Upgraded Betta Tank - 1 Week Later, Still Not Eating Like Normal

My betta was a solo occupant in a 5 gallon tank and would eat the pellets without a problem. Upgraded him to a 10 gallon tank with some ghost shrimp (which he leaves alone) and a baby fish (whom he also leaves alone), and now the only thing he will eat is bloodworms.

He's gone about a week without eating anything more than the 1 bloodworm I gave him mid week. He comes up to meet my hand as I'm dropping a pellet in, sucks up the pellet, spits it out and watches it fall. Mid week I put a blood worm in the tank, and Lord help anyone who got between him and that bloodworm - he owned that thing. Pellets - no go.

I thought the tank change and new occupants may have been the stressor preventing him from eating, until he devoured that bloodworm, and it's now been about a week, and he's still not eating the pellets. Is it still just due to the new tank and tank mates, or is there something else going on? If still from the tank, how long is this likely to go on? Any reason NOT to just start feeding him a couple bloodworms a day instead of the pellets?

 

I would stick to feeding him bloodworms, if he eats those. If he continues to refuse food, move him back to the five gallon, and start a cool ten gallon tank!

 

You could try putting a divider up in the 10 and see if that makes a difference. That way you'd be able to tell if it was the size of the tank bothering him.

 

My Betta is a snob. He likes what he likes and he doesn't like change. I tried feeding him flakes... he picks at them and lets them go to the bottom. I tried dried blood worms... those EHHH! He will eat a few small bites and lets them go to the bottom. He's plenty healthy and he eats a bit... but he more than makes it clear he doesn't like what he's given. So now I gotta get him new food... My point is... who ever tells you Betta's aren't picky eaters are liars! They like what they like and will make that dang clear. Your Betta seems to like blood worms so try feeding him another one and see if he'll take it. I'm sure he will come around just keep on trying with those worms. If it's been a week with his tank mates he's probably already decided how he feels about them. If he's paying no mind to them then he's either ignoring their existence or he's accepted them. If he didn't like him he'd more likely flare at them or get nippy.

 

I personally haven't found my betta fish to be picky in any sort. He'll eat anything I put in the tank, he'll even jump to nip at my fingers if I don't drop his pellets in quick enough.
What pellet food where you trying to feed him? I wouldn't try flakes because betta fish generally don't like those to begin with. Maybe try a different brand of pellet food. Omega one would be a great one to try. You want a food that lists a "meat" product as the first ingredient, as opposed to a fish food that has a lot of "fillers" as the first few ingredients.