Betta fish are excellent for beginning aquarists. If we take proper care, these tiny swimming gems make for stunning fish. Aside from the setup, one of the initial things you should decide is how much to eat the betta fish. How Often To Feed Betta?
Therefore, you’re at the ideal place if you’re wanting to buy your first Betta (or simply want to make yours happier)!
You may learn everything you want to know regarding feeding these tenacious, captivating fish from this tutorial. Stay tuned to ensure the success of your new fishy friend!
How Often Should You Feed A Betta Fish?
Feeding your Betta fish twice a day—in the morning and in the evening—is recommended. As long as you provide your Betta with the correct foods, this will suffice to keep her content and well-fed.
In some circumstances, treating your pet fish every day may also be appropriate. Adult Betta fish, for instance, can survive with just one feeding each day.
However, due to their increasing needs, Baby Bettas must receive at least two daily small-portion feedings.
Betta fish enjoy eating as other fish do, but this does not mean they must do it constantly. Fasting your pet fish once a week is a good idea.
A Betta may go up to two weeks without eating, so don’t worry about starving them! A one-day fast allows their digestive systems to rest and thoroughly digest food.
Additionally, this technique helps lessen the negative effects of overeating your Betta. You’ll continue bolstering the fish twice a day after the quick is wrapped up.
Can Betta Fish Live Without Betta Food?
Betta fish can survive for several days without food, but it is not ideal for their overall health to go without food for long periods. Grown-up betta fish can go for a week or so without eating, but it isn’t suggested to do so for drawn-out periods. Bettas, like all living organisms, need a balanced diet to maintain their health, growth, and vitality. If you plan to be away for an extended period, it is best to arrange for someone to feed your betta fish or consider an automatic feeder.
What Do Betta Fish Eat?
The fact that bettas have varied dietary and digestive requirements as they age surprises a lot of people. Aging bettas may prefer fewer, extra frequent meals to account for changes in their ability to digest, just like elderly people. You might be shocked to learn that the timing of your betta fish’s meals is just as important as the actual food you give them.
Betta fish eat other living things. They consume aquatic insects, larvae, and eggs in their natural habitat. As a result, your betta needs to eat fish food with a meat or protein component.
Be cautious because some of the common tropical fish flakes do not suit the diet of betta fish. You must consider each fish’s nutrition if your betta is together in a tank with the other fish.
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What Is The Ideal Betta Fish Food?
A betta fish-specific pellet is typically the best, even though it seems like common sense. Check the ingredients to ensure that the fish food you have is suitable for your carnivorous betta fish.
The initial few components should primarily consist of meat, and the total protein content has to be at least 40%.
Do Betta Fish Need To Be Fed Every Day?
It’s a good idea to make feeding your Betta tiny meals or once twice a day a habit.
It also helps if they are fed at the same time every day so that their digestive system may continue to function in rhythm.
Having said that, it is very appropriate for the fish to go without food for a day or two. After all, they wouldn’t always have available food to them in the wild.
But if you’re going to be absent from your fish for an extended time, you should plan how you’ll feed him during that time.
How Much Should You Feed A Betta Fish?
Always provide enough of the correct food for your Betta. You must pay close attention to the amount of food you use for feeding Betta fish because using excessively or a too small amount of it can result in issues.
Give your Betta 2-3 medium-sized pellets each time you feed it. For a Betta fish, this serving, given twice daily, is more than sufficient. Give 2 pieces of any food you’re feeding—frozen, live, or freeze-dried—at each meal.
A fish tank should not have excessive food added because this can degrade the water’s quality and endanger your fish.
Unfinished food particles congregate on the water tank’s bottom and increase the concentrations of nitrite and ammonia, which are hazardous to fish.
If you discover that you’ve fed your fish too much, remove the extra food or drain the water to avoid this.
What Food Is Best For Your Betta?
The meal that most closely resembles your Betta’s raw diet in the wild is the best choice. Fortunately, pet food stores carry fish food that contains meat that is suitable for Bettas.
While real foods are suitable for your Betta, it’s a good idea to add various kinds of food to their diet to diversify it. The variety of selections will be adored by your fish, and it may also aid with picky eaters.
The following are some excellent pet food options:
Live Foods
The same foods that your Betta would eat in the wild, such as insects and their larvae, will make them happy. You can provide your Betta with all the nutrients they might otherwise need by giving them these live foods.
Look for live meals that are similar to those found in nature when purchasing live meals for your Betta. The majority of Betta fish prefer the following live foods:
Bloodworms
One of the popular natural meals for wild fish is bloodworms. Bloodworms are a live meal that you should take into consideration, especially if you own a finicky Betta. Most fish will eat them when given the opportunity.
Due to their high iron content, these worms appear vivid red. Aside from being abundant in minerals and proteins, they also assist Betta fish to thrive.
By adding these worms to your pet fish’s water tank, you’re giving them both food and an opportunity to use their inborn hunting instincts.
Since bloodworms are so loved by fish, finding them at pet stores is simple, and they are also reasonably priced. The absence of necessary amino acids that Bettas require prevents them from being the major item in the diet, even though your fish may enjoy them.
Mosquito Larvae
In their native environment, betta fish heavily rely on mosquito larvae for food. So it makes sense to include these as food sources in your pet’s diet.
These are available at nearby or internet pet stores. Alternatively, you can purchase a starter culture and harvest them at home.
Although mosquito larvae are active and plentiful during the warmer months, they are difficult to find throughout the winter.
Brine Shrimp
Proteins and vitamins are among the many essential nutrients that brine shrimp offer to Betta fish. Bring brine shrimp to the storage tank because Betta fish frequently eat them in the wild.
Thankfully, brine shrimp are very common in pet stores. To ensure that you do not offer your fish anything dangerous, you must pay attention to the sourcing, just as you would with other live foods.
This also implies that, despite how entertaining this could seem, you shouldn’t feed your Betta any kind of insect that you’ve caught outside.
Mysis Shrimp
Despite being called shrimp, these bugs are not shrimp. They will reach a length of around an inch, whereas brine shrimp may only reach a length of a third of an inch.
Because the female Mysis shrimp hold their young in a pouch at the bottom of their legs, they are also called opossum shrimp.
These microscopic crustaceans are more nutrient-dense because they contain more protein than brine shrimp. They also have an exoskeleton that is high in fiber and aids in the digestion of protein-containing diets.
Sadly, live Mysis shrimp are less common than brine shrimp even though they are more nutrient-dense.
Frozen Foods
Ready meals are your best alternative if you can’t find a credible provider of live food for Bettas. It lacks any indigestible fillers and contains the majority of the nutrients present in non-living food.
Most likely, frozen fish food will be offered for sale as cubes. Once you’ve purchased them, store them in the freezer until you’re ready to feed your fish.
Thaw the frozen food on a plate for about 20 minutes before feeding it to your Betta.
Be aware that feeding your Betta with just one frozen food cube might not be the best idea. Depending on the dimensions of the cube, divide it into sections and feed your fish a little bit each day, about 1.8g.
After defrosting, if you have extra food, don’t put it back in the freezer. It might have been exposed to bacteria that could hurt your Betta, so get rid of it.
Freeze-dried Foods
Although it might not be as good as live or frozen food, you can also give your Betta freeze-dried food. However, it’s a wonderful option because it enables you to include your Betta’s natural food in the diet.
Producers dehydrate and add filler to freeze-dried food to maintain its stability during storage. This preserves them free of bacteria and parasites and in edible condition for a long time.
However, your fish may be at risk from such fillers and the food’s lack of moisture. Giving your Betta excessive amounts of this food may cause bloating and constipation.
This happens because the dry meal expands after absorbing moisture in your fish’s stomach, which results in bloating.
Always rehydrate the freeze-dried feed in water before feeding it to your fish to avoid this. Since imperative supplements are lost during the fabricating of freeze nourishments, you’ll be able to increment their dietary esteem by soaking them in a vitamin arrangement.
Additionally, only occasionally feed your fish freeze-dried food. Because fillers are hard on your pet’s digestive system, look for freeze-dried diets for your Betta that are low in fillers.
What Happens If You Overfeed Your Betta Fish?
If you are unsure of how often and how much your Betta fish should eat, it is simple to overfeed them. Additionally, the idea that these tiny fish will probably consume more if food is offered doesn’t help.
Constipation and Bloating
Betta fish have a tiny digestive tract and a stomach that is as small as their eye. Betta fish are more likely to become constipated because they will keep feeding even after they are satisfied.
Indicators of constipation in Bettas include bloating, spine curvature, bulging eyes, and stringy feces. If not treated right away, constipation can be harmful to a Betta and could be fatal.
Depending on how severe their ailment is, put your fish on a fast for a few days or longer if they are constipated. Additionally, increase their intake of fiber and pay attention to the amount you feed them to avoid it happening again.
Obesity
Unused food and surplus food are stored as fat in the bodies of bettas. So, if you consistently overfeed your Betta, they will eventually become obese.
Bettas should not become obese because it is harmful to their health. You can be sure that your fish are getting enough food as long as they don’t appear malnourished.
However, if they appear bloated without brief constipation to account for it, this is a symptom that they are becoming obese. Put them on a fast to burn off any excess fat and progressively reduce their food amounts.
Illness
A portion of the extra food from overfeeding your Betta will likely end up at the bottom of the tank. As these particles degrade, they will release poisons and promote the spread of germs, exposing the fish to diseases.
So don’t overfeed your Betta since even if they don’t, they could still be exposed to a potentially dangerous environment.
Swim Bladder Disorder
Swim bladder disorders in Bettas might result from constipation. Your fish struggle to maintain their equilibrium in the water due to this situation. As a result, they could favor staying at the tank’s bottom or floating close to the water’s top.
It’s dangerous if your Betta stays at the bottom since it’ll have problems breathing. Bettas are labyrinth fish, which means they swim to the water’s surface to take up oxygen from the air.
Reduce the level of water in the tank and add plants to boost the supply of oxygen to help the fish get through this. If constipation is the only factor contributing to the swim bladder condition, treating it will cure it.
What Happens If You Underfeed Your Betta Fish?
They’ll Become Thin
A malnourished Betta fish will have a head that is greater than the rest of the body and will appear bony. The fat that is often housed close to their tail won’t be there, and their sides will be concave.
Paleness
Without enough food, bettas end up losing their color and develop a pale appearance. This indicates that you should increase your Betta feeding schedule.
Weakened Immune System
If your Betta is not receiving sufficient nutrients they require to flourish, this is known as underfeeding. This causes starvation and a weakened immune system. In comparison to well-fed Bettas, your underfed Bettas will be more likely to suffer significant effects if they become ill.
When Should You Feed Your Betta?
It is advised to feed the Betta fish at night and in the morning, giving them a tiny amount each time. You may also offer them food once a day, but your fish might prefer it even more if you divide it in half and give it to them twice throughout the day.
Bettas remember when they are supposed to eat, therefore it’s important to establish and adhere to a feeding schedule.
Establishing when to fast them is equally crucial to feeding them. You can designate one day every week when you don’t give them any food.
What To Do If Your Betta Fish Won’t Eat?
Bettas are famous for being picky eaters. So, if your bettas don’t eat or appear uninterested in food, don’t worry.
Stress frequently impairs one’s ability to eat. As an illustration, if you recently cleaned your betta’s tank, relocated him, or added new tankmates.
Loss of craving can as well be brought on by changes inside the environment’s temperature for your betta point. The tank has to be kept at a temperature of between 76 and 81 degrees Fahrenheit.
Your betta’s metabolism may slow down and he can get lethargic if the environment is cooler than this. Your fish will require less food over fewer feedings because of slower metabolism.
Additionally, as the betta fish ages, he will become less active and might require less food.
Poor appetite, however, can indicate that the fish is ill. Watch your betta for symptoms of illness and disease, and treat your fish as necessary right away.
How Should You Prepare Your Betta’s Food?
The sort of food your Betta eats will determine how you prepare it. To avoid introducing bacteria or parasites, rinse live food before adding it to the tank water.
Before feeding dried food to your Betta, soak it beforehand so that it won’t grow in its stomach and cause digestive problems.
Before feeding frozen fish food to your pet fish, always thaw it first. Additionally, split it into smaller amounts to prevent overeating.
Suggested Betta Fish Feeding Schedule
Making decisions regarding how much and what you should feed a betta fish might be difficult for a beginner. To make it easier for you, we’ve created a straightforward feeding regimen that you can use to maintain the health of your betta fish.
- Monday: two to four betta fish pellets, once or twice a day.
- Tuesday: two to three pieces diet live, frozen, or freeze-dried food every single day.
- Wednesday: two to four betta fish pellets, once or twice a day.
- Thursday: two to four betta fish pellets, once or twice a day.
- On Friday, eat two to three portions of live, frozen, or freeze-dried food every single day.
- Saturday: two to four betta fish pellets, once or twice a day.
Don’t feed your betta on Sunday.
Your betta’s digestive tract can handle food fully on one fast day per week, which can reduce problems related to overeating, including bloating, swim bladder issues, and constipation.
Your betta won’t starve if you’re going to be gone for a day or two; in fact, fasting will be healthy for his health. Don’t overfeed your betta to try to make up for the days you forgot to feed him.
A single day or two missings won’t harm your fish because a wild betta could go up to 14 days without nourishment.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What Do Betta Fish Eat In The Wild Vs In A Home Tank?
Betta fish exclusively consume animal flesh or meat. They consume aquatic insects, larvae, and eggs in their natural habitat. With pellet food, they will thrive in a home tank. Live or frozen food, if you can find it, will provide the optimum protein and convenience of digestion.
Should I Feed Female Bettas Differently Before Spawning?
Let me start by making it plain that I oppose domestic betta breeding. Fish for aquariums at home are frequently overbred or otherwise unsuited for reproduction. Although they make very good pets, they might not produce viable or even healthy offspring. Having said all of that, you can and should give both males and females fresh food and tubifex worms if you get bettas that are ideal for reproducing.
This will ensure the production of healthier gametes by both men and females. This ensures the betta fry can get off to a solid start in the long run. Unfortunately, there are no assurances that the female will survive the reproductive procedure even if she is in perfect health.
Should I Make My Betta Fast To Avoid Constipation?
Knowing how to avoid and manage constipation in Betta fish is important because it is a common condition.
You must first confirm that your fish’s condition is constipation and not something more dangerous, like dropsy. Consult a specialist if you’re unsure.
You should fast your fish for two to three days as the initial step in treating his constipation. By doing this, he will be able to digest meals properly without aggravating the situation further.
Feed your fish something high in fiber, such as daphnia, if this doesn’t work and he doesn’t start pooping again.
How Many Flakes Should I Feed My Betta?
A Betta’s stomach is just the size of its eye, as I described previously, so you can understand that he won’t need a lot of food.
If feeding twice per day, you should follow these guidelines:
Pellets: 1 to 2 times daily
Flakes: 2–3, 2 times per day
Conclusion
The primary components of the diet of wild betta fish are insects and insect larvae. You can keep your captive betta content and healthy by giving him similar food.
Feed the betta foods designed exclusively for betta fish, like those to which we’ve included links in this post, along with a combination of freeze-dried, refrigerated, pellets, and live food.
Make sure to give your betta food once or twice daily for five to six days a week, with one fasting day included. That will aid in avoiding bloating as well as other health issues brought on by overeating.
Before it has the chance to decompose and affect the water quality in your betta tank, remove any food scraps from the bottom of the tank.