Thin Betta

[liz2]

one of my 6 bettas is very finicky. he is very thin, bloodworms will eat one and then no more, flake just one bit, pellets wont even touch, peas wont eat. any other ideas to fatten him up? all the other are pigs!

 

[liz2]

just fed them all flake...so finicky amos looked as if he had eaten his flake...so I tell him hes a good boy and put some tiny bits in...he immediately spits out the whole flake which he had got in his mouth and scoffs the tiny bits...so he is obviously a gentleman of refined habits who likes his dinner cut up for him. He is also very busy making a huge bubble nest so hasnt got time to eat. I swear the other bettas watch me feed along the row and wait for their turn.

 

[Bloo]

Do you know hold old he is ? How long have you had him ? Has he always been like this ?
He could have internal parasites (which you won't notice externally) - just a thought.....

 

[_cRaCkEr_]

Try feeding it with live worms or mosquito larvae.

 

[liz2]

Bought a packet of tetra fresh delica whole bloodworms in a nutritious vitamin rich jelly! £4. something..good job hubby wasnt with me! Going to use it tomorrow as they have all been fed today!

 

[liz2]

Just found a tub of river shrimp by King British that I had for my puffer and never opened. As we speak my finicky betta is chasing it round his tank and trying to eat it. Will it hurt him?

 

[WILDER]

I agree with bloozoo2 if the fish is really thin it could have internal parasites or fish tb.
Does the tummy sink in, what does it look like when the fish goes to the toilet, also check the anus to see if it's enlarged or red and inflamed.

 

[liz2]

Just looked at him and he was still chasing the dry shrimpy thing about. So I remember reading somewhere about crushing the betta pellets..He has just scoffed four! and is flaring at the betta next door. Does this mean I have got to crush his food up. No signs of any illness he is from Jobys and is beautiful!

 

[Joby]

Hiya Liz,

I think this guy is having you on. He regularly ate pellets with me, at least 3-4 for his morning meal. Every once in a while he would have frozen artemia or bloodworms for an evening meal but generally one meal a day. He also ate granules, the size of pellets. None of my guys ate flakes although I did try.

Think he's maybe after something a little jucier from you

Seriously though, I don't remember him being finicky eater or thin

 

[splashluff]

My boy Bonzai is the exact same! He eats one or two BW's, and maybe a few pellets... he also obsesses over his bubblenest and acts like he has eggs to guard

I have fed him grindals and daphnia, and he would eat 50 of those if he could! Just stuck-up picky boys.

 

[Pugbrat]

He has just scoffed four! and is flaring at the betta next door.

Try covering the other tank so he doesn't see the other bettas. My males don't eat when they see other bettas.
They are too distracted with flaring at each other.

I let them flare exercise for 10 minutes before I feed them.

 

[liz2]

these 2 from Joby like to see each other..honestly.. they sulk if they dont. When I first got him home he had juicy bloodworms and I think he reckons if he hangs on I will just give him those...I do spoil my fishes! thanks for replies

ps I also think I am comparing him with my old guys and they are big boys!

 

[Bloo]

When you said thin, I thought you meant something like this (pic below - he ate like a pig and flared and built buttle nests like mad and everything) - but you're betta is clearly very healthy

 

[liz2]

Old finicky pants has a bubble nest to die for! Opened this packet of blood worms in nutrional jelly..to say it was very popular with all the bettas is an understatement even finicky Amos was quite partial to it. Got a fat tum now! My 4 old timers were eating it out of the packet!



ps Is that betta just very thin then or ill!

 

[Bloo]

Thin because he was ill. But never found out what it was and he had to be pts in the end

Whatever it was, it wasn't contagious and his divided tank mates never got whatever he had.