Can Bettas Eat Food From The Substrate

[gigi92]

Hi, this may be a very stupid question, but can Betta fish eat food that has already sunk to the bottom? My Betta is not a very good eater and most times I drop a pellet in his tank he ignores it. But then I see him swim at the bottom sniffing around as if he's looking for food. The first few times I thought he was hungry so I gave him another pellet that he ignored. I don't want to drop too much food in there because I know its not good if it deteriorates and raises ammonia levels. But I'm worried he's not eating enough. Otherwise he looks fine. Please tell me what you think. Thanks.

 

[mike455555]

try live foods? if hes not eating. my betta sits on the bottom chasing shrimp although she does eat flake when i put it in

 

[Liquid skills]

My male pays no attention to other animals in the tanks with them

The shrimp thing is slightly funny

Normaly when a betta sees food on the floor they stop still and ever so slightly move fowards then strike and digest lol

 

[beanz8]

Mine eats anything hes dropped, he gets micropellets which sink slowly but sometimes if hes paying more attention to me than the food he misses them and has to eat off the floor!

My girls will quiet happily eat off the floor in the big tank also, last night all 4 were arguing over an algae wafer!

Just be sure you get any left over food and dont leave it festering at the bottom for 2 long D