Photostory: Feeding VP a minnow

[Cez]

Hey everybody! I thought it might be neat to have a bunch of photos for those who have never fed a minnow to their betta to see what it might look like.

When I feed again I will attempt better photos - I was too slow this time!

HOW IT WENT:

The fish immediately hides, unsure of its surroundings.


VP becomes aware of the presence of the smaller fish, and gets straight to the chase!










You'd never know he just swallowed something so large!


FIN

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[twolovers101]

Haha wow, can't say I've ever seen a betta eat a live fish before!

[Cez]

I had a betta, who died of a tumor since, that used to bash the minnows on the head to kill them. So savage, it was amazing to see! SO efficient, I'd never been so in awe of such a small fish before.

[Cez]

Forgot to add:

What does everybody think about feeding live, like this? How often would you do it? Or if you *wouldn't* feed like this, tell us why not!

[LebronTheBetta]

... I feel bad for the minnow, but big things eat little things I guess. What type of minnow is this?

[registereduser]

I wouldn't do it simply because I don't want to see that.

Would feeding them a live fish cause them to get worms?

Why are we told to feed only a few pellets a day when they can obviously hold a lot more? I thought their stomach was only as big as their eyeball!

[Cez]

Oh, I feel for the minnows too. But it's worth it knowing that not only did my betta get a chance to exhibit some of his natural predatory behaviour but he gets a completely nutritious meal out of it!

I feed only White Cloud Mountain Minnow juveniles.

They're small and fast, but no match in a bowl. If the feeder fish is too big, the betta will tear it apart alive (which is not something I'd make happen on purpose) but if it'll fit in the mouth it'll be eaten.

And the feeders that I keep in my split 10-gallon that grow up, well... I love them all. They're so chipper and bright and add such a big spark of life into any aquarium!

Feeders and Keepers alike get a special food that I made for them, a mix of freeze-dried meats (brine shrimp, bloodworms, etc) and dried, healthy greens all ground up in a mortar and pestle so that they're small enough to fit into tiny mouths. Spoiled fishies!

[Cez]

Originally Posted by registereduser

I wouldn't do it simply because I don't want to see that.

Would feeding them a live fish cause them to get worms?

Why are we told to feed only a few pellets a day when they can obviously hold a lot more? I thought their stomach was only as big as their eyeball!

I think that they'll only get sick if the feeding stock is sick. The LFS I use is VERY hyper-sensitive when it comes to hygiene and keeping their fish healthy, and I've never had any problems.

When I feed them minnows I usually fast the next meal (I generally feed pellets twice a day). If the minnow is consumed and then doesn't bloat the stomach area, I don't skip the next meal.

[Cez]

Mind you, minnows are fed strictly as treats - not as a staple. Can you imagine how fat they'd be if I fed them a minnow or two every day?!

[Kytkattin]

Originally Posted by registereduser

I wouldn't do it simply because I don't want to see that.

Would feeding them a live fish cause them to get worms?

Why are we told to feed only a few pellets a day when they can obviously hold a lot more? I thought their stomach was only as big as their eyeball!

It is a huge difference in digestibility. Pellets have all sorts of things that bettas really aren't able to digest. That is why you see so many instances of bloat in these fish. It is like trying to make a cat a vegetarian, it just isn't going to happen without making the animal really sick or die. If you are familiar with raw diets for dogs and cats that will make more sense than if you are still in the realm of feeding kibble.

As for worms, yes, they could. However, many feel that this is a risk they are willing to take in order to feed more digestible nutrition or they get their food from a reputable source.


I personally would not feed live fish because I couldn't find a good, safe source, but I gladly feed live worms, fruit flies, etc.