Giant Bloated Female Betta

[VioletEmber]

I have a female Betta who is about a year old. She is fully grown and is in my Betta sorority of 6 females in a 20g tall tank. (No behavior problems so that's not the issue) she is definitely the Alpha female so tends to eat first and most. But she is really really bloated for the past few days. I have been fasting the whole tank and gave them peas a few days back. These pictures are from today - no food today or yesterday and peas before that.













She is acting normally but is obviously huge even after fasting and peas. What should I do? No one else in the tank is having this problem. Should I give them all some more peas? Should I separate her out and fast her longer?

Any ideas what might be causing this besides bloat?

 

[shellieca]

I have a female Betta who is about a year old. She is fully grown and is in my Betta sorority of 6 females in a 20g tall tank. (No behavior problems so that's not the issue) she is definitely the Alpha female so tends to eat first and most. But she is really really bloated for the past few days. I have been fasting the whole tank and gave them peas a few days back. These pictures are from today - no food today or yesterday and peas before that.

She is acting normally but is obviously huge even after fasting and peas. What should I do? No one else in the tank is having this problem. Should I give them all some more peas? Should I separate her out and fast her longer?

Any ideas what might be causing this besides bloat?

I recently found out, because I have one in the same condition, that its probably eggs. Apparently they can become "egg bound" causing the bloated look. Eventually they either pass the eggs on their own or the eggs absorb back into their body. Mine is eating like a pig & her belly doesn't go down much when fasted. Mine has been like this for a couple of months with no behavioral change. So, at this point I'm not worrying about her.

 

[VioletEmber]

You may be right - you reminded me of one other time this happened and the big lady dropped a whole bunch of eggs and even made a bubble nest for them. Then she ate them.

Is there any health risk with her carrying eggs like this? Is there anything at all I can do to help her out?

 

[shellieca]

You may be right - you reminded me of one other time this happened and the big lady dropped a whole bunch of eggs and even made a bubble nest for them. Then she ate them.

Is there any health risk with her carrying eggs like this? Is there anything at all I can do to help her out?

My understanding is that it's harmless; at least i didn't find anything online that said otherwise.

 

[VioletEmber]

Thanks! There has been no change in her in the last few days either with feeding or fasting so I think you are right about the eggs. Thanks again.