Finicky Eater!

[andy.windsor]

My male CT is extremely finicky. I have tried giving him freeze-dried brine shrimp (hakari, the only brand I buy), freeze dried plankton, shrimp pellets, tropical fish flakes (that one was a last resort cause I've never owned a betta who would even look at flakes, I usually just got the "You're not SERIOUS" look. LOL!) and finally Wardley's Betta Pellets. He spits out everything I try. I will not be buying betta biogold in the near future because it's just too costly..so if there's a chance that's what he's holding out for, I'm afraid that stubborn pest will starve. LMAO

Anyone have any tips for me? I figured I would just soak a pellet or two and try putting them in at a few different times throughout the day until he got used to seeing me put them in the tank and got hungry enough to eat them. But if anyone else has a better suggestion or some ideas on how I can get him to eat, I'd love any tips you can throw my way. heheh

Thanks!


PS: Anyone have a view on whether ir not this a CT thing, or just a finicky personality?

 

[Pugbrat]

My bettas (CT's, Plakats) will never pass up any frozen bloodworms. They also hate the freeze-dried varieties of bloodworms and brine shrimp. Even my platys and goldfish hate freeeze dried stuff.
You can also try frozen beef heart.

 

[andy.windsor]

Thank-you. yes, that was one other thing I was going to do that I forgot to add to the post. Tomorrow I'm running out to our local pet store and buying small packets of frozen brine shrimp and frizen bloodworm. However, I was curious as well about other frozen food that betta enjoy and are quite good for them. Other than beef heart (Ewwwww! Is that available at pet stores too? LOL), does anyone have suggested frozen foods to offer my betta(s) (cause there's more to come in the near future. LMAO!)?
When I fed my bettas frozen food before, I always just chopped the frozen cube into bite sized chunks and tossed the small chuncks right in the tank still frozen. It never gave my bettas any problems, but do most of you thaw it first?

Ohh....while I'm posting, I was curious about something regarding species....now, we all know that the comon variety of betta sold in most pet stores is vieltail. At least in males. I've noticed though, that females sold in pet stores very closely resemble the plakat variety. Are plakats the common females in pet stores? If not, what is the common female species sold?

 

[libertine]

My betta likes frozen peas. YUM YUM!

 

[sukie]

I know this might sound totally mean. . but try starving him for a couple days and then feeding him. He should get the message by then.

 

[Pugbrat]

When I fed my bettas frozen food before, I always just chopped the frozen cube into bite sized chunks and tossed the small chuncks right in the tank still frozen. It never gave my bettas any problems, but do most of you thaw it first?

I put a bit of tank water in a small container (about 5 drops from a medicine dropper), add a small chunk of the frozen bloodworms, and let it thaw for a few minutes.
I usually give about 4-5 pieces of the reddest, plumpest, juiciest bloodworm to each adult, 2-3 pieces for the juveniles, and finely minced or shaved bloodworms for the fry.

One packette of bloodworms will last me for months. Thankfully, out here in this part of the world, they come very, very cheap! A packette will be around 2Euro, or 3USD. I do alternate feeding pellets for miniature fish, frozen beef heart and if I can find 'em by the windows... mosquito larvae.

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

I always thaw the frozen food! It never occured to me not to actually. The idea of something that cold going down their gut is icky.
The frozen food here is pretty cheap too, which is a good job since I can get through a packet a week.
Hugs,
P.

 

[andy.windsor]

Thanks eveyone He still won't eat anything in a flake, pellet or freeze dried form. But he does like the frozen bloodworm and brine shrimp. I will continue to attempt to get him to accept pellets tho. I don't want him living exclusively on frozen meat. LOL

Meanwhile, I'm off to get my 3 gallon set up with a separator for my newest additions, a blue purple marble DR CT female (as described in the stock description hehehe) and my blue/red/green DDR CT male. (And they're in LLLOOOVVVEEEE...I may end up breeding again after all, hehehe)
Hmmm...now I just need more names. LOL!