My beta doesn't seem to know what to do with food flakes?

Question

I recently received a siamese fighting fish or beta for my birthday. I was given tropical food pellets to feed him but those were unsuccessful: they either wouldn't fit in his mouth or once he had managed to get them in their were spat right back out again. I decided instead to try him with food flakes but he doesn't seem to know what to do with them: he simply observes them from a safe distance. Does anyone know how to use either the pellets or the flakes properly to feed him?

Answer 1

don't supposed the pellets you got him were wardley's or something like that? I've found them to be too big for bettas to eat.



there are a lot of brands with really small pellets, I would try those, my bettas won't take flakes either. you can also try freeze dried bloodworms, betas supposedly love them but mine won't touch them. if the betta was from a breeder not a pet store he may be used to live foods. you could try those or wait until he get hungry enough to eat the other foods. he'll eat before he starves to death.



if you don't want to buy a new food try crushing the large pellets, some of mine would take the crushed pellets.

Answer 2

It will take up to a week for a beta to get used to his new food. Often, they will spit it out and eat it again, then spit it out, over an over again. Its sort of like a testing method. Also, if the food is too hard it softens it. Flakes are difficult for a beta to handle unless you crush them. Continue to feed him one type (i prefer the pellets) about three times a day with one or two pellets until he doesn't spit them out any more. If, after a week, he still isn't eating, go to your local pet store for advice. Don't panic, he'll make it. If his fins start to deteriorate you know he is starting to be really malnourished and you need to find an alternative, but just keep trying. My last beta took almost two weeks to adjust to his food, now he eats like a pig!

Answer 3

Use the Hikari Betta Bio-Gold for your betta. Give a few pellets a few times a day. This is a great food for bettas and they have an easier time eating the pellet. I had a betta that spit out the flakes also.



Good luck and congratulations on your new friend!!

Answer 4

There is a special small food pellet just for Beta's. It's call Beta food. look at your local pet store. They won't eat flakes or big pellets.

Answer 5

first, make sure it's food designed for bettas. if it's too big, crush it into samller bits. if you desparately need some temporary food, crush up some flakes, out them in the tank and push them underwater so they sink. =]

Answer 6

you can crumble the flakes between your fingers,it will make very small bits for your fish to eat.

Answer 7

you need to get beta food there round small pelets