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Another food question

897 views 9 replies 6 participants last post by  KittyFL 
#1 ·
Hi betta lovers! ... I adopted my betta a month ago. He was very lively and eagerly accepted the mini pellets, 3 a day, and started making bubbles right away so that was good. But in the third week, he started spitting out the pellets. Browsed for some info (not here) and got him some freeze dried shrimp and freeze dried blood worms. He said no thanks to the shrimp but is very happy with the bloodworms.

I've read a lot of the comments here but haven't found one about how much of the freeze dried bloodworms to give him. It's all very small pieces and he is delighted with it. I drop in what might be the equivalent of three pellets if it's rolled up. I just don't know if I'm giving him too much or too little. I'm still reading here to see which foods are best.

By the way, I've done some reading on a betta changing color. I know that color fading is illness but here's what he did. When I got him, he was deep purple, lavender on the head end, so named him Lavender Blue. But he is now that gorgeous blue with a hint of purple in the "lines" of the fins. Some browsing reads that changing to another good color is part of being a betta. The purple was pretty but could that have been a sickish color since he is now beautiful royal blue? Whadda ya think?
 
#2 ·
freeze dried should only be fed about once a week. there's not a lot of actual nutrition in them. people generally compare them to potato chips, they may taste good and fill you up, but they're not really good for you. I personally rotate feeding 2 different types of pellets as well as frozen brine shrimp and daphnia, and thinking been thinking of getting some frozen blood worms to throw into the mix as well, lol
he might be a marble. marbles can pretty much completely change colors on you. someone posted pics a while back of their marble boy that started out as almost all white, and ended up pretty much completely blue after a while
 
#5 · (Edited)
freeze dried should only be fed about once a week. there's not a lot of actual nutrition in them. people generally compare them to potato chips, they may taste good and fill you up, but they're not really good for you. I personally rotate feeding 2 different types of pellets as well as frozen brine shrimp and daphnia, and thinking been thinking of getting some frozen blood worms to throw into the mix as well, lol
he might be a marble. marbles can pretty much completely change colors on you. someone posted pics a while back of their marble boy that started out as almost all white, and ended up pretty much completely blue after a while
Thanks Tisia! I'll search for the marble boy and take a look.

It's great that he's coloring up! Either he was dull from being in the petstore and acclimating to a new home (stress will make them loose color), or he was young and is coloring up as he ages.

Also, as Tisia said, freeze dried foods should, if at all, be fed once a week. I personally stay away from the stuff as the risk of causing digestion problems is high with freeze dried foods. Frozen food is a much better option, mysis shrimp, daphnia, blood worms and brine shrimp are all great and usually available at most pet stores in the freezers. Key is to have a varied diet, feeding just one of those foods won't meet his nutritional needs. If you're particularly enthusiastic small, live insects like wingless fruit flies, baby crickets or ants will also be a yummy treat. ^^

Oh, and welcome to the forums! :D
Thanks denaliwind! I've made a list of the foods you and Tisia mention and will go to the pet store today.

Welcome to the forum and to the wonderful world of Betta keeping.....

A few question to help us figure out why his appetite has changed and color changes.....

How big is the tank, how much and how often are the water changes, water temp, filter, live plants, additives used, any other tank mates......any other behavior changes and can you post a pic....
Hi Oldfishlady! You remind me of a novel I'm working on title "Old Woman Stranded." I need to get back to that! I'm also an old lady and have called myself CatWoman for many years. Some people don't understand that a true CatWoman takes care of all the creatures. We do! Okay, back to Lavender Blue. He is in a decorator bowl that hold 2 gallons. I'm changing water twice a week, no filter, so far haven't monitored water temp. No mates. Using Jungle Start Right for chlorine & chloramine and API Betta Water Conditioner which has aloe vera and green tea. When he started spitting out pellets, I looked at all the stuff in the store and used API BettaFix. His behavior is making lots of bubbles and dancing every time he sees me. I'm gonna see if I can get two pics here but has been 6 years since I was on a forum so we'll see. The first one is when I got him and he was purple. The second one is now and he has a live plant. He does like napping on the leaves. I'm using a chunk of amethyst since that's supposed to be good for everything (keep it in cat's water). Still looking for something to use as a cave, tried an espresso cup but he never went in. Seems like all the stuff in the store is sharp. Here goes my pic effort ....


 
#3 · (Edited)
It's great that he's coloring up! Either he was dull from being in the petstore and acclimating to a new home (stress will make them loose color), or he was young and is coloring up as he ages.

Also, as Tisia said, freeze dried foods should, if at all, be fed once a week. I personally stay away from the stuff as the risk of causing digestion problems is high with freeze dried foods. Frozen food is a much better option, mysis shrimp, daphnia, blood worms and brine shrimp are all great and usually available at most pet stores in the freezers. Key is to have a varied diet, feeding just one of those foods won't meet his nutritional needs. If you're particularly enthusiastic small, live insects like wingless fruit flies, baby crickets or ants will also be a yummy treat. ^^

Oh, and welcome to the forums! :D
 
#4 ·
Welcome to the forum and to the wonderful world of Betta keeping.....

A few question to help us figure out why his appetite has changed and color changes.....

How big is the tank, how much and how often are the water changes, water temp, filter, live plants, additives used, any other tank mates......any other behavior changes and can you post a pic....
 
#10 ·
about pellets vs mini pellets... The NLS betta formula pellets... i was using hikari gold but these are def better.
Is 2 NLS betta pellets in the AM and 2 pellets in the PM - 6 days a week enough food for my 1 yr old + Betta
Thank you, jackals!

just want to say something about betta pellets. The one that jackals recommended really good ones. The pellets small and not that heard like others.
I also really recommending if u can find BettaFood daily nutrition for all bettas by AQUEON
Thank you, BETTACHKALOVE!

Sounds like you are providing good care, however, I would check the temp...it could be as simple as too cool of water...shoot for 76F as the coolest temp and 80F as the highest.....he is a lovely fella.....

You do want to limit the freeze dried foods......do you have access to any mosquito larva...if so, net, rinse then feed......this can really boost the immune response.....I don't use OTC medication so I don't know much about the product you used...I only use more natural method.....I like the Amethyst idea for the cats water never thought about it for fish.....will have to research that......

I have been called the crazy cat lady myself but I remind people that I may be a bit nuts but I am married so I can only be the cat lady....not crazy...lol.....I have 29 cats....lol....but I live on a farm/ranch and have big hay barns......and true we take care of all living creatures....I just recently found a tiny opossum that I am hand raising-soon to be released back in the wild in about 10 weeks...lol.....
Mornin' Oldfishlady ... I'll get a temp gauge for the water. Got him from an independent pet store so maybe they have some of the frozen foods. Will also look for all the other stuff recommended.

Nothing better for a barn than a colony of cats, that's for sure. They keep the mice and rats away, don't they? I did a lot of cats rescue & rehoming (in Dallas) and one engineer from work adopted two litters from me. The family had moved to a country place with a barn. All they wanted was lots of animals to love, no slaughtering (they also adopted a newborn litter of pot belly pigs). They would keep the kittens inside the house until about three months old, then back and forth to the barn until they felt it was time to let them go in and out. Mine kind of people!

Bless you for all that you do. Give all your animals and that baby opossum a kiss for me! You and the other posters have gorgeous bettas. Have a wonderful day!
 
#7 ·
Sounds like you are providing good care, however, I would check the temp...it could be as simple as too cool of water...shoot for 76F as the coolest temp and 80F as the highest.....he is a lovely fella.....

You do want to limit the freeze dried foods......do you have access to any mosquito larva...if so, net, rinse then feed......this can really boost the immune response.....I don't use OTC medication so I don't know much about the product you used...I only use more natural method.....I like the Amethyst idea for the cats water never thought about it for fish.....will have to research that......

I have been called the crazy cat lady myself but I remind people that I may be a bit nuts but I am married so I can only be the cat lady....not crazy...lol.....I have 29 cats....lol....but I live on a farm/ranch and have big hay barns......and true we take care of all living creatures....I just recently found a tiny opossum that I am hand raising-soon to be released back in the wild in about 10 weeks...lol.....
 
#9 ·
just want to say something about betta pellets. The one that jackals recommended really good ones. The pellets small and not that heard like others.

I also really recommending if u can find BettaFood daily nutrition for all bettas by AQUEON
Yeah great food!

Is the NLS I have, 2 pellets morning and 2 in PM good for a 1+ yr old healthy betta, 6 days a week? 1 day I fast him.

I was feeding him 4-6 pellets each serving. I stopped that like 2-3 weeks ago :x he was appearing hungry to me and I didn't know any better. :lol:
 
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