Beta Not Eating?

[Snake42490]

hey guys this is now day 2 of having my betta... he is in a 7 gallon tank. sand as substrate 4 live plants and a slow bubble wall and filter. the tank is cycled and is fine on water.. i have already tested it. the betta is swimming around and pretty active.. but is refusing my flake foods?? what would you guys recommend trying for food? or do you think he just needs some more time? right now im just trying to feed a tropical flake.

 

[mommyof2bettas]

3 things I can think of...
- He isn't used to flakes and might want pellets
- He might want some frozen/freeze dried/live food so he'll want to eat
- He might just be a little unaccuctomed to the tank and is settilng in.

 

[Snake42490]

ok.. would you have any clue what petsmart feeds the bettas?? haha.. i have some frozen brine shrimp and some spirulini enhanced brine shrimp or blood worms.. not sure which. what kind of pellets would you recommend trying? which of the frozen foods would you try first?

 

[mommyof2bettas]

You can ask the staff what they feed the fish... but sometimes at the Wal-Mart where I bough my bettas, they have the fish food out. I feed mine Wardley betta pellets but heard of a lot of people that feed theirs Hikari.

 

[Snake42490]

hhmm.. ok.. would they touch the brine shrimp or bloodworms?

 

[mommyof2bettas]

Maybe, they usually will.

 

[Snake42490]

well i will keep you posted. thanks for all of your help.

 

[Danno]

Also if you can, ditch the bubble wall and turn the flow on your filter down as far as it goes. Bettas don't like current.

 

[piscatory guy]

Do you keep the tank heated at all? As you know bettas can survive without heat, but I've always felt mine were more "happy" with some heat.

Aside from not eating, does the betta seem healthy? I've also heard that bettas are prone to --ahem-- constipation, which could cause them not to eat. Thankfully, I don't think my bettas have ever had that problem.

 

[Snake42490]

the bubble wall is barely putting out bubbles.. maybe 50 a min. the current on the flow rate is supper slow.. barely enough to disturb the top of the water. the tank is heated. i keep the tank at 79 degrees. it was my fry tank for my cichlids.

the betta looks really heatlhy.... he swims around and is constantly in a different part of the tank... darting in and out of my live plants.. this is now day three?? maybe hes still adjusting

 

[stang1]

By all means try him on Bloodworm but it should only be fed once a week as it is high in protein. You could try Daphnia which is good for them and shouldn't cause problems.
Sometimes you just have to persevere when it comes to feeding flakes/pellets. On of my boys wouldn't eat flake when I first got him but I carried on putting a small pinch in for 3 days until he realised that he was so hungry that he had to eat it. Remember to remove any uneaten food as this will end up polluting your water.

 

[channing]

i would feed pellets. they dont get as much out of flakes as they do pellets. also dont worry if he looks healthy they can go at least a wk with out eating i believe someone correct me if im wrong. also when are you feeding make sure you dont feed then turn off the lights. then he may not be able to find it.

 

[llamalord305]

Ive had one go more than ten.
Hikari is regarded by some as the highest quality pellets. Ive always used it.

 

[afishdude]

Hikari is regarded by some as the highest quality pellets. Ive always used it.

thats what i use, unless im breeding

 

[Snake42490]

well the betta took a flake in... then spit it out 5 min later... tomorrow i will get that food you are talking about.. hopefully everything is ok!