Betta Feeding...

[BettaBoomer]

Hi... I've had my betta for a couple of months and am unsure about feeding him. I feed him once a day primarily Tetra Mini Pellets and/or Tetra Worm Shape Bites. They are very small.

I haven't found any definitive information on the internet specifically about how many of these tiny pellets to feed him. Anybody have experience with this? What has worked for you?

Note: He doesn't look bloated and he is healthy and has lots of energy. I always feed him in the same corner of his tank and he like to visit frequently. Thanks

 

[StarGirl]

I usually soak pellets first and just feed her till her belly pops out some. When they are soaked they won't expand in their belly so it is easier to judge how much. There is no magic number. But if they start to look skinny feed more. You may also want to try some frozen food like bloodworms and brine shrimp for more variety. Usually 2-4 bloodworms is plenty so you would just cut off a small corner of the cube.

 

[BettaBoomer]

I usually soak pellets first and just feed her till her belly pops out some. When they are soaked they won't expand in their belly so it is easier to judge how much. There is no magic number. But if they start to look skinny feed more. You may also want to try some frozen food like bloodworms and brine shrimp for more variety. Usually 2-4 bloodworms is plenty so you would just cut off a small corner of the cube.

Thanks StarGirl for you reply. I enjoy your posts. Yes, I soak the pellets too, even the tiny ones. However, I like to have a routine (I feed him at the same time everyday) so a "magic number" is what I'm looking for. I've heard 2 to 4 pellets recommended but that's for regular pellets. I'm not an advocate for letting him eat as much as he wants for 2 to 5 minutes.

Also, I like to feed him one mini at a time. I like the interaction and often he will take the mini right off my finger.

Once or twice a week II will feed him freeze dried bloodworms or frozen brine shrimp and fast him once a week.

 

[StarGirl]

I feed one at a time also to better judge. If I let mine eat for 2-5 minutes she would stuff a whole can of food in her belly. lol Like I said I just give her some till it looks like her belly is full. Seems like you are feeding good to me.

 

[BettaBoomer]

I feed one at a time also to better judge. If I let mine eat for 2-5 minutes she would stuff a whole can of food in her belly. lol Like I said I just give her some till it looks like her belly is full. Seems like you are feeding good to me.

Thanks - I'm really not able to tell if it looks like his belly is full so I will look more closely. I think mine would eat all day if I let him.

 

[Netti]

I started with tetra flakes but now I feed both bettas hikari vibra bites. I break them up a bit so they can eat them easily. It's been 2 weeks since I started feeding them that and their colors are actually perking up.

 

[FoldedCheese]

That's the thing there isn't one definitive answer. Depending on the activity level different fish will have different food/nutrient requirements. A good way to measure fullness is watching their stomachs and how much they expand or don't after feedings. Ideally you want to feed until the fish has a rounded stomach that recedes before their next feeding.

 

[Skittlesttr75]

I never see my guy's belly extend. I feed about 8 of the New Life Spectrum pellets in the morning and either freeze dried brine shrimp or blood worms in the evening. The aquarium is on my desk, so I literally watch them all day. My Betta swims / hunts pretty much the whole 8+ hours I'm in there with him. So if I never see his belly extend, then he's not getting enough? Is feeding him twice a day too much even though he is swimming the 8 gallon tank all the time?

 

[Skittlesttr75]

So I tried not feeding him yesterday afternoon. This morning he at his flakes, belly is not extended, and now he's going to the bottom of the tank and trying to eat the catfish pellets. Do I go back to 2x a day? Again, he's super active and swims at least 8 hours a day throughout his 8 gallon tank.