breeading bettas

Question
QUESTION: How do you know when a betta fish is pregnet? An my male betta fish is attacking my female betta fish what do i do? My male betta fish every time he approches the female he sticks his gills out what does it mean?
thax alicia
ANSWER: Hi Alicia,
  Bettas are egg layers so they don't get pregnant as such.

The male builds a bubble nest and then he tries to get the female to lay eggs.  The gill flaring is how he "courts" the female.  

 Trouble happens when the male is ready to spawn and the female isn't. In that case, you need to protect the female or he could easily kill her.

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: i have to males one is aggressive against her an one isn't i switch the one that is aggressive to the one that is not. I got my female fish yesterday and she had a straight tummy and then today she looks lie to the front she has like  a little lump. what does that mean? i was on website an they told me to put it in a chamber thingy why is that an wat does it do an should i do it? Is there any tips i should do to beable to get eggs?
thax again alicia

Answer
Hi Alicia,
  It is highly unlikely that she is ready to spawn already.

The chamber thing is a place to put the female if she gets bothered too much.  

How large a tank do you have these fish in?

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>