Help! Betta keeps eating copepods and worms in tank

There are copepods, detritus worms, and rhabdocoela worms in my tank. My betta hunts all of them throughout the day, and he always looks full. Maybe even slightly bloated.

This is what he looks like after 24 hours of not being fed anything by me.



I don't overfeed (6 bug bites a day), so I'm not sure why they're everywhere in the tank. I do leave food at the bottom of the tank every 2-3 days for my Mystery Snail though. Maybe that's why?
I imagine a diet consisting of just worms and copepods isn't too healthy for a betta. I don't know what to do.

 

WORMS ‍

Oofta. Good news is they are harmless -- and they probably aren't going to make your betta explode. You didn't include a picture of the worm population itself or what your betta looks like when "bloated" (unless that picture is what he looks like when bloated: In which case he looks fine.), but I find it highly unlikely that he feed himself to death on detritus worms.

Feed him sparingly until it's under control.

To get it under control: do a significant water change, vacuum the gravel, and perhaps split feeding times into two sections during the day. I am not sure what you are feeding your mystery snail - or why you are feeding your snail (they feed primarily upon biofilm, algae, and leftovers. I am certain that if you have even one good smooth rock or piece of decor that would be perfectly sufficient feeding for a snail.) But I would recommend maybe not feeding your snail. You snail will find food.

If you continue feeding your snail, always remove any excess food using a gravel vacuum or a net after 2 hours. Scummy food = Scummy tank = worms ‍


If you are concerned about your snail not receiving food because the betta is eating all the pellets instantly (as he should) then good news: there is a solution that both your betta and snail will benefit from: Food diversity )

Betta can actually become bored with the same food all the time, and they benefit health-wise (like all fish) from a varied diet. You could add some flakes, dried worms (occasionally), or live foods like daphnia to the feeding schedule. At the very least on flake days some will (probably) circulate to the bottom where the betta will (probably) not scavenge for them - leaving a snack for your snail.

Snail boi is slacking on the cleanup I suspect solution is to create less mess.

Hope your little invaders disappear soon!

~Grimm

Edit: you may also consider doing a thorough (but not intense) cleaning of your filter media -- particularly any sponges. Just squeeze them into a bucket of old aquarium water.

If your using cartridges... we should have a talk. Cartridge bad.

 

They are probably good for him to be honest, just don’t give as much dry food if you think he is eating too much.

 

They are probably good for him to be honest, just don’t give as much dry food if you think he is eating too much.

This. A live diet is a good thing.

 

All harmless food and keeping your betta busy. Put the snail food on a plate so it doesn’t melt down into the sand creating more food for the pests. No nothing of bettas but yours looks good to lean.