Betta, Wont Eat!

[petaldust]

My male crowntail betta lives in a 30litre heated, filtered and cycled tank, the filter doesnt have a current there is plants he can rest on. ive only had him for around 4 weeks and all this time i have been feeding him bloodworms and brineshrimp in jelly. i tried feeding him dried bloodworms and tubifex worms which he turned his nose at. But for the last 3 days he has stopped eating completely ive tried everything and he seems to be resting all the time and he keeps loosing hes colour! i would like to try live bloodworm and brine shrimp but my lFS has stopped selling it due to (disease) so i do not know what else to do any help would be much greatful !

 

[Essjay]

I only feed my betta on bloodworm once a week, and brine shrimp maybe a couple of times a month. And I only use frozen food. For the rest of the time, my betta gets atisons betta pellets - I had to get those off ebay as no-one near me sells them. Some shops sell Hikari Gold betta pellets, but you have to search for them.

Bloodworms are not a good staple diet for bettas as they can cause constipation and have little food value. I've seen them described as being to fish what living off McDonalds food is to us. One thing you could try is feeding hom some pea, the same things that we eat. Cook one (or keep one from when cooking your dinner), take the skin off, and chop one of the two halves up really tiny, then drop it in the tank. If he doesn't eat it all, you'll need to remove the uneaten bits after half an hour or so or it'll mess the water, but there's not usually any left at all when mine gets a pea. If he is constipated, that'll help him. Then get some of the pellets made for bettas.

 

[loraxchick]

Other than losing color and being listless are there any other symptoms? Flicking or rubbing? Any spots or marks? Is he bloated or skinny? Have you seen him poo? What does it look like (white,stringy,mucousy??).
First off do a large waterchange. Try feeding peas as mentioned above and fast for a day or so after. See if you notice any improvement.
all the best!
cheers

 

[petaldust]

Thanks for the fast replies, i done a large waterchange earlier and he is very inactive just at the surface of the water, he only moves when he comes to the surface for a breath in my opinion i dont think he is going to live , i noticed his eyes are looking abit dull in colour.. i cant think of anything else to do, i treated the water with a disease treatment, (inner bactierial infections) like pop eye and clamped fins, loss of appatite. he can swim fine so i dont think its swimbladder, his fins look fine. just fingers crossed :\