Betta fish peeps

[TikiLola]

What is the best type/brand of food to feed a betta? He doesn't like the little pellets but will eat the freeze dried shrimp. Thanks for any tips!

 

[GlassOnion]

Anything by Hikari is good

 

[waterfaller1]

What type of pellets did you try? The Hikari betta bio gold pellets, or New Life spectrum are good. I like Southern Delight foods, but his betta pellets are not on the market yet. He just sent me a sample, and Sultan is taking them well. I have also used Omega One pellets.
Another food you can feed, but not every day is frozen bloodworms.A defrosted frozen pea, with the shell removed is recommended from time to time, to reduce the risk of constipation. A day off food, then the pea, then the bloodworms will help keep things moving.
Freeze dried foods have little nutritional value, so are ok as a treat, but not a staple.
Stay away from tetra, wardley's, aqueon, and topfin. These are cheap foods with a lot of filler. Same as with birds,you want to avoid ingredients that are inferior, and go with foods that have real ingredients like Krill,herring,shrimp as the first ingredient.

 

[VictoriaVague]

Live food is always good. My last Betta loved some bloodworm or daphnia every now and then. Some of the frozen foods are good too as they retain nutrients unlike freeze dried. But a whole cube is too much for a Betta, so I'd defrost and pick out his portion and pop the rest in one of my community tanks.

Like Carole says peas for constipation prevention are great.

 

[Mizzely]

What Carole said

 

[TikiLola]

Not sure what the brand I had was, I threw it out. But,it was probably garbage. I'll take a look at the brands mentioned here as soon as I can get to the store. I'll get some frozen blood worms too. (already have the peas)

 

[BeakyBird]

My betta wouldn't eat ANY pellet I gave him. I tried every brand, every pet store, so eventually I had to stick with the only thing he'd eat.. the dried blood worms. :x They're not necessarily healthy, but it's better than him starving.

 

[waterfaller1]

Try again! I prefer floating pellets, only give a few, and remove any uneaten ones and feed however many that is less next time.

 

[cosmolove]

I love New Life Spectrum for all of my fish! My bettas I've had in the past have especially liked it!

 

[TikiLola]

I'm pretty sure I tried Hikari. Can I get New Life Spectrum in a store, or only on line? I dropped half a defrosted frozen pea in the tank, but her barely looked at it. I stuck the other half on the end of a chop stick and he ate some, but he seemed really mad.

 

[cosmolove]

We sold it at the pet store I use to work at but it was a smaller ohio area chain. I think I saw it at petsmart...I don't remember. I know you can get it in stores I just don't know which stores.

 

[waterfaller1]

You should be able to find it in a good store. I kind of like buying things online though. I figure the few bucks for shipping I would spend in time and gas anyway.
Perhaps there is something else you can buy along with it to make it worth it? Get a few different types of food, and a bottle of seachem prime, which you can always use. If you aren't using it, you should be..

 

[waterfaller1]

I dropped half a defrosted frozen pea in the tank, but her barely looked at it. I stuck the other half on the end of a chop stick and he ate some, but he seemed really mad.

You pretty much have to give them the day off first so they are really hungry. Cut the pea so it isn't a huge chunk. It should be warmed up to soften it first. Remove any uneaten portion after a bit.

 

[Wayne361]

I agree with NLS (new life spectrum).....I got a big pail a while back. I think 1Kg. Great food and lasts a long time. I also would feed cut up earthworms, and daphnia. Had a pond outside my other house that I could just go and scoop out fresh daphnia from. All my fish would go nuts for them....cheap and healthy for fish.