Oh, that Rusty...

Rusty was found the other day vomiting up bits of the shrimp pellets. He's crafty enough to realize what it means when I'm feeding the snail or the corys, even when I turn out the lights to do so. Should I be concerned about him overeating because of grabbing their food, or is the vomiting thing indicating that he actually doesn't like it? The thing is, my corys love their pellets and seem to be thriving on them, and I don't want to give them anything that will float in the water too long since Rusty sees the top of the tank as his domain.

 

The shrimp pellets still have a little bit of the shell included and that may be what is causing him to vomit, but they are also a very rich food for a betta and he should be encouraged very strongly to stay away from them if he is chowing on them every day and stick to the food he is used to as it is more in line with what is good for his tummy.  He is not going to like being reidirected even if you have to scare him away by tapping on the glass but it may take a month or more to get the message but he will and them when he finds out no more tummy ache maybe he will get the messaye.

The little darlings will be naughty if we let them and since you have the cories in there too if sounds like you have your hands full.   ;D  Let me know how it goes.

Rose

 

Maybe if you feed Rusty first then after lights out drop in just a couple of shrimp pellets for the Corys. I found that Corys like veggie wafers also so I break one in 1/4 size pieces and drop it in about once a week and that's a sneaky way to get Rusty to eat his veggies.
I have also found that bettas who have competition for food will eat a larger variety of foods which isn't a bad thing.
Are you sure he's vomiting or was the piece just too big for him to eat all at one time? My angels do that when I feed the clown loaches shrimp pellets. They will spit one out over and over until they have it sucked down to a manageable size.
carol

 

Hmmm...now that you mention it he might have been gobbling down the little particles that he was spewing out.

I'm wondering: are you suggesting that maybe I do need to vary his foods a bit? Like that maybe I should forgo a feeding and just let him nibble what he wants of the food for the corys? I have no objection to that if it's good for them; he doesn't really bully them too much.

As for the lights out idea I'll try that; he has learned that when the lights are on and I lift the small lid of the tank that I'm probably dropping some food in and rushes up to the surface.

The thing is I can't tell if Rusty is genuinely eating or if he is just being greedy. He seems to think he could eat all day.

 

It would be good for him to eat some of the veggie rounds or algae wafer. It would save you from having to feed peas as often as they do the same thing, but you will have to watch to see that he allows the cories to have their share. They have a tendency to think everything is "mine". You are lucky if you have a betta who will eat more than one food, but be careful about letting them have constant buffet style food. They will eat until it is gone if they have the choice. That is why the idea of Butterfly's is so great. Maybe he will be full and kind of ignore the other things. Rusty is a pill and reminds me so much of Marty it is amazing. I can tell you are a great Betta dad.

Rose

 

Hmmm...now that you mention it he might have been gobbling down the little particles that he was spewing out.

I'm wondering: are you suggesting that maybe I do need to vary his foods a bit? Like that maybe I should forgo a feeding and just let him nibble what he wants of the food for the corys? I have no objection to that if it's good for them; he doesn't really bully them too much.

As for the lights out idea I'll try that; he has learned that when the lights are on and I lift the small lid of the tank that I'm probably dropping some food in and rushes up to the surface.

The thing is I can't tell if Rusty is genuinely eating or if he is just being greedy. He seems to think he could eat all day.

The sad part is they eat like freaking pigs and think they need more .....so i'm sure he 'thinks' he needs more food but in reality he is just fine

 

Thanks for the compliment, Rose.

Yes, Rusty IS greedy; he has figured out that I won't feed him anymore if I close the lid, but if I have to have it open at all he assumes that he's going to be fed and is greedily lurking up near the surface at his designated feeding area.

BTW, I don't know if any other betta owners have this situation but Rusty is in fact sometimes active when the lights are out; sometimes when all I can see are shadows in my living room I can see him swimming in the clear areas of the tank, and diving down to where the corys area puttering around. And speaking of which, to my disbelief I realized that he had learned to wait until the corys had eaten about half a pellet before he charged in, grabbed it, shook it until it was small enough for him to swallow and ate the remains. He has also stopped being scared of when I tap the glass unless he's right beside it. Unfortunately the corys usually play a fish version of football with the pellet until it is in the middle of the tank. I'm kind of stumped.

The only thing I can think of is this: I am going to stop feeding him betta pellets twice a day; I'll feed him once and only when I'm NOT feeding the corys. That way when I am he at least is not going to be pigging out too much.

 

Sounds like a good strategy poefox. variety is good for all fish but most bettas get stuck on one kind of food and refuse all others. but I have noticed bettas who have to compete for food(such as veggie wafers or shrimp pellets) will eat a bigger variety. funny little fish!!! mine ate anything dropped in to the tank simply because some body else was dashing for it
Carol

 

Well I never thought I would say this but I saw Emma try to eat a piece of the Crustacean (Snail) food today. She had it in her mouth and since it it quite hard could not chew it down. I am just as happy about that as I cannot imagine trying to get her unblocked after something like that. Angel finally came and since they are all a little intimidated by her they let her eat her own food.

I think your plan for Rusty sounds good. You may be sure the little guy will not starve. He is more than capable of keeping himself fed it seems. Isn't it amazing how they learn to adapt to new situations.

Rose

 

They are incredible little fish!!
Carol

 

well atleast they do tend to fend for themselves when I had TenshI still in the quarantine tank, the peas I had tried to give her sank and I found her trying to move rocks around to get on one very tiny piece of pea I thought it was algae on the gravel it was so small it was hilarious

but i'm with u on the pic for a fish they should be call more like 'fighting fish-hogs' or something like that idk i'm being dumb I guess ;P

 

I figured out another trick btw; placing a pellet in an area that is a bit narrower means that Rusty is reluctant to charge in without room to accelerate and he avoids brushing the corys' dorsal fins when they're feeding. So he was kind of curious still but left them alone.

Rusty btw also will eat a betta flake now and then. He doesn't seem to like them; if I put two in for instance he will eat one, investigate the other and leave it alone. He does it every time I've tried that.

 

you are very lucky that Rusty seems to be willing to learn to eat more than one thing. I may try that will Alex and see if I can have one at least who is not picky and obnoxious. LOL I love them but they do get a bit hard to deal with when you have to have 5 or 6 types of food to feed everyone. ARGHHHH! I don't know what I would do if I had allowed them to get spoiled on the premium foods. I really don't want to start Alex on Bloodworms though as I would like to get rid of those eventually although I don't know how I will accomplish that with Marty in the family. The girls will eat pellets but do like to have bloodworms. Alex has liked every food I have given him, but I prefer to give him the Betta Bio-Gold right now as his mouth is a little small as he is a baby yet, in fact I should probably be giving him the baby pellets yet.

Rose

 

Another thing is that if I don't feed Rusty immediately when he surfaces he simply goes away and looks through the tank to search of other foods. It is sometimes a bit annoying when he does that.

 

Sounds like he has his nose slightly out of joint. He is mad at you about something and probably acting like a spoiled little brat over it. He was the center of attention and the only baby in the tank for the longest time and now you are shared with others and he can only have one friend at a time and cannot understand how you can have more than that. Give him time he will get over it. He needs to know that you are not going to forget him just because there are new kids on the block. If he walks away from his food just don't coax him and don't put it in and hope he will eat. He will soon get the message that the food is there but he has to show up and stay there to eat. He thinks he has shown the Cories who is boss and now he is trying to show you. I know it is maddening but time for a little tough love or you will be dancing attendance on this bad boy forever. He can be a sweetheart but he needs to be reminded of it.

I hope this helps, please know he won't let himself starve, he is just trying to teach you a lesson and it really is time that he learn one as well.

Rose

 

Oh that Rusty.

Yes, that makes sense, he seems to dislike it if the corys get any attention at all. The snail just seems to puzzle him, and since the snail doesn't eat food he would bother with he largely ignores it.

Well I'll take your advice and go from there, see if he'll start responding again. He's just smart enough to be a pain, at the moment.

 

There is always a fine line between letting a Betta rule the roost and hurting their little feelings and I have a hard time with it myself. I do not want to hurt them emotionally as they do get depressed, but you cannot allow them to run roughshod over you forever. I do love my Bettas but there is a limit over which I cannot allow them to take me. When it is food time, we do not play. It is time to eat and then if there is any interest we may play a while. Alex is going to sorely try my patience on this I can tell already, he is a player I am finding. He will let the pellets go on by him to see if I will throw another in. The first couple of days he ate so well and even CHEWED, I thought I was in heaven. How the mighty are fallen .

So I do hope Rusty comes off of this before long, but keep in mind that you are not alone when times seem bleak there are those of us out there who understand exactly what you are going through : .

Rose

 

I like watching them chew; I've never really seen other fish do that. Rusty also ate tonight, I think he was very hungry because he dashed at the water and made a splash when he did.

 

He is very intelligent and does know when you say NO. It doesn't take long for them to get over being petulant if they are treated with consistency. I think the chewing thing is because their mouths are shaped like a hinge where not many fish have that shaped mouth. I think it is darling but I just have to make sure they DO it.

I am glad that Rusty seems to be getting back to normal.

Rose

 

yes that is awesome that he is being so good I know inarI will be alittle snot like that when I first planted his 10 gallon he pouted that he didn't get to enter until I was done he refused to eat all day but whateever that is his problem as long as he eats right....