Best Live Food For Betta Fish?

Hello,

So I'm looking for a good live food to feed my Bettas.. I have heard Flightless Flies are good but I want to get a second opinion. If anybody has any ideas that would really help. Also, where is a good place to buy them(preferably online)? How often should I feed the live food? Right now they get pellets as a staple, and I mix in a variety of frozen food throughout the week as well. Just thinking they would really benefit from having some live food.

 

Flightless fruit flies, daphnia, brine shrimp, and mosquito larva are pretty popular.

If you have an LFS they might have some starter cultures, if not you'll probably have to order online.

Every few days would be good, for variety.

 

Flightless fruit flies, daphnia, brine shrimp, and mosquito larva are pretty popular.

If you have an LFS they might have some starter cultures, if not you'll probably have to order online.

Every few days would be good, for variety.

I see online they have two different types of Flightless flies.. HydeI & Melanogaster. Which ones are better for Bettas? Also how many would I put in the tank for a single feeding?

 

I'm not sure, I haven't tried them so someone with more experience might chime in. From a quick search, it looks like hydeI are larger and live longer, while melanogaster are smaller and easier to culture. I'd imagine that both would work if they're being sold as fish food.

Probably just one of the hydeI or two of the melanogaster. Their stomachs are about the size of their eye.

 

I'm not sure, I haven't tried them so someone with more experience might chime in. From a quick search, it looks like hydeI are larger and live longer, while melanogaster are smaller and easier to culture. I'd imagine that both would work if they're being sold as fish food.

Probably just one of the hydeI or two of the melanogaster. Their stomachs are about the size of their eye.

Ok sounds good. Speaking of their stomachs being the size of their eye.. how many frozen blood worms should I feed when I feed them? The most common answer I see is 2-3 so I usually feed them 2-3 smaller size bloodworms. Is that ok or do you recommend something different?

 

2 or 3 sounds about right! I usually give mine 3.

 

2 or 3 sounds about right! I usually give mine 3.

Ok awesome thank you! How many times a week is good to feed bloodworms?

 

Depends on what other foods you have, I would just make sure to feed good quality pellets or flakes every few days to make sure he gets his complete nutrition.

 

Depends on what other foods you have, I would just make sure to feed good quality pellets or flakes every few days to make sure he gets his complete nutrition.

Right now I'm doing pellets as a staple and then frozen bloodworms, mysis shrimp or Brine shrimp 3 meals out of the week. I feed twice a day so on the days I feed frozen I'll do pellets I'm the morning and frozen at night. Can I Up the amount of frozen food I give or should I stay at 3 times a week?

 

Right now I'm doing pellets as a staple and then frozen bloodworms, mysis shrimp or Brine shrimp 3 meals out of the week. I feed twice a day so on the days I feed frozen I'll do pellets I'm the morning and frozen at night. Can I Up the amount of frozen food I give or should I stay at 3 times a week?

What you are doing already sounds perfect. Good luck!

 

I'm planning on getting a betta soon and I was wondering what the best/most important things to live culture? I already have Omega One pellets but I wanted to culture something else as a supplement, and while daphnia look really easy I don't know if they would make a good supplement.

What should I live culture for my betta, and what would be easiest?

Space is an issue, I probably won't be able to have more than 4 gallons of water total for cultures. (Betta will be getting the prized spot in a 5.5 gal)

 

Scuds (amphipods) are super easy. Get a starter group, put them in a few gallons with a little sponge filter, change a little water and toss a little food in, and they’ll multiply beautifully for you. Mine are in a 3-gallon that I dump all my excess duckweed and water spangles into (the snail bin gets the excess frogbit and water lettuce). When you want to harvest, put in a piece of vegetable, wait a bit, scoop it out and all the scuds clinging to it. I split the original culture I got and put some in my snail bin just to have a backup, and so far these guys have been problem free.

 

Depending on where you live, mosquito larvae are SUPER easy. I just stick a bucket of old fish water outside and have a constant supply of live food. (It takes about a week for the water to start growing stuff and for the mosquito eggs to hatch, but once its set up its nearly an endless supply). Just make sure you harvest them all before they start to fly!

Worms are also a great choice. Blackworms are fully aquatic and can easily be kept in a 4 gallon container, but do require some maintenance. I recently got grindal worms (actually from Sheldon13 on FL) and they seem really easy to culture - I have mine in an old delI container.

 

I've had my Betta fish (Gregor) since August 17th 2019. He's been in a 2 gallon tank (which is small but he has seemed to enjoy) since then. He is having a gall bladder / swim bladder issue currently (so I won't be feeding him today) but I will be moving him to a 5 gallon tank. I wanted to also upgrade his food to live food

What is the best and easiest to take care of live food for my singular betta fish?

 

Baby Brine Shrimp are easy to hatch and extremely nutritious.

 

Baby Brine Shrimp are easy to hatch and extremely nutritious.

How would I go about getting them? I will have an empty 1 gallon tank soon. What care is required?

 

How would I go about getting them? I will have an empty 1 gallon tank soon. What care is required?

You basically buy the eggs, make a saltwater solution, and hatch them out as needed. I've never hatched them myself so I can't give specific instructions. This page seems to have good information. Brine Shrimp Hatching Instructions

 

If you're looking to clear up the swim bladder issue try a piece of frozen pea, deshelled and blanched. If you have to opportunity to check LFS I would recommend some daphnia either frozen or live as this also works to relieve constipation.

 

If you're looking to clear up the swim bladder issue try a piece of frozen pea, deshelled and blanched. If you have to opportunity to check LFS I would recommend some daphnia either frozen or live as this also works to relieve constipation.

Ok thank you. I'm not sure if its that. Hes not old but laying on his side and his tummy looks a bit round. I'm hoping its just that! Gonna clean his tank today.

 

Ok thank you. I'm not sure if its that. Hes not old but laying on his side and his tummy looks a bit round. I'm hoping its just that! Gonna clean his tank today.

It certainly could be and if severe enough could make it difficult to swim. Would you be able to post a pic?

 

Yes. I ve never seen him do this before. Hes done it a lot more since last night. I'm not home right now. I actually made another post on this earlier today if you can find it there's some more info. I did feed him a bit much last night by accident.


The grey beard is normal. He has had a little issue with a couple scales coming off but Almond leaves helped in the past.

Sometimes he just lays on his side completely. I noticed it at 3 pm yesterday. Gave me a heart attack cuz I thought he died!

 

Ah I did see that. Yeah, try some dahpnia or a small piece of pea and see if that might help. Give it the night to see if he improves.

I had accidentally fed one my younger bettas too many bug bites a few days ago and he swelled up to a size of a pea himself. It was daphnia for dinner that night and right as rain the next day.

 

I have a betta fish who is currently suffering a bit of a swim bladder issue. My bet its the food ive been feeding him and more than likely I gave him too much. I wanted to transition to frozen food or something to prevent him from getting air in his stomach like the floating pellets tend to do. I found this product at my local pet store and wanted feedback before buying it

Omega™ One Frozen Super Carnivore Fish Food

Directions:
Feed this frozen treat as a part of a balanced Omega One diet that includes flakes, pellets and frozen formula foods.
Feed only what your fish can consume in 3 minutes.
Do not overfeed.
Remove any remaining food.

Ingredients:
Mysis Shrimp, Brine Shrimp and Bloodworms

Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein (min) 5.3%
Crude Fat (min) 0.7%
Crude Fiber (min) 0.4%
Moisture (max) 90.0%

I currently Feed TopFin Pro series betta fish crumbles. My fish has a supppeeerr small mouth so when I got him he wasn't able to eat the Aqueon Beta food pellets without blocking his airway and struggling. The crumbles are super small she hes able to eat those no problem.

 

I have a betta fish who is currently suffering a bit of a swim bladder issue. My bet its the food ive been feeding him and more than likely I gave him too much. I wanted to transition to frozen food or something to prevent him from getting air in his stomach like the floating pellets tend to do. I found this product at my local pet store and wanted feedback before buying it

Omega™ One Frozen Super Carnivore Fish Food

Directions:
Feed this frozen treat as a part of a balanced Omega One diet that includes flakes, pellets and frozen formula foods.
Feed only what your fish can consume in 3 minutes.
Do not overfeed.
Remove any remaining food.

Ingredients:
Mysis Shrimp, Brine Shrimp and Bloodworms

Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein (min) 5.3%
Crude Fat (min) 0.7%
Crude Fiber (min) 0.4%
Moisture (max) 90.0%

A bettas stomach is literally the size of his eye. 1-2 pellets with do fine, I would feed freeze dried is possible so you can ration easier. These ones are pretty good and found at petsmart and petco

 

A bettas stomach is literally the size of his eye. 1-2 pellets with do fine, I would feed freeze dried is possible so you can ration easier. These ones are pretty good and found at petsmart and petco

I have used these before but I wasn't sure of the quality. I did learn about his stomach size and I am currently fasting him to help him get over this swim. bladder issue as well as using a small amount of aquarium salt and betta fix and the betta water conditioner from the betafix line because there's an ingredient that's very good for them ive heard. Also I just dosed with stresscoat+ to keep him relaxed

 

I

I have used these before but I wasn't sure of the quality. I did learn about his stomach size and I am currently fasting him to help him get over this swim. bladder issue as well as using a small amount of aquarium salt and betta fix and the betta water conditioner from the betafix line because there's an ingredient that's very good for them ive heard. Also I just dosed with stresscoat+ to keep him relaxed

Ive actually heard that bettafix and Melafix will do nothing as they are oil based and not med based

 

I

Ive actually heard that bettafix and Melafix will do nothing as they are oil based and not med based

ive heard both. But I know that even though its not medicated it will give him a little boost since my tank isn't cycled. The conditioner has tea tree oil and aloe vera and the other has eucalyptus if I can remember correctly. Also I am working on his fins so the betta fix claims to help as my sun grow betta leaves have not helped

melafix is for bacteria I think so I just ordered it in case it takes a turn for the worst. Idk I'm going off of reviews and recommendations. I'm sure its all my fault since I didnt cycle the tank in the first place since I was uneducated.

 

ive heard both. But I know that even though its not medicated it will give him a little boost since my tank isn't cycled. The conditioner has tea tree oil and aloe vera and the other has eucalyptus if I can remember correctly. Also I am working on his fins so the betta fix claims to help as my sun grow betta leaves have not helped

melafix is for bacteria I think so I just ordered it in case it takes a turn for the worst. Idk I'm going off of reviews and recommendations. I'm sure its all my fault since I didnt cycle the tank in the first place since I was uneducated.

I always do fish in cycles but I always use plants to aid and I don’t feed heavy at all. We learn by experience so just keep pushing forward, it sounds like you got the right ideas and plan to get your buddy healed up.