can a betta choke on a pellet and die?

[marktrc]

If the food pellet size is too big for the fish... can he choke and die?

[bettyboohoo]

Hi, I have seen my veiltail betta try to take in a pellet that was to larger for him. What I seen him do was that he kept taken it in and spiting it out until it was soft enough until he could eat it without a problem. So my answer for you is no......

[teeneythebetta]

I don't think so, but my female will just hold a pellet that is too large in her mouth until it is soft enough for her to swallow.

If your pellets are too big, you can crush them.

[lelei]

No..their natural instinct is to just spit it out..then they try again after the water softens it up..and makrs it easier to swallow..

[marktrc]

ok ty for the replies.

i was feeding my betta ollie 2 pellets 2 times a day of wardleys betta and he liked to chew it and carry the pellet around. he had a good appetite and very lively. oneday i came home and he was dead. very strange as he was very lively. no unusual fins. nothing visibly wrong. still had color. still had appetite.
just died suddenly. i looked at his dead body for quite a long time and saw nothing unusual.

he was in a divided tank with 2 others. one on each side. the other fish seem fine. i am watching them closely. i have siphoned his area and did a 50% water change.

[teeneythebetta]

Originally Posted by marktrc

ok ty for the replies.

i was feeding my betta ollie 2 pellets 2 times a day of wardleys betta and he liked to chew it and carry the pellet around. he had a good appetite and very lively. oneday i came home and he was dead. very strange as he was very lively. no unusual fins. nothing visibly wrong. still had color. still had appetite.
just died suddenly. i looked at his dead body for quite a long time and saw nothing unusual.

he was in a divided tank with 2 others. one on each side. the other fish seem fine. i am watching them closely. i have siphoned his area and did a 50% water change.

So sorry for your loss :( What size is the tank they share? Is it heated? Is it cycled? How often do you do water changes?

[LebronTheBetta]

I'm so sorry... So there was no evidence of sickness or anything? And I don't think that Bettas can choke from pellets. I've heard about Goldfish choking on gravel, though! They search for food on the bottom. I had them before. But not because of gravel, though. 8I

[marktrc]

Originally Posted by teeneythebetta

So sorry for your loss :( What size is the tank they share? Is it heated? Is it cycled? How often do you do water changes?

thanks. the tank is 15 gal divided into 3. so about 5 gals each. it is not heated because i live in hawaii. the temp is constant 79-80 degrees in the tank water. i siphon the gravel and change the water 50% -75% twice a week. (i dont do 100% changes). there is java moss and a sponge filter in the tank. i havent tried to cycle it but it has been in use like this for a few months.

one of the other bettas is a crowntail. his fins are fine and no sign of sickness. hes eatting well and hes nice and active. the other is a double tail half moon. he is fine too. eatting well and no signs of sickness.

thanks lebronthebetta.

[puppyrjjkm]

Unfortunately it can happen. My 1st rescue died this way. I fed him his pellets, walked away, came back and he was dead on the bottom. When I picked him up in the net he had a little bulge the size of a pellet between his gill flaps where his 'throat' is.