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Betta wont eat!!!

1K views 12 replies 6 participants last post by  NCPanthersgurl 
#1 ·
Tomorrow will be one week since I got my betta and he hasn't eaten a thing yet. I tried pellets and he would spit them out so I went and bought some flakes and some freeze dried blood worms and he wont even touch them. I'm going to have to do a complete water change in the morning because of the uneaten food. I'm afraid he might die if he doesn't eat although he swims around and seems to be healthy. Is there anything I can do to get him to eat? When ever I go up to the tank he takes off and hides like he is scared of me.
 
#5 ·
Just a tip, after you feed your fish, give him about five to ten minutes then scoop out the leftover food. That way it won't rot and ruin the water.

Have you tried crushing the pellets? This will help if they are too big for him, that may be why he isn't eating them. If you soak the pellets in garlic juice, it may help tempt him more.

Have you tried other types of food? Your fish may just not have a taste for bloodworms. Try brine shrimp. :)
 
#6 ·
Hey; try dragging the bloodworms around in front of him with tweezers. My Jazz wouldn't eat for a bit, and I did that and he eats fine again. I was told to try that because it triggers a hunting instinct. And it's cute to watch. :p
 
#7 ·
He is in a 2.5 gallon tank with some fake plants and black gravel. The tank is filtered by a tetra whisper 3i filter and I have a zoomed bettatherm under gravel heater that keeps my tank a constant 78 degrees. I just found a light for the tank tonight at petco and picked up some new life spectrum betta pellets.

I just fed him the new pellets and he came to the surface and ate them so either it was the food or the new addition of the light.

He expanded his fins completely for the first time after he ate and puffed out his face gills as if to say thank you.....so glad that things might turn around now. Could the lack of the light have been the problem the whole time?
 
#10 ·
He has good taste: that's particularly good quality food! It shouldn't be the light. That's more for us or plants. Nice tank and good setup. Do you know about checking the plants to be sure they won't rip his fins? You will likely want to eventually get an adjustable heater. If he develops certain illnesses you would want to be able to raise the temperature. I've never seen one for a small tank at Petco, though. I had to order one over the Internet (I have a 2.5g as well)

I'm happy he has started eating!

kumi
 
#9 ·
Yeah he kinda just looks stressed to me...
 
#11 ·
They do have small submersible's at walmart for $15, they work well. :) I have one in my 2 gal.
 
#12 ·
Is it adjustable as well? If so, it would be great to be able to pick one up locally if I need another one. I have one that is not adjustable that works quite well, but I sometimes have to switch it with one of adjustable ones if I need to change the temperature for some reason. :roll:

Thanks,
Kumi
 
#13 ·
The small one isn't. I bought another there for $20 that is, but it's a bit bigger.
 
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