Female Body Size

[Lucy]

Hi,
I have a 1 1/2 yr old female betta That I have had for a year. However, in the last couple of months her body size has gotten enormous. It looks like she is a little tank. She is the normal length for a female betta of her age, but she is VERY wide not only in the egg area but almost to the end of her body. She is kept in a 1 1/2 gallon unfiltered tank. I clean it 100% once weekly, and she is otherwise very healthy and has never had any health problems. Is it possible that she is overweight? Or could it possibly be muscle? I feed her 3 HBH Betta Bites Pellets twice per day except when I alternate feeding bloodworms or brineshrimp. Also, pH and Ammonia levels are at safe levels. She is kept next to two male bettas who often flare at her. Is just normal growth for female bettas or if this is a problem that needs further attention?

Thanks, Lucy

[starlight]

She is kept next to two male bettas who often flare at her.

Is she getting eggbound? If you think she is, I'd card her or remove the males from her sight.

[Lucy]

Ok, I'll try that even though my boys won't be too happy . The only thing is that she is very thick almost to her tail not only in the egg area. I forgot to mention in my previous post that I have checked her for dropsy and she is not bloated from dropsy.

[starlight]

Lucy,
You might want to to a Google search "eggbound female betta" There's a lot of material out there. Do a bit of research and see if that pinponts her condition.

I'll try that even though my boys won't be too happy

I really hope that it isn't a eggbound condition. I've had little luck with it. It pains me to think of the young females that I lost to this last year. They were my best breeding females.

Hopefully you'll be able to rule it out. If the female is filling up with eggs, one remedy is to breed her. I'm sure that you'll read that during your search.