Hikari Betta Bio Gold

[hamfist]

Have been having problems with one of our Betta boys recently, and I have traced it down to Hikari Betta Bio Gold.
I now have a weekly food rotation with different dried and frozen foods, but the last two times I have fed "Andrew" Betta Bio Gold, he has developed what I assume is a gut blockage two hours later which has caused swim bladder disfunction, causing him to float like a balloon. THe first time it happened it resolved 24 hours later, and the second time is tonight. I hope it will resolve as it did last time. I soaked the pellets first to avoid that sort of bloating happening in his gut.

Since it happened I have been doing a lot of reading on Betta foods, and Bio Gold in particular (after my attention being drawn to potential problems with it).
Apparently, about 9-12 months ago, Hikari completely changed the formula for Betta bio Gold. The main ingredient is now wheat flour (instead of fish proteins, which it was before). It also now contains monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavour enhancer, which has been linked with all sorts of unwanted effects as a food additive.

There is a good discussion in a thread on another forum - which I do not seem to be able link to on this forum - in which many others have also definately been having problems with Hikari Betta Bio Gold.

Anyone else been having issues with it ?

 

[tom130691]

nearly got this for my bettas but i didnt in the end looks like a good decision i have 2 bettas now and i feed this with no problems even my rainbows eat it http/cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400097436508

 

[ellena]

Hmmm. I bought several packets a while ago which would probably be before the recipe change. Doesn't sound good

 

[woodstock]

I use it 5-6 days a week (treat being on the 7th day). Weird though, I have NEVER had a problem with SBD, constipation or anything...I also pre-soak for about one minute minimum, in garlic juice. But I've "only" been feeding them this for a month. I'm aware of the recipe change, but still...weeeeeird. Hopefully Andrew's okay ~

 

[loraxchick]

Have been having problems with one of our Betta boys recently, and I have traced it down to Hikari Betta Bio Gold.
I now have a weekly food rotation with different dried and frozen foods, but the last two times I have fed "Andrew" Betta Bio Gold, he has developed what I assume is a gut blockage two hours later which has caused swim bladder disfunction, causing him to float like a balloon. THe first time it happened it resolved 24 hours later, and the second time is tonight. I hope it will resolve as it did last time. I soaked the pellets first to avoid that sort of bloating happening in his gut.

Since it happened I have been doing a lot of reading on Betta foods, and Bio Gold in particular (after my attention being drawn to potential problems with it).
Apparently, about 9-12 months ago, Hikari completely changed the formula for Betta bio Gold. The main ingredient is now wheat flour (instead of fish proteins, which it was before). It also now contains monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavour enhancer, which has been linked with all sorts of unwanted effects as a food additive.

There is a good discussion in a thread on another forum - which I do not seem to be able link to on this forum - in which many others have also definately been having problems with Hikari Betta Bio Gold.

Anyone else been having issues with it ?

thank you for posting this. ive tried to explain that pellets generally are no good for bettas for this exact reason. i use good quality flake as staple as they do not expand in the manor that pellets do,causing the issues you have explained very well.
if people insist on using pellets. please soak them until they are softened and only feed 2-3 every day/other day. they have tiny little stomachs and are so very prone to swimbladder disorders from constipation, which overfeeding pellets and freezedried are notorious for.
cheers.

 

[Mauricia]

Or you can always soak a pellet and see how much they expand. I use a non betta specific pellet, I forget which brand, but the ingredients are good. It doesn't get any bigger when soaked, and none of my bettas have had problems with it. I don't like the Hikari anymore, I've had a lot of bettas have trouble eating it due to size and hardness and also the poor ingredients, relatively low protein content, and MSG. I also read a post of someone who had been feeding that to their bettas exclusively, the bettas got very listless and colorless over time, and when he switched foods they bounced back. I know it's not a scientific experiment, but still worrisome.

 

[hamfist]

Hmmm. I bought several packets a while ago which would probably be before the recipe change. Doesn't sound good

You'll know if it's the good , old formula if it doesn't have wheat flour as it's first ingredient (it'll have fish meal or something like that instead). Also the old formula has no MSG.

BTW, to all, Andrew is thankfully fine again this morning. And all my Bio Gold is now in the bin !

 

[Flute]

I'm a little worried now, as I bought some of this for my male Betta recently. He was refusing flaked foods, and my dad had been feeding him on tubifex worms everyday! He loves this stuff though, and his colour has even improved since I started feeding it about a week ago. My female betta in a seperate tank sticks her nose up at it though ^^

I've just checked the package and the first ingredient is indeed wheat flour.

Could anyone give me some advice on whether to stick with this until the packet is finished, or should I find another type of food that I could feed to my male please? He is very fussy and spits flaked food out, and I'm now concerned after reading this thread. Going to give him a bit of a pea later on, just in case, although he's not shown any problems at all yet.

 

[silverrabbit]

^TBH I'd carry on until you finish the packet. I've fed this food to all my bettas without any problems, though have now moved onto Atison's Betta Pro and they love this even more than the Hikari. Works out at better value too. If you are worried you can maybe buy some Atison's pellets and feed the Hikari every other day or something

 

[hamfist]

yeah, if your fish show no problems then I'd continue with the Hikari. If any problems, especially constipation or swim bladder problems, do occur, then suspect the Hikari.

I have now moved onto rotating Tetra prima, Atison's betta food and New Life Spectrum community pellets(which are widely available on ebay and other www. vendors), which all seem very palatable to the fish. Remember to soak those pellets first though !

Many experienced Betta keepers/breeders rotate foods like this (include frozen foods in there as well if you can), and it provides maximum nutritional variety.