What Do Betta Fish Eggs Look Like? [Answered]

Betta fish are magnificent creatures and what makes them even more unique is the way they reproduce. Betta fish are natural bubble nesters, while some are mouthbrooders as well. Anyways, the spawning process is sophisticated yet beautiful, which begs the question of what do betta fish eggs look like.

To answer what betta fish eggs look like, betta eggs are generally quite small (about 1 mm). However, mouthbrooder betta fish eggs may be larger (about 2 to 3 mm). Talking about the shape, betta fish eggs are not perfectly round, but they are more oval. A fertile betta egg may grow more significantly over time and develop gray spots in certain areas over the egg. A betta egg takes about 2 to 3 days to hatch. However, in the case of mouthbrooders, it may take up to 11 to 15 days.

Betta Fish Eggs

In this section, we will highlight all the necessary details there are to know about betta fish eggs. We will also answer various questions – how many eggs do betta fish lay? What do betta fish eggs look like? How to identify fertilized betta fish eggs? How long does it take for betta fish eggs to hatch?

How Many Eggs Do Betta Fish Lay?

Before moving on to the question of what betta fish eggs look like, let us first understand exactly how many eggs betta fish lay at a time. Considering all the factors, a female betta fish can lay about 40 to 100 eggs on an average at a time. However, this number can go as up as 400 in a batch.

Well, the amount of eggs depends on the following factors.

• Betta Breed – The above number, that is, 40 to 100 eggs on an average, is true for betta fish who are bubble nesters by nature. The number is considerably lower for mouthbrooding betta fish. A mouthbrroding betta fish can lay only about 10 to 20 eggs on an average in a batch.
• Conditioning – By conditioning, we mean the parameters you set for your betta fish before the spawning period. For instance, if you fed your betta fish a heatlhy and fair amount of food weeks before the spawning period, it would lay relatively more eggs. However, there is no guarantee that conditioning always works.
• Betta Size – As a matter of fact, female bettas mature after only about 2 to 3 months. However, you should wait until 6 to 8 months for spawning as it would allow your betta to grow to its full size. A larger betta fish can not only spawn a higher amount of eggs but also with ease.
• Past Experience – Female bettas do not spawn only once in their lifetime. Thus, if your female betta is an experienced spawner then the following spawn may result in higher amount of eggs. Moreover, these spawned eggs may also be relatively more fertile.

What Do Betta Fish Eggs Look Like?

Having discussed the number of eggs female bettas at a time, we can now elucidate a little on what betta fish eggs look like. Betta fish eggs are generally relatively small, about 1 mm in diameter, and rather irregular or oval in shape.

Betta eggs are white in color. However, they may turn slightly yellow during the development stage. Unlike the eggs of a bubble nesting betta fish, the eggs of a mouthbrooding betta fish are more giant in size, about 2 to 3 mm in diameter.

How To Identify Fertilized Betta Eggs?

So, what do betta fish eggs look like when fertilized? Identifying fertilized betta eggs is quite easy. You have to look at the texture of the egg after they are spawned. If the betta egg appears to have grown in size and developed gray spots over it, then there is a high chance that that particular egg is fertilized.

You may also notice a small fish in a white yolk sack inside the egg before the hatching time. It is doubtful that all of the spawned eggs are fertilized. The male betta fish generally eat the unfertilized eggs. However, inexperienced bettas may eat all of them, which is pretty standard.

How Long Does It Take For Betta Eggs To Hatch?

We have already highlighted what do betta fish eggs look like when fertilized. Now, let us move on to the time taken for these fertilized eggs to hatch. It may take about 2 to 3 days on average for a betta fish egg to hatch. However, the hatching time depends on many factors.

• Betta Breed – In the case of bubble nesting betta fish, it can take up to 2 to 3 days for the eggs to hatch. On the other hand, in the case of mouthbrooding betta fish, it can take as long as 30 days for the eggs to hatch properly.
• Water Temperature – A recent study has shown that betta eggs hatch quickly in a warmer environment. It is recommended that you keep the water temperature between 78 and 82 degrees F for best results. However, this should not be maintained for a long time as adult bettas may get stressed out.
• Water Quality – A water that is free of any unwanted chemicals and elements like ammonia, chlorine, etc. promotes faster hatching of the betta eggs. Thus, you should never compromise on the water quality, especially during the spawning period.

Bubble Nesters v/s Mouthbrooders

BASIS	BUBBLE NESTERS	MOUTHBROODERS
1. Number Of Eggs Spawned	40 to 100 on average	10 to 20 on average
2. Appearance Of The Eggs	1mm, white, oval-shaped	2-3mm, white, oval-shaped
3. Hatching Time Of The Eggs	2 to 3 days on average	10 to 15 days on average
4. Suitability	Shallow pools with no current	Pools or streams

FAQs On What Do Betta Fish Eggs Look Like

Final Thoughts

In this post, we answered questions like – how many eggs to betta lay? What do betta fish eggs look like? How to identify fertilized betta eggs? How long does it take for betta fish eggs to hatch? Whether bubble nesting or mouthbrooding, betta breeding is an intricate process.