Betta feeding questions

[ral]

When I first got my male VT I fed him the pellets the petshop gave to me. But given their price and absence of any lable I figured they were no to good. So I tried Tetra's Bettamin. He did not seem to like this one at all. I don't think he ever tried it. I found a pack of Hikari pellets and those he seems to really like.

My problem is this small female Betta. Tried all three food types. Saw her nip at a pellet, but that is about it. Any suggestions?

 

[shrks1fan]

How about trying Hikari brand frozen foods such as bloodworms and brine shrimp...I'm sure they'd love them! Also live food if you have that option such as live tubifex or blackworms, or live adult brine shrimp (although they are hard to come by in most places).

Linda

 

[ral]

I think I can get some frozen brine shrimp. I guess I might as well try that.

Thanks.

 

[gale]

I might have the same problem. When we feed our new boy he doesn't go after the food at all and i think it sinks and gets lost in the gravel. The food is HBH betta bits. I need to get some rocks for the new tank tomorrow so I'll get some frozen food. (ugh don't really want it in my freezer with human food but oh well).

 

[bkk_group]

I might have the same problem. When we feed our new boy he doesn't go after the food at all and i think it sinks and gets lost in the gravel. The food is HBH betta bits. I need to get some rocks for the new tank tomorrow so I'll get some frozen food. (ugh don't really want it in my freezer with human food but oh well).

we seem to buy the hbh betta bits in bulk these days and find it a cheaper comparable answer to the hikari bio gold. there are soo many foods we feed our fish though, live, frozen and pellet that they never get a chance to get bored with their food, which i'm sure happens with fish just like in us humans.

 

[gale]

The only live food I'll be able to feed (for now anyway) is BBS. My lfs doesn't carry any live food and I really don't think I want to go through the work of raising worms or adult brine shrimp. Do adult bettas like baby ones?

 

[Seahorse]

Yeah mine gobble up bloodworms in a heartbeat, but I make sure to vary it a bit.

I had the same problem in the beginning with my small female also. I had to crush up her baby sized pellets!

 

[AlexsDaddy]

I feed my females TetraMin Tropical Granules and they LOVE them. I tried them with the new females I got a couple weeks ago when they wouldn't eat any of the pellets, and they literally attacked these things. They sink kinda quick though so you might want to keep an eye on where they fall so you can suck them out when they don't eat them. They have 46% protien so they are pretty good for bettas. They eat the pellets now though, but only the Betta Bio Gold cause all the others I have are too big for them. They always go for frozen bw's though. Did you just recently get your female? If so, sometimes it takes them a little while settle in and start eating. Good luck! Hope this helps!

 

[Zombies]

Mine takes Hikara pellets, brine shrimp and blood worms. Since I added Cory's with him he's been eating their sinking algea wafers.

 

[SRC]

Very Good Thread imo.


In regards to Freeze Dried Blood Worms, how much is too much? My boys would eat them tils their little eyes popped out, I do believe lol.

I usually give 3-4 in the am when I get to work, a couple for lunch, and 2-3 more before I do their water change, before I go home at night. Some times I throw in half a sun dried baby shrimp at lunch..to the ones who will eat them.

I have some that are direct from Thailand (4 actually) and refuse to eat any type pellet, they'll only eat the FD BW's. Is this a bad diet?

I'm geting some containers set up (with old tank water from gravel vacuming's and water changes) to order a Daphnia culture in a week or so, but I'd like to know what a nice balanced diet would be.

I really, really ..really do not want to feed anything live except the Daphnia..especially worms...I absolutely despise worms lol (I know that sounds silly, but they really just creep me out..alot ); and the Brine I don't have the time/room to keep going.

Thanks..

 

[Seahorse]

Seems like probably a bit much, SRC.

Don't quote me, but I swear I read somewhere that too much freeze dried foods can be harmful at some point.

 

[Sorrell]

I don't feed my bettas anything that's freeze dried, they rip up their insides

My guys get pellets twice a day and frozen once a day (bloodworms, brine, mysis, formula I, daphnia). I feed 5-7 pellets per feeding and then the frozen too. I fast one day a week, and now and then they get a veggie, but formula I is mostly seaweed

If you have fish that aren't eating, what I've found works best is putting them next to a tank with a fish who does eat. They are like little kids who want what everyone else has The vast majority of my fish are from Thailand and everyone of them has eaten from day 1

edit-I use Hikari pellets

 

[Phantom Thief]

What do you mean by freeze-dried foods ripping up their insides?

P.T.

 

[SRC]

I was wondering this as well. When I drop them in the water they immediantly turn all squishy and mushy. I don't quite understand what would do the ripping, persay.

**********
I know that feeding freeze dried BW alone isn't the best, but it's what I currently have on hand. I just ordered a culture of Daphnia, Flour Beetles, and Fruit Flies..but they probably won't be here til the end of the week, at the earliest.

I figured feeding FD BW alone would be like eating hamburgers all week though lol, and not so good on a daily, on-going basis.

I think these Daphnia are going to be a challange to culture, but the flies and betles sound like they shouldn't be so bad.

I'd just like some advice on how much to feed. They will just keep eating, it's like they never get full lol. So I was wondering how much is too much really.

*********
Also, I've read something about feeding them pea's? What's that about? And, do they really need veggies like that?

 

[Phantom Thief]

The peas are to aid digestion, since bettas are rather prone to constipation.

P.T.