# Betta fish not eating/having trouble eating.



## J.huff23 (May 11, 2012)

I just got my first betta today to put on my desk to keep me company while I work. I bought this betta food called "Wardley Advanced Nutrition" and he seems to be having trouble eating it or something. I dropped a few pellets in and he swam up to them real fast, took one in his mouth, and spit it back out. He's done this twice now. I don't think that the food is too big at all so does anybody have experience with bettas and know whats up?

Thanks,
-Jake Huff


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## philge (May 11, 2012)

They do this sometimes. If you put a bunch of pellets in, it's very possible that it did actually eat some of them.

I know you said that you are keeping the fish on your desk. While bettas can survive in a typical fishbowl for quite some time with proper changing of water, I would recommend getting a small aquarium. Bettas are tropical fish, and they also require water of around 70-75 degrees F. Also, some sort of filtration is required. It's very possible that the fish is stressed from being moved, or because of the conditions.


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## tarantulaholic (May 11, 2012)

I have 4 betas, and from time to time couple of my betas refuse to eat for few days, while other 2 are just pigs and never refuse food. Its normal, the most important thing is if keeping beta in small container is to replace water at least once a week, with filtration you can go a little longer. Its easier for me to replace all water on my betas container since I just grabbed about 30% water from my large regular tank and filled rest with tap water (w/ water conditioner of course).


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## myrmecophile (May 11, 2012)

Pellets can be challenging for some fish. Many do not like the texture especially if they have not been soaked prior to feeding. I would try soaking the pellets for a few minutes then try feeding them.


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## J.huff23 (May 12, 2012)

Thanks guys. Philge, The enclosure that I have him in right now is a small plastic octagon aquarium roughly 11 inches tall and roughly 8 inches wide. He's still a small fish. Is this ok until he gets bigger? Also, thank you for telling me about the need to change the water weekly everybody. I knew that it needed changed just not that frequently so thanks for letting me know. I am going to see if I can find betta food in flake form to make it easier for him to eat. My LPS didn't have any so I'm going to check the local walmart after work tomorrow.


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## myrmecophile (May 12, 2012)

Flake is definitely easier for them to eat, I feed flake or live to all my Betta species. I use live black worms, mosquito larva, whatever small insects are handy. Keep you tank covered. Bettas can be jumpers, domestics not as much as the wilds I have but they still can and will do so.


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## Ziltoid (May 12, 2012)

I've seen Betas survive some pretty brutal miss care, I don't think you need a filter for a Beta, just change the water daily.  Just make sure you let the water you're changing sit for an evening to get to the right temperature(70-75). if this eating habit continues try a new brand or flavor.  Good Luck!


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## Entomancer (May 13, 2012)

Ziltoid said:


> I've seen Betas survive some pretty brutal miss care, I don't think you need a filter for a Beta, just change the water daily.  Just make sure you let the water you're changing sit for an evening to get to the right temperature(70-75). if this eating habit continues try a new brand or flavor.  Good Luck!


Bettas may survive the brutal miscare you speak of, but it sure as hell isn't right.

My bank has a betta at every teller right now, and they all look miserable. The "bowl" looks like it might hold 16oz of water. I complain about it every time I'm there, but nobody does anything.

Bettas won't thrive in anything less than 3 gallons, heated and filtered, and preferably planted.

AstralDisaster has a betta thread in here too; for a good kind of setup for a Betta, I'd look there. I made a giant post describing how to make a simple, small planted tank suitable for a Betta.

Reactions: Like 2


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## Ziltoid (May 13, 2012)

LordRaiden said:


> Bettas may survive the brutal miscare you speak of, but it sure as hell isn't right.
> 
> My bank has a betta at every teller right now, and they all look miserable. The "bowl" looks like it might hold 16oz of water. I complain about it every time I'm there, but nobody does anything.
> 
> ...


I use to have a friend who would take shit care of his Betta. I would offer to clean it's small miserable habitat. The water was always dirty. as far as i know the beta lived for about 7 years till his cat ate it. What is the life span with optimal care? (funny that pet stores will often tell you far less than the bear minimum for just about any pet) But i also wonder if a house is always at a steady 76 degrees is a heater necessary?


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## Entomancer (May 13, 2012)

Well, heat can be from any source. 

Mine lives without a heater, only because the light on the tank is incandescent and produces a surprising amount of heat, and it lives in the same room as my reptiles; the residual heat makes all the aquariums in there about 76/77 degrees.

Your friend's fish may have squeaked by because there was enough nitrifying bacteria in the tank to consume chemical waste; dirty in this sense only means chemically dirty, really. Bettas live in swampy habitat where there is a lot of organic debris, so that might explain how the fish got by.


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