AggieYen

I brought Champion home yesterday... and he's been in his 5 gallon for over 24 hours now. Tank is fully cycled, ammonia, nitrites at 0 and nitrates at 10. Problem is, he's not eating. He just stays at the back of the tank (I'm not sure if he's just looking at his reflection) - just swims back and forth along the back wall. Is he just settling in? I'm just worried because I don't want him to starve but I can't figure out how to get him to eat - he hardly even comes to the surface to find the food.

Any ideas?

capekate

Hi AggieYen
your new guy is probably just getting acclimated to his new surroundings. Plus you may be feeding him something that hes not used too. Im sure he will be ok once he settles in.
( dont forget to post photos of your new guy! )

~ kate

Narcicius

Try other types of food if you havn't already, that can save some lives later on.

Barbrella

I had one who wouldn't eat for two days after I brought him home, and I"ve heard of them going a week without eating.

I'm sure he'll be fine. Try dangling a frozen bloodworm with a pair of tweezers. That usually gets them eating.

AggieYen

Ooo. Tweezers. Hadn't thought of that. I tried holding the tiny bloodworm in my finger and dangling it in front of him.. but.. the bloodworm was.. tiny. I've got the freeze dried ones. Do I keep dropping food into the tank though when he's not interested in it? I tend to leave 4-5 pellets floating when I leave for work, hoping that he'll sniff it out and eat it while I'm away. Do betta smell their food? I'm trying to coax him out to the front of the tank, and he's got a little terracotta pot to retreat into.. but he's just happy swimming to and fro at the back. Maybe I should do the dvd thing that one of you guys do.. can't remember who.

Here he is now - the plan was to bring a girl home, but.. he blinked at me. I had to bring him home.

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Lucy

He sure is a pretty boy.

I am brand new to betta keeping, so I won't try advise you, but I have read here about coaxing them with food soaked in garlic juice. Search for garlic here on FishLore, you'll find plenty of info.

chickadee

If nothing else works, try calling the place where you got him and asking them what they feed the bettas. Sometimes the betta is just not used to the food you are offering and will not try it, but more than likely, it is because he is new to his surroundings and will not eat until he gets used to being there. Do not worry as I truly believe when the little Champion gets hungry he will eat. He is just interested in other things right now and will turn his attention to food when he is hungry. Then watch out and he will try to eat you out of house and home and it will be important to control his apetite or he will overeat and make himself sick. Controlling a bettas apetite is one of the most important things their owner has to do or they will sicken and die prematurely. It really is better to wait for him to decide that he is hungry and he will, trust me.

Rose

susitna-flower

If he isn't eating up what you put in the tank, are you removing it?

I would try thawed, frozen bloodworms, this seems to be more natural and better accepted by the fish.

Be sure to vacuum up the leftovers and test your water as high nitrates are stressful. If he isn't eating the decomposing food can foul the water.

Tazmiche

Our latest one Sky wasn't interested in food either at first. Even now he will take a pellet and swim off not interested. Give him time. Cute betta btw!!

AggieYen

Aww thanks. I adore him. I better do a test tonight - vacuuming is getting tricky because I changed my substrate to flat glass marbles with some bigger chunks in between, but my vac just sucks up the marbles and it blocks the suction. Bah. So i have to pull the whole vac out and start over. I might have to go look for turkey baster.

I'm now making space for tank no. 2... there was an extremely sad boy at the same shop I got Champion from that I want to love.

Tazmiche

Oh Aggie!!! go get him!!! WE ALL never stop at one betta!!!

Narcicius

Wow you sound like you really feel for the fish I respect that, and beautiful fish (bettas usually are) hope he starts eating soon. Good Luck.

janoue

I have two words for you if he doesn't start eating in a day or so. (My newest Drew took a couple days) But try "Garlic Guard". Drew wouldn't eat anything so I started soaking everything in Garlic Guard and what a little pig he is now!

Narcicius

Another fantastic tip does the "soak it in garlic" method work for fish other than bettas?

janoue

Yes it does. I use it on my comets, my platys, my mollies, my shark, and my tetra's.

Narcicius

That's really good to know thank you so much.

AggieYen

The good news is, he's eating. The bad news is.. he's also spitting He chews the pellet up and spits it back out. Then tries again a few times, and then spits out the chewed up pellet.

I think I have a picky eater on my hands. Will have to track from Garlic Guard down. I've got some Hikari food on order - I hear they're the best in the range. The problem with Australia is that even the LFS don't carry things like Garlic Guard and Vita-Chem - it's like finding a needle in a haystack. And I work 9-5. Bah.

susitna-flower

When they spit it out doesn't it look like they are trying to tell you something!

On my gravel vac, there is an end that won't let the gravel get sucked up. If you can't find something like that the the LFS, try mesh and tie some around the end of the tube. Something like craft, plastic webbing of some sort. That should help. When I have fry in the tank, I use netting that keep the fry or baby shrimp from getting sucked up....problem with this is it is so fine, not much of the fine particles get cleaned up either...