10 Gallon Tank Betta Has Suddenly Stopped Eating

So it’s been awhile since I’ve needed to post anything here seeking help. Which I suppose is a good thing, but now I’ve run into another problem.
For the past few months my betta has been in a ‘normal’ state. Hides all day, eats a half API pellet, then hides again, only coming out between the mornings and evenings when he thinks I’m not looking. But recently he has stopped taking food from me.
it’s been over 6 days since he last took a pellet and I worry that since he didn’t eat big to begin with, he’s going to starve himself. Recently I added some more live plants to fill the tank and there are now tons of hiding places for him to explore. Though this hasn’t seemed to change his attitude, he’s still horribly scared of everything around him.
The water quality is normal and same as it’s always been, lighting is the same, everything has stayed the same except for the plants.
I have to feed him by tongs or the corydoras he shares the tank with will steal his food, I wish he was more aggressive like the pet-store bettas. His health seems fine too, no difficulties swimming when I do see him moving around, he doesn’t seem thin but I have no idea what’s fat, thin, and emaciated for a betta honestly.
I’ll post pictures of him I took a 6 days ago, no injuries from what I can see, not lumps or bumps, always showing me his.
Right now to try and offer him something, I place floating bloodworms and such near his surface hiding spot when he’s there come evening, trying not to alert the corydoras that’ll heat seek onto it. What should I do?
Do I continue to old schedule and behavior and hope he reverts back? Do I adapt to his system? Because his system is causing me problems with feeding, I can’t monitor how much he eats or control the bettas when I basically chum for him.
I’m at a loss, I don’t want him to die but I have no idea how long he’ll keep up this hunger strike of his or why he is even doing it.

 

Is it possible to keep the betta in a seperate tank? Might be easier to monitor eating habits and make sure he actually gets food.

 

Hi,

What type of betta is he? Looks like a wild version...pugnax or akarensis maybe?

Have you had him for a while?

If he is a wild, he might do better in a darkwater set up with a lower ph and lots of tannins, and very dim lighting. Maybe he is stressed? Just some thoughts....

 

Is it possible to keep the betta in a seperate tank? Might be easier to monitor eating habits and make sure he actually gets food.

Sadly no, this tank is the only tank I have.

Hi,

What type of betta is he? Looks like a wild version...pugnax or akarensis maybe?

Have you had him for a while?

If he is a wild, he might do better in a darkwater set up with a lower ph and lots of tannins, and very dim lighting. Maybe he is stressed? Just some thoughts....

He is a Mahachaiensis hybrid blue from DarkWater aquatics, I adopted him back in August.
I’ve tried converting the tank to DarkWater with little change to his behavior, after 2.5 months with no improvement I reverted the tank to normal.

 

I'd try different food and how old is the food?

I use betta bites and flake food work really well for mine

I use glowfish flakes ( it supposedly has immune boosters, very pungent smell - I have pink glowbetta female, very pretty fish and nice personality) and FluVal color enhanced flakes

My bettas know feeding time is when I turn the lights on in morning and surf the front glass

My cories only get food if the bettas are inattentive. if anything, the bettas 'steal' the shrimp pellets I feed my cories!

I also do garlic juice periodically on food for bettas - use a plastic lid place juice and then some flakes on top.

Good luck, your boy is very pretty!!

 

I'd try different food and how old is the food?

I use betta bites and flake food work really well for mine

I use glowfish flakes ( it supposedly has immune boosters, very pungent smell - I have pink glowbetta female, very pretty fish and nice personality) and FluVal color enhanced flakes

My bettas know feeding time is when I turn the lights on in morning and surf the front glass

My cories only get food if the bettas are inattentive. if anything, the bettas 'steal' the shrimp pellets I feed my cories!

I also do garlic juice periodically on food for bettas - use a plastic lid place juice and then some flakes on top.

Good luck, your boy is very pretty!!

Tired of the same old thing for dinner huh? I could give it a try, it’s a few years old now and it’s all he’s ever had. I’ll try crushing it and mixing it with some betta treats, I’ll also look at the foods you named. Hopefully that enlists a reaction.
In truth, for all I know he is eating, he’s just doing it when I’m not looking. Again he’s so passive that if the corydoras come barreling in they’ll steal his food and he won’t put up fight for it, despite them always running when he nips them. So I worry he starve before fighting for his own food.

 

Looks like he’s finally eating again, or at least willing to show he’s eating in front of me. I guess he just needed some time to adjust to the new planted tank and accept the good again.