Getting a betta to eat

HE ATE, HE ATE! I am a happy fishmommy. Now, I want to let you know how it happened...

Based on his generally healthy looks, my thoughts were that his deciding not to eat were based more on being finicky; or perhaps he really was younger, and used to eating sinking food as was suggested by a friend of mine.

Based on that; I really, REALLY wanted to persist a bit longer in getting him to accept the foods I have on hand, which in my thoughts was at least a little varied: standard betta pellets, freeze-dried (not the best, I know) bloodworms for treats, and betta flakes made by Tetra that has pieces of brine shrimp in it to make it more palatable.

So in an effort to make what I had seem more desirable, I tried the garlic trick; in that I had some fresh garlic cloves on hand, that I squashed in a ziploc bag so the garlic oil would coat the inside. I put a pellet in there for a few minutes to get some of the flavor. But when I put it in the tank, something unexpected happened...with the addition of the garlic oil on the pellet it sank, almost straight away; whereas before without garlic oil coating it, no amount of pushing it down would get it to sink. He was swimming around in his tank at the time, but I never saw him eat it. But afterwards, I looked all over for the pellet and couldn't find it. And it's not like you can't see them when they've been in water awhile, as they swell a lot (well, mine do). So I had never decided for sure what had happened to it. I just assumed that he must have eaten it. At least, that was what I had hoped.

Since then, I've tried with the pellets a few more times, but not putting them into my little baggie first. I always had to remove them, because again... he wouldn't bother with them. And at that time, since I had never even thought about the food sinking being a consideration, they were always left floating. Today, I tried the flakes for the first time. For reference, the flakes are formulated for bettas, and made by Tetra. They are kind of maroon in color. There are also random pieces of freeze dried brine shrimp mixed in with the flakes; which I "assume" might flavor the flakes a bit on their own, but as well once in awhile the fish will get a shrimp or two mixed in with their pinch of flakes. But again, he ignored the single flake I put in there. I stirred up the surface of the water to get him wondering what was going on, but he refused to eat it. And again, I never thought to make it sink. So again... I ended up taking it out.

But then I got to thinking...brine shrimp? It was suggested to me to try frozen brine shrimp, specifically because he might be young, and not used to the more commercial foods. As well, it was a similar experience my friend had with a young female, that wouldn't eat until she got frozen brine shrimp; at which point her young betta ate quite voraciously, and loved chasing them as they fell from the surface. What I have is freeze dried, mixed in with the flakes; so not the best, but worth a shot, right? So I used a tweezers to get out a single piece of shrimp and put it in, which he again ignored. Until.... I pushed at it until it started sinking! He ate it as it fell from the surface. So to make sure this wasn't a fluke, I did it with one more piece, a rather small one. Again, he didn't eat it until it was probably midway between the surface and the bottom. So for now, at least, he won't eat from the surface! But at least I know that he WILL EAT, if not the way I'd prefer.

When I discovered he would eat food as it sank, I tried this with a single flake. But apparently he doesn't like flakes. He DID however, try to eat it; he just spit it out afterwards. I can't say I'm surprised by this though, as I've seen a lot of people say their bettas don't like flakes. My other boy Devo likes them, but again.. he tried to eat a piece of java moss once, so that doesn't surprise me. He would eat his own butt if he could reach it.

So for now, I've discovered that Poseidon will eat; as long as it's brine shrimp that sinks.

So based on all this; what would you suggest? Can a standard diet of frozen brine shrimp (I will go out and get some if that will work) suffice for him to be healthy? Or is frozen shrimp still considered a treat? Should I still be trying to get him to eat from the surface, and feed him what I have on hand? If a standard diet of brine shrimp would be preferable, how much of that would you feed him?

It might be more of a challenge to get him on a healthy diet, but at least he ate something!

 

I'm so glad he ate!

 

Yeah, that's great!

 

all my bettas eat frozen bloodworms and frozen brine shrimp...I make sure I put them in around the outtake of the filter and I think they assume its live food and the chase is on!! LOL ....having a FEW tanks, I use the cube frozen ones as I can control more and waste less....I put 2 cubes in some tank water in a cup, and thaw them for 10 mins or so...the spoon out some to each tank...probably 4-5 pieces each betta...with 1-3 bloodworms ....none of mine will do pellets, flakes, or even freeze dried foods period....so you are good to go and congtrats on him eating!!!!

 

I'm really glad he's eating! Great news, now to plump him up. lol

 

honestly I wouldn't worry too much about it, when I got ares he refused to eat anything but bloodworms for weeks on end. one day I decided i'd just try the pellets again, and surprise! he went right after them

 

I will go out for frozen brine shrimp then.

Looks like eating a bit made the hunger stronger too! Now ever time I go near the tank he's out looking for more.

I wish I could feed treats like these to Devo, but man he's SO FOCUSED on what comes through that feeding door at the top, that he completely misses everything that falls. It's why even though he loves the flakes that he doesn't get them very often. So much gets knocked down by his tail that it makes a mess! It's still a wonder why and how he managed to find a random piece of java moss and try to eat it.

 

Yay!!! Sucess!
I've never tried anything but pellets flakes and freeze dried blood worms for my gang... maybe I should...

 

For the record, that baggie of squashed garlic cloves is stinking up my whole fridge. I mean, I love garlic and all, but I don't want my kool-aid with a hint of garlic!

 

you could jar it I suppose...

 

There's the flavour additive Garlic Guard...I haven't tried it myself, but I understand you put some in the cap and soak the food in that to make it more palatable.

Mine is like your Devo - if it comes through that magic door, eat it!

Glad to hear he's eating

 

Well I just got back from the store. I got hikarI frozen brine shrimp.. hope he likes it!

 

I am sure he will, and if that is a success, you should buy the hikarI frozen bloodworms. My bettas love those, and they sink slightly in the water. The current catches them and they look like they are alive! Mine love to chase them.

Great news on the eating!

 

I have not fed him again tonight; but now every time I go over there he is expecting more! I did give it one more shot though with a pellet, that I soaked long enough to sink. Thought it was a slam dunk, but he spit it out...

Anyway, I'm having way too much fun with this, and he refused to sit still so I made another video:

Out of like 30 pictures I got only one halfway decent one.


His coloring is already changing; and getting more blueish and darker. The first day he had a lot more white in him.

 

Pretty boy!

 

Glad to hear that your little guy is eating.. our Bettas are all pretty spoiled. They absolutely love their thawed hikarI frozen bloodworms and that's been their diet for quite some time with no diet related problems. Our angels live on the stuff too, so we buy the sheets of it to break pieces off and get a little more bloodworms for the money.

 

I think I just don't have any luck. This morning he spit out everything I put in there, including the frozen (thawed) brine shrimp. Heck, even Devo spit it out. What the heck..

I'm so frustrated. And I'm tired of being frustrated. There always seems to be SOMETHING going on to make me worry about my fish. First the corys, then my new betta...

It's only been a week; but will this guy eat practically anything if he gets hungry enough?! I thought for sure he wouldn't spit out brine shrimp...especially based on yesterday! But he did. And after that, he EVEN spit out the freeze dried brine shrimp as well. But he still hangs out looking for food when I go over there! I just don't get it.

And I also don't understand Devo! How can he go from trying to eat anything that moves, to spitting out brine shrimp?? I thought for sure he would salivate over something like that. At least I don't have to worry about him getting enough food though. He eats everything else I have.

 

hmmm... then I'd say don't feed him for a few days. Then offer him just one shrimp. Then wait another couple days and do it again. That might get him going on the food if there's nothing else. I wish I could help you out.
My boys/gals eat everything, mostly because they don't always have a set feeding schedule. Basically when I'm awake and in the room they get fed but usually I drop their food in, taunt them a bit then that's it. If they don't eat then they don't eat till the next time. I really wish I could help you out... are the pieces maybe too big for him?

 

Nah they're not too big.. I shaved off a bit of a cube, and thawed what came off. Some pieces were larger, but no larger than what he ate yesterday.

Oh well. I guess it's just even more disappointing because I was so excited yesterday, and now I feel like a deflated balloon.

Plus, all I managed to do was make a mess. I can't see the shrimp pieces so well when they get too far under the surface, so I obviously must have missed some in removing what he didn't eat. And I tried a flake again, which of course.. he spit out into crumbling little pieces which I also couldn't find.

 

<hugs>

 

Can you find the HikarI frozen bloodworms? They've really been the favored food of all the Bettas we've had, and they pretty much ignore the frozen brine shrimp. Even our angels show a clear preference for the worms.

 

Can you find the HikarI frozen bloodworms? They've really been the favored food of all the Bettas we've had, and they pretty much ignore the frozen brine shrimp. Even our angels show a clear preference for the worms.

I'm pretty sure my petsmart has them. I'll check that out. Thanks.

I'm not sure how things can go so fast from terrible, to better, to the worst.

I don't think he's going to make it. I caught him kind of floating at the top for awhile this evening, after I turned out the light. He was so still that I took off the top and tried to touch him to make sure he was alive. He did move; but I didn't get a good feeling about it.

I think he's giving up. And I am giving up. I'm sad, and frustrated, and sick of everything going wrong.

 

Does he have any spots on him, anything different about his colouring? Is he puffier than usual, or sitting on the bottom?

Mine will just 'hang out' at the top every once in a while. I always figure he's just contemplating fishie life. It's when they sit at the bottom that I get really concerned. And also yes when they don't eat

Maybe you could leave the food in for a little longer? I had a betta once that really liked to take his time eating, he wouldn't be done with his 3-4 pellets for an hour or more.

Sending lots of good-luck get-well Poseidon vibes!

 

For the most part, it just feels...."off." He doesn't have any other physical abnormalities. All he has eaten was the freeze dried brine shrimp that one day a couple days ago.

I guess he could just be hanging out there; Devo doesn't really do that, so maybe I'm just unfamiliar with this activity. It just doesn't look "right" though. I know it sounds strange, but using Devo as an example; there are times Devo is lazy, but even at those times he never looks sluggish. I will still hope for the best; but I am losing faith that he will be ok.

 

Oh no!
<hugs>

 

I'm really, sorry heather, I'm just catching up with this thread.
It doesn't sound strange, if something feels off to you, it probably is.
Have you gone through all the normal checks....temp, water parameters etc?

I hope he snaps out of it.

 

I'm really, sorry heather, I'm just catching up with this thread.
It doesn't sound strange, if something feels off to you, it probably is.
Have you gone through all the normal checks....temp, water parameters etc?

I hope he snaps out of it.

Well, actually my name is Laurie.

Indeed I have. Everthing else checks out ok. I acclimated him just as I had with all my others, slowly. The container he came in was approximately the size of a 1 lb. delI container; and I used my turkey baster to suck out small amounts of his water to replace it with the tank water. I used a fair amount of gravel from my 10 gallon, and never got above 0 for ammonia and nitrite.

All I really feel I can do is watch, and wait. I hate it, because it is starting to feel like a death watch. I still have my hopes, but they are deflating.

 

ops: Sorry Laurie.
Looks like you've tried everything. Bettas can get depressed, try talking to him more, give him extra attention sit near the tank.
I wish you the best of luck.

 

I really, really wish they could talk, and tell us where it hurts.

Good luck with him.

 

Hmm.. the not eating combined with this new behavior makes me wonder if he doesn't have constipation. I know it's usually accompanied by a puffy belly, but those 2 things together make me think 1) constipation, 2) internal parasites.

I'd do a 25% water change and start either Clout or Parasite Clear asap. Also a bag of frozen peas would be good to pick up. 2-3 pellet-sized pieces of a thawed & peeled frozen pea 2x a day. Soak them in garlic juice if you'd like to help him find them.

I know it looks bad right now, but Bettas are fighters and more than once I've seen a Betta I was sure we'd lose recover. I really hope you'll see the same here.

 

Well the constipation is pretty much out..because I witnessed him poop today. But he's barely moving, so it sort of fell out of him. And it is of normal color and size. Can they have internal parasites and still have normal feces?

What is concerning me now is his scales look more prominent. I want to add that I could be imagining this entirely.. but I swear it looks like the edges of each scale are more visible, as if he was starting to pinecone. But when I look at him from above, I can't see them sticking out.

I took him out and put him in the container he came in briefly so I could examine him really closely. I still don't see any other external indications of an issue.

He is still breathing...but slowly.

 

<hugs>

 

I wish I had some advice to help. Sending our biggest fishy prayers to you and Poseidon.

 

Having to watch him die is harder on me than if just died...

I feel now like I did when my dog had cancer, and I watched him wither until I had to put him to sleep.

He died.

RIP Poseidon.

 

I'm so sorry You tried so hard and gave this little Betta the love he deserved.
RIP Little man.

 

Do you think he had other issues with him because he showed no external abnormalities? Or should I be worried he brought disease into the tank?

Petco is going to exchange him for me. I don't want to infect another fish with anything so I'm unsure how to make sure my tank is clean of disease. But I also don't want to break it down and end up killing my BB if it is not necessary.

 

It's hard to say. Sometimes cup babies don't stand much of a chance no matter what we do. The stress they've been through is just too much for them and their health has been compromised before they come to us.
I'm kind of paranoid so I would probably break the tank down and re-seed it with some gravel and a peice of filter media from your established 10g.

He sure was a beautiful boy.

 

i'm so sorry you lost him

RIP

 

Awww, no..I'm so sorry haedra. That is so sad.

Around New Year's I brought home a cup baby from Petsmart...he had white spots on him after a few days, then they suddenly fell off, then he got all swollen up and sat on the bottom and wouldn't eat, and then he died..I felt completely confused and powerless. It really is the saddest thing when that happens, but more than likely he had something wrong inside that you had no way of knowing about. You gave him a warm and loving home though in his last time. At least he knew kindness.

If it were me I'd ask for store credit from the lfs, then take down the tank, sterilize and re-seed it. That way you'll know that whether something was in there originally or not, it isn't there now. Then go back and get another little guy. Because there's always a wonderful little betta boy who needs a loving home like yours.

 

Thank you all, for your kind words. I will definitely take all your advice into consideration.