MY beta still won't eat a thing !!!!!

[Scott MacAdam]

well i got a beta about a month ago. been feeding it those little floating beta balls (about 4 every 12 hours) for about a week. i'd feed him and go to school, then come home and they would be gone. I figured he was eating them so i wasn't worried . and then at night i'd feed him the same, wake up and they would be gone. so when it came to doing a water change i use a little syphon hose as a vaccum and suck up any uneaten food and other stuff.... well EVERY FREAKING LITTLE BALL OF FOOD WAS THERE IN UNDER MY ROCKS !!!!!!!!!! i guess he just hasn't eaten so i felt bad and threw in a little chunk of frozen shrim and he attacked it and gobbled it down. now when ever something sinks past him he attacks it and then spits it out if it isn't shrimp !!!! i've tried taking a tiny peice of shrimp and wraping it in a wet fish flake but he finds his way to the shrimp spitting out everyting else..... what should i do ???

 

[MegTheFish]

I know some bettas won't except betta pellets, you might just have a picky boy. I'm sure he would be fine eating frozen/live foods.

 

[Durbkat]

Yeah thats how one of my bettas used to be. He would not eat betta pellets (which I'm assuming is what you meant by betta balls) and he would put it in his mouth and spit it out. But my other betta eats them. So I started feeding him those granuels and he ate them up. But sadly he died of constipation yestersay But luckily my other betta is still alive and I will be getting a replecment betta as soon as I can and another fish bowl to put on my desk with my other betta so I can have two bettas on my desk in fish bowls so they can have some time to "yell" at each other for about 15minutes aday.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

the pellets may just be too large for him. the Hikari Gold and those pellets you buy in the little plastic betta dispensers are supposed to be smaller than most. (the cheapie stuff tends to be a little too big)

 

[Durbkat]

Also 4 pellets or granuels (whatever you decide to feed him) 4 is way to many for one fish. Because he is the only fish in the bowl (i'm assuming) and he only needs 1 to 2 a day not 4 in the morning and 4 at night.

 

[Elise]

Some of my guys just won't eat pellets or flakes at all. They are all on live/freezedried bloodworms. And when I did feed pellets, I did 3-5 a day.

 

[Naughtygirlrlw]

I have always given my bettas 6-8 pellets a day (2 separate feedings) and I've never had a problem with them being constipated.

 

[Durbkat]

Wow! You all are lucky because mine died of constipation with me just feeding him 2 granuels a day and it got constiapted and died.

 

[RandomWiktor]

I think activity level, temp, time of feeding, etc. has an impact on constipation; just my theory. I've noticed that I have more problems with constipation in lower temperatures, low-activity fish, and AM feedings than in fish who are in ~ 80-82 degrees, high-activity, and are fed at noon and before bed. My best guess is that thier metabolism is sluggish in colder temps, thier bowels aren't loosened as readily when they're lying about, and as per the morning thing, I have no idea. My only betta who ever died of constipation was my disabled one year old male; he had a "stroke" and couldn't swim well, so he was extremely low activity. His tank was also not as warm due to the hood type.
I've also found that if I alternate brand and type of food (pelleted, flaked, live, frozen, etc.), vary feeding times, only feed 2 pellets at a time, and fast at least 2 days a week, I pretty well never see contipation. Because of the filter current, my fish need about 6-8 pellets a day, or they drop weight from all of the exersize they get. So I use whatever tactics I can to prevent constipation.

Anyhoo, since your boy has an affinity for frozen foods, I would suggest getting some blood worms, glass worms, and maybe even a freshwater carnivore mix. If that's all he'll eat, then he'll be one happy, healthy, well-fed betta!

 

[Scott MacAdam]

thanks alot guys! glad i'm not the only one !!! good info!

 

[JoLtNbolt]

If you want... you could get some of those small HBH Betta Bites granules... they're smaller and easier for the fish to eat.

oh and for everyone that has constipated fish... try feeding them smashed/deshelled peas. Wroks wonders for me!