Picky Betta

[newbie32]

I have two types of food: Aqua Culture Betta Pellet Food and Tetra Bettamin Flakes. My betta will put the pellet in his mouth and then spit it back out. I try flakes and he'll put them in his mouth, act like he's eating and then all of a sudden, some tiny particals start flowing back out. Clearly, he hates his food. I have read that garlic juice is a good way to help the taste. Do I just soak all the pellets in the juice and keep them for later? Only do it right before feeding? What are the suggestions out there to get King Fishy II to eat his darn food?

[MelissaD]

Have you tried using bloodworms? I've found that it really helps to kind of stagger them into the diet to make things more "interesting" for the betta. You can use garlic juice too, just soak and freeze for about 10 minutes (to absorb flavor) and "thaw" 30 minutes before feeding.

[Harley]

Originally Posted by MelissaD

Have you tried using bloodworms? I've found that it really helps to kind of stagger them into the diet to make things more "interesting" for the betta. You can use garlic juice too, just soak and freeze for about 10 minutes (to absorb flavor) and "thaw" 30 minutes before feeding.

Yeah don't use the bloodworms too often, just as a treat. Get the frozen ones if you can, they're a bit more nutritional. Also you could try crushing the pellets to make them a bit smaller for him. Good luck!

[Echo]

i would never have thought of garlic juice.. two of my boys will pretty much eat anything that holds still long enough (except flakes.. those are either ignored or spat out). King Louie will only deign to eat frozen bloodworms. nothing else. absolutely nothing else. and only when i hold it in front of him with tweezers). and i have spent quite a bit of money on that finicky finface. i'll try that trick as well!

[newbie32]

He seems to hate everything BUT bloodworms. I'm going to buy new pellets and see if a different brand will matter. Anyone tried doing that? Does the brand even matter?

[Harley]

Originally Posted by newbie32

Does the brand even matter?

It might. Its probably the same as liking McDonalds over Burger King or something like that. Different brand, different taste.

[newbie32]

I tried TetraBetta Mini Pellets today and he would have none of it. Interestingly enough, the mini pellets are larger than my regular pellets from Wardley. This betta is driving me batty!!!! But I love him anyway.

[fishman12]

Maybe he likes brine shrimp?

[newbie32]

Will my betta starve? My thought is, stop giving him bloodworms and maybe he'll get hungry enough to eat his pellets. Like my mom would say, it what I made you for dinner or don't eat. Obviously, I ate. Can that work?

[dramaqueen]

You can fast him for a few days then try feeding him pellets. Hopefully he'll be hungry enough to eat them. The "eat what I'm serving you or don't eat" method might work. lol