Betta not eating as much as he used to

I have what appears to be a healthy Betta. He used to be an aggressive feeder, but these days it seems like he doesn't get excited about food. I have to drop the pellets right in front of him or he'll miss them. He'll take a few, then swim away... Used to be he would eat all the pellets I dropped in as fast as he could. I'd try to spread them out so he had to search for them some.

He's about one year old. Good sized and probably not going to grow anymore. Brilliant color and has always been kinda lazy I think...spends most of his time laying in the plants.

A few months ago I noticed a colony of tiny shrimp (grain of salt sized) on the glass. Maybe he's eating those? I never see him doing that, but he could be. Seems like the numbers of shrimp go up and down...sometimes I see a lot, sometimes not so many.

25% daily water changes, tests show the water is in great condition. I'm not overly concerned about his lack of enthusiasm for food because it's been this way for a while. Just wonder if this is normal for an adult fish to eat less than he used to.

 

Do the pellets sink fast? If thats the case, try some flakes every so often. They tend to float longer.

 

I have what appears to be a healthy Betta. He used to be an aggressive feeder, but these days it seems like he doesn't get excited about food. I have to drop the pellets right in front of him or he'll miss them. He'll take a few, then swim away... Used to be he would eat all the pellets I dropped in as fast as he could. I'd try to spread them out so he had to search for them some.

He's about one year old. Good sized and probably not going to grow anymore. Brilliant color and has always been kinda lazy I think...spends most of his time laying in the plants.

A few months ago I noticed a colony of tiny shrimp (grain of salt sized) on the glass. Maybe he's eating those? I never see him doing that, but he could be. Seems like the numbers of shrimp go up and down...sometimes I see a lot, sometimes not so many.

25% daily water changes, tests show the water is in great condition. I'm not overly concerned about his lack of enthusiasm for food because it's been this way for a while. Just wonder if this is normal for an adult fish to eat less than he used to.

Seed shrimp? Mine eat snails, ghost shrimp & detritus worms. When not so full from their own hunting, they might take 4 or 5 pellets from me ... if I drop them exactly in front of their faces & give them time to chew between each pellet.

If your guy is eating the seed shrimp, he's going to be less responsive to pellets as you rightly guessed. He's being offered no more than 6-8 small pellets a day anyway? Try offering pellets every other day instead of daily, no more than the 6-8 & see whether he's more eager. You're right that he should be hungry enough to eat eagerly & an every-other-day schedule should help. Especially if he's enjoying seed shrimp every day.

Hope it helps!

 

Seed shrimp? Mine eat snails, ghost shrimp & detritus worms. When not so full from their own hunting, they might take 4 or 5 pellets from me ... if I drop them exactly in front of their faces & give them time to chew between each pellet.

If your guy is eating the seed shrimp, he's going to be less responsive to pellets as you rightly guessed. He's being offered no more than 6-8 small pellets a day anyway? Try offering pellets every other day instead of daily, no more than the 6-8 & see whether he's more eager. You're right that he should be hungry enough to eat eagerly & an every-other-day schedule should help. Especially if he's enjoying seed shrimp every day.

Hope it helps!

I guess they're seed shrimp. He acts just like what you described, if I get the pellet right in front of him, he might take it...or he might not. He'll eat 2-3 and then swim back to the bottom. Later in the day, he'll take 2-3 more. I try not to leave any extra food in the tank, so if he's not going to eat it, I fish it out and offer it to him again later.

I'll try the every other day approach. He looks health. It took so long to get him thick like this...he was skin and bones when I brought him home from pet smart. Now he looks fat and happy.

Thank you

Do the pellets sink fast? If thats the case, try some flakes every so often. They tend to float longer.

They are slow to sink. I rarely see one drop to the bottom.

 

I would make sure that his heater is heating the tank the same as it used to, it may have dropped a few degrees.

I find that my bettas are more interested in food the higher the temperature and they are more active

 

I guess they're seed shrimp. He acts just like what you described, if I get the pellet right in front of him, he might take it...or he might not. He'll eat 2-3 and then swim back to the bottom. Later in the day, he'll take 2-3 more. I try not to leave any extra food in the tank, so if he's not going to eat it, I fish it out and offer it to him again later.

I'll try the every other day approach. He looks health. It took so long to get him thick like this...he was skin and bones when I brought him home from pet smart. Now he looks fat and happy.

Thank you

They are slow to sink. I rarely see one drop to the bottom.

Fasting for a bit won't make him any less fat & happy. I routinely fast my fish once, maybe twice a week. Too, live food helps with digestion. 6 pellets a day in 2 feedings is a good amount for an adult betta. I'm not sure if what's on the glass is seed shrimp, but it sounds like it & if it is, he's eating them. Sounds like most of the content betta I've cared for!

 

I upgraded his heater a couple months ago. Now it's a static 78 degrees... He has 7 gallon bucket of conditioned/aerated water that's heated also, for water changes.

Everything is good...he just isn't as aggressive of a feeder as he used to be. Doesn't look look he's losing weight. I still get him to eat the same number of pellets per day, but I have to break it up into two feedings...he's just not interested in more than 2-3 at a time.

I would make sure that his heater is heating the tank the same as it used to, it may have dropped a few degrees.

I find that my bettas are more interested in food the higher the temperature and they are more active