta is pregnant: 

Swollen abdomen: When Bettas are expecting, they tend to have swollen, round bellies. This is caused by the developing sac that holds the eggs until they are ready to hatch. Increased appetite: Pregnant Bettas tend to eat more than usual; they eat for two after all! Increased swimming: Expect to see more swimming than usual as Betta prepares a nest for her babies.

How to Know if Your Betta is Fat?

If your Betta has a big, swollen belly but no rings around her scales, then she might be fat and not pregnant. If you notice your Betta’s abdomen is swollen, but there is no sign of scales around it, then your Betta might be fat. To know for sure, you’ll have to gently press your finger against her belly. If the belly feels squishy and is hard to press, then your Betta is fat and not pregnant. If the belly is hard and you can press your finger against it easily, then your Betta is NOT fat but is pregnant. If your Betta is not pregnant, then you can help her lose weight by feeding her less or feeding her a higher-protein diet.

Tips for Healthy Pregnancies

– Keep your Betta in a clean aquarium with freshwater. Betta fish thrive in clear, clean water conditions where you replace 25% of the water once a week. Also, make sure that your Betta has plenty of shade, hiding spots, and rocks or other decorations that they can use to build a nest. Betta fish need pristine water, so be sure to test it regularly to make sure it stays clean. Otherwise, your Betta might get sick.

– Feed your Betta a balanced diet. Feed your Betta frozen or freeze-dried foods that provide them with the nutrients they need when they are pregnant. Feeding your Betta live worms or other small fish can cause infection in their bellies and can cause their pregnancies to fail.

– Breed your Betta in a separate aquarium. Breeding Bettas is stressful, and they can harm their unborn young if they are kept in an aquarium with other fish. For this reason, you should keep your pregnant bettas in a separate aquarium.

– Keep your Betta calm. You can help your Betta relax by playing soothing music or keeping the lights low. Avoid making sudden movements around your Betta’s aquarium, and do not handle her during her pregnancy.

– Prepare yourself for the arrival of your Betta’s babies. Once your Betta has given birth, you’ll need to prepare a separate aquarium for the babies and raise them until they are big enough to be put back in with your adult Betta.

Conclusion

Bettas are fascinating fish that are rewarding to keep. Aside from being beautiful and easy to care for, they are social animals that can be trained to come to you for food and attention. Betta fish are great for people who want to keep fish, but who don’t have a lot of time or energy to devote to their aquarium. Breeding Bettas is a rewarding experience that provides you with a fascinating look at how fish reproduce. There is a lot of work involved in breeding fish, so it’s not something that you would do as a pastime or for fun. Rather, breeding fish is something that serious aquarists do when they want to raise and stock their fish to sell or to eat themselves.

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