You’re not the only one who is curious about betta fish foods and how to feed them. Surprisingly, this is the most frequently asked question when first-time betta keepers.
Overfeeding is very common. Further complicating matters, you shouldn’t rely solely on information found in pet shops or on food labels.
Betta Fish Food
Bettas are picky eaters and will eat food that is on the surface of water, not on the tank’s substrate. Bettas need a balanced diet rich in protein, as they are carnivores. Bettas cannot survive by eating the roots of plants, which is a common myth.
Because pellets are easy to use and efficient, most betta keepers choose to feed them. Pellets are easier to feed and less mess. You can also use frozen, freeze-dried or live foods as treats, or incorporate them into your daily routine.
What do Baby Bettas eat?
Don’t panic if you find baby betta fish in the tank one day. The rewarding task of raising betta fish fry is one that can be very rewarding. As long as the fish are fed properly, they will grow quickly into beautiful, colorful adults.
The First Few Days
Baby betta fish usually hatch within 24 to 48 hours of spawning. After they hatch, the baby fish spends the next three to five days absorbing the remaining yolk sac.
The baby fish will eat the yolk sac nutrients and not require any additional food during this period. If your fry want to eat eggs, boil an egg.
Then, place a small amount of the cooked yolk into a glass of water. To dissolve the yolk, shake the jar and then add some water to your baby betta fish aquarium. When the fry are able to swim freely, they will be able to accept small amounts of live food.
Infusoria
Baby betta fish often recommend infusoria as a liquid fry food. Infusoria can be enjoyed by newly-hatched fry as they are small enough for baby betta fish to eat. Infusoria are very attractive to baby fish because they move.
You can buy infusoria online, in pet shops or from a cultured source. Simply use an eyedropper or a culture tank to gather infusoria for your baby betta.
Brine Shrimp Nauplii
After eating infusoria for a few days, your baby betta fish will be able to eat slightly larger foods. Brine shrimp nauplii (or baby brine shrimp) are a great food source for young betta fish. They are low in calories and high in protein.
You can buy brine shrimp nauplii online or at pet shops and feed them to your betta fry using the same method as for infusoria.
Take a small amount of brine shrimp nauplii from the container and use an eyedropper to capture it. Then, squeeze the water into your betta tank.
Larger Foods for Betta Fish
Your baby betta fish can now eat a variety of frozen, live and freeze-dried foods, in addition to traditional betta pellets, from three to four weeks old.
Your baby betta fish will still be fed brine shrimp nauplii, but you should start to introduce finely-crushed freeze-dried and frozen foods like bloodworms and Daphnia to the diet.
You should ensure that you only buy frozen and freeze-dried food from a trusted supplier to avoid parasites or other harmful bacteria.
You can feed your betta fish commercially processed foods every once in a while by crushing betta pellets, granules, and then putting a small amount into your tank.
Best Betta Fish Food: Dietary Needs
Betta fish are carnivores and will eat wild insects. These dietary requirements are met with the best betta food. It doesn’t contain many indigestible or unnecessary fillers. It may not be possible for most betta keepers to provide live food as the main diet of a betta fish.
The best option is to offer a wide variety of high-quality pellets and flakes as well as freeze dried, frozen, and live foods. Below are details for each.
The digestive tracts of betta fish are very small and they don’t process fillers such as wheat and corn very well.
Flake and pellet foods often contain these fillers, which can cause excess bloating and other digestive problems (e.g. Constipation). Bettas don’t get any nutritional benefit from fillers, and simply discard them as waste.
To satisfy their carnivorous appetites, it is important to provide them with high-protein foods. Their digestion will be assisted by fiber and moisture.
Betta Fish Pellets
The most popular betta fish food is the pellets. However, the quality of each pellet can vary greatly. Best pellets for betta fish have less fillers and higher-quality ingredients to help them thrive. Some betta-fish pellets expand when exposed to water.
If you don’t watch out, they will expand in the stomach of your betta and cause digestive problems.
To prevent pellets from expanding once they are wet, you can soak them in water before giving them to your betta. This is especially important if your betta is eating food immediately.
Freeze-Dried Betta Food
While freeze-dried food can be a great way to add some of the betta’s natural food into their diets, it cannot replace fresh or frozen food. To keep foods stable, freeze dried foods have been dehydrated and filled with fillers.
To rehydrate the food, it is recommended to soak them in tank water prior to feeding. This will increase their moisture content. Bloating and constipation can be caused by feeding only frozen food.
Freezing foods are a great option because they are safe from bacteria and parasites. They can be stored well and are often packaged in the same containers as fish food.
Live & Frozen Betta Food
Your betta and you are both missing out if you have never given pellets to your betta. Betta fish are carnivores, and will become more aggressive when they have to hunt their prey. This is the best way to recreate their natural habitats and food sources.
These foods are more difficult to find than others, but they make up a balanced diet. You should be careful about where your frozen and live foods are coming from as they could contain parasites or other diseases. You should never feed your betta anything you have caught outside.
Many frozen foods are available in the same varieties. Frozen foods are a great way to preserve live food. You can freeze frozen betta food until you are ready to feed it to your betta.
To prevent freezing, only take what you need and put the rest back in the freezer. Refrigerate any food that has been thawed to avoid bacteria exposure.
Betta Fish Flakes
Special flakes are made for betta fish. Because they are lacking the necessary protein, bettas should not be fed other tropical fish flakes.
Although betta flakes are a good staple for regular feedings, they can also cause a lot of mess. After feeding, remove excess or sunken flakes immediately. Flakes are often a problem for betta fish.
These are the betta’s favorite options:
1. Live/Frozen Mosquito Larvae
Mosquito Larvae
The larvae of mosquitoes are a staple food in their natural habitat and a great choice for bettas. Although they can be difficult to find during winter, the larvae of mosquitoes are abundant in spring and summer.
You can either buy a starter culture or purchase them from a trusted local or online retailer.
2. Live/Frozen Brine Shrimp
Brine Shrimp
Brine shrimp is an aquatic crustacean that bettafish love. Zoomed in from the University of Utah. They only grow to 1 cm as adults. Brine shrimp provide all the nutrients that betta fish require to thrive (proteins vitamins and amino acids).
They are also easy to raise. You can find them at many local fish shops, so they’re a great option to change up your betta’s diet.
3. Live/Frozen Bloodworms
Bloodworms
Glycera or bloodworms are larvae of the midge fly. They can be found in ponds and pools of water. They are a favorite food choice for Betta fish, who will eat them whole in the wild.
Betta fish can put on quite a show when they go after them, but they should not be the only source of food as they lack amino acid.
Their bright red color is due to their high iron content. They are also available in gel and freeze-dried options if you don’t want to eat them live (they can be quite gross).
4. Live/Frozen Wingless Fruit Flies
Wingless, flightless fruit fly
Common fruit fly, also known as the vinegar fly or the common fruit fly, is something that you probably are familiar with. You may have noticed that when you leave bananas, apples, or any other fruit out in the kitchen, there are a lot of tiny bugs around.
These are fruit flies, and betta fish love them as they are insectivores. Although you can drop them in for food, it is not a good idea.
They may also be afflicted with diseases and fly away. There is an alternative: a wingless, flightless variety that can be used to feed betta fish. It can also be easily bred and harvested in small containers.
5. Live/Frozen Mysis Shrimp
Mysis Shrimp
Because of their exoskeleton, mysis shrimp, also known as opossum shrimp are another option for betta fish. This exterior is high in fiber which aids digestion of protein-rich food.
These guys may be able to provide some variety for your betta fish if they are picky eaters. These guys are rich in betta-loving nutrients and more than brine shrimp. They also have high levels of moisture and amino acid.
How often and how much to feed a Betta fish?
Betta Fish Eating Food
Do not pay attention to the instructions and amount on the side of the betta food can. These instructions can be misleading and could cause problems for your betta as well as your tank’s water quality.
The usual feeding instructions are to feed your fish as fast as they can eat in five minutes. This is not recommended as it can lead to excess waste and overfeeding.
- Betta fish pellets (2-4 pellets, 1-2 times daily)
- You can freeze, live, or freeze 2-3 pieces daily.
Adult bettas should be fed once a day. Babies (frys) can be given twice a day. Although it may not seem like much, many pellets can expand to 2X their original size when they are wet.
This is because a betta fish’s stomach measures roughly the same size as their eye. Your betta’s activity level and personality may require additional feedings.
If you allow bettas to eat too much, they will. Overfeeding and eating too much can cause constipation, bloating and obesity. Betta fish can even get sick from the bacteria that eats the excess food.
Ideal Feeding Plan:
- Monday: Betta fish pellets (2-4 pellets, 1-2 times daily)
- Tuesday: Live, frozen or freeze-dried (1-2 pieces daily).
- Wednesday: Betta fish pellets (2-4 pellets, 1-2 times daily)
- Thursday: Betta fish pellets (2-4 pellets, 1-2 times daily)
- Friday: Live, frozen or freeze-dried (1-2 pieces daily)
- Saturday: Betta fish pellets (2-4 pellets, 1-2 times daily)
- Sunday: Fast to keep digestive regularity
You should always clean out any food that falls to bottom of tank using an aquarium designated turkey baster. This will prevent food decay and ammonia buildup.
Your betta should be fed only one day per week. This gives them time to digest food properly and reduces the risk of overeating. Do not give your betta extra food if you are going on vacation or for a few days.
Overfeeding can lead to excess eating or even worse, they might not eat enough. It takes betta fish 14 days to go without food. It’s better to not feed your betta fish over the weekend, or for more than a few days.
What if your Betta Fish won’t eat?
Don’t worry if your betta fish refuses to eat or is completely uninterested. You may notice a lack of appetite in your betta fish if they have been under stress, such as a recent home cleaning or a new home.
Tank cleaning, moving to a new home, sudden temperature changes are all possible causes of a lack of appetite. Don’t worry if it takes a few days, bettas can live up to 14 days on their own.
Your betta may become lethargic if they are exposed to cold water outside the recommended temperature range of 76-81 °F.
They will require fewer meals because of a lower metabolism. Betta fish will become less active as they age and may consume less often. This is normal.
It could also indicate that your betta is sick. Like us, betta fish won’t eat as much when they are sick.
After a betta is well, their appetite will return. Bettas are picky, as we have already mentioned. You might need to give your betta fish another brand or type of food if he or she is spitting out their food or turning away from it.
Recap
This is a lot of information, but it’s our responsibility as a betta keeper to ensure they receive a healthy diet. There are many myths about live foods and constipation. Although it can occur, this is usually due to a lack or excessive intake of fiber.
Remember that betta fish can eat even when they’re not hungry. Betta fish in the wild may not know when they will eat next, so their instinct is likely to eat as long as food is available.
The best betta food, ranked in order of preference, is frozen, freeze-dried pellets, flakes, and live foods. A variety of foods can provide the nutrients that a betta fish requires to thrive.
Your betta fish’s activity level will determine how much you feed them. However, 2-3 pellets every other day is safe. Stick to a consistent feeding schedule so they don’t forget what you have given them.
You can still ask questions about specific betta food and feeding methods in the comments section.
[sc_fs_multi_faq headline-0=”h3″ question-0=”How many micro pellets should I feed my betta?” answer-0=”Baby Micro Pellet: For a 1.5 inch betta (from slant of nose to base of tail, before fin), feed six pellets of Betta Micro Pellets in the morning and six at night. Add two pellets per 1/4 inch of growth, never feeding more than six pellets at one feeding.” image-0=”” headline-1=”h3″ question-1=”How often should betta fish eat?” answer-1=”You should feed a betta fish twice modest feeds per day. Feeding them once in the morning and once at night every day is grand. Making these feeds around 12 hours not together and at the identical time every day will assist you and your betta get in a schedule. Several owners choose to fast their betta fish for 24 hours once every 10-14 days.” image-1=”” headline-2=”h3″ question-2=”Can I feed my betta shrimp?” answer-2=”You CAN however nourish your betta freeze dried or frozen brine shrimp or blood worms but only as an extravagance. These should never be his chief diet. If you go with freeze dried make certain you marinate the food in tank water so its soft.” image-2=”” headline-3=”h3″ question-3=”Is brine shrimp good for betta fish?” answer-3=”Live food frequently consists of aquatic insects akin to bloodworm, brine shrimp and daphnia; parallel to what bettas would eat in the wild, thus making survive food one of the finest options for your betta. When feeding live food to a betta, intend to give it about 1.8 grams on an every day basis.” image-3=”” headline-4=”h3″ question-4=”Can you feed betta fish live food?” answer-4=”Artemia Salina OR Brine Shrimp For Betta Fish One of the frequently recommended live foods for bettas is brine shrimp. They are huge at supplementing your bettas diet, however, just similar to a batch of live food, they should only be second-hand in self-control. ” image-4=”” headline-5=”h3″ question-5=”How many dried bloodworms should I feed my betta?” answer-5=”If you are feeding your fish bloodworms, three bloodworms per feed are sufficient. The similar goes for pellets. Three soaked pellets per feed is often sufficient for a Betta fish.” image-5=”” headline-6=”h3″ question-6=”What human food can betta fish eat?” answer-6=”What Human Foods You CAN Feed Betta Fish Peas: kids may not like peas, but many bettas have been known to enjoy a pea every once in a while. Leafy and softened greens: includes lettuce, spinach, and cucumbers. Sweet corn: just a single, boiled kernel. Mango: a very tiny piece only every once in a while. ” image-6=”” headline-7=”h3″ question-7=”Can betta fish eat bread?” answer-7=”Whether or not betta fish will eat bread is not the query here, because yes, betta fish will consume bread and crackers. However, no, they should not eat bread. Bread, crackers, and other such things surround yeast. Yeast expands and caused constipation in fish.” image-7=”” count=”8″ html=”true” css_class=””]