BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Fish gravid female, and I don't want babies

Okay, I have 7 bettas, 3 males, 4 females. One of the females and 2 of the males share a 10 gallon tank, divided. the female and the male next to her have been flirting and now she is huge...I noticed about a week ago she was plumping up, and thought it may clear up on its own, either she would expel them or reabsorb them. Neither seems to be happening. Any way to get her to "lay" without putting her with the male? If not, how do I go about doing it safely. I know I can scoop out the eggs and dispose of them, even though I'm not sure I could do that, very tenderhearted...Help my poor little preggers....
Also, is there any way to keep it from happening again? I put in tall plants thinking it may block their view of each other, but didn't work. I had thought there may be something kind of like a background that I could put there. I really don't have anywhere to put her, so that's not really an option...Unless I put her in an unheated 1.5 gallon. Thanks!!

I've seen many tank backgrounds that would probably block the view between the two, but that would require emptying the tank and drying it completely in some cases. I'm not sure if there is anything you can do with the water in. Maybe there is some sort of driftwood or decoration you can put there? Or something that you can suction cup to the divider?

hmm...thanks for the ideas. I will look around and see what I can find.

try stop feeding her for a bit. She'll absorb the eggs as nutrients if you hold off on the feeding. Just keep an eye on her and make sure she's doing ok while fasting.

I'll try that emg. Thanks!