I'll try to make this brief since I have a tendency to ramble on...
1. Feeding: how often are you really supposed to feed your betta?! I feed mine usually twice a day, change up the pellets (they're different sizes) so i give him 3-4 depending, and have freeze dry blood worms which I use sparingly (and will give him 1). I was at a store and the guy ahead of me was saying how he feeds them twice a week, and the store clerk said twice a week is more than enough?! My fish, Bonsai, seems to totally healthy, active and not bloated..I would also like to add the guy who fed them twice a week mentioned how they "kept dying" so I would love to believe he is so wrong.
2. I "rescued" Bonsai from this same store in January since he had fin rot, and a good portion of his caudal fin was missing. He has since recovered, his fin has grown back and he has grown so much! He was so tiny originally. Although he is healthy, I have noticed he clamps his caudal fin a lot. He will fan it out when he swims, stop--clamp, and swim again. Is this him becoming accustomed to having it again..? I am not too worried since he seems fine. Sometime he'll also be stationary and it will be clamped,then he'll fan it and clamp it again.
I ask since I read online clamping is bad, but I'm not sure how I would prevent that, or see if it changes over time.
Don't listen to those who feed twice a week and once a week. THEY LIE! Why? Okay, let's take my little Admiral, the rescue for instance. HE WAS MALNOURISHED. He didn't make it. He lacked the nutrients a healthy betta needed to fight for his wee life. I feed mine every day, depending on my schedule once or twice (2-3 pellets per feeding), and a day of fasting.
YES bettas can survive without food for weeks on end... But it's some ignorant people spreading terribl rumors that cause the fish to survive not thrive.
I don't think your fishy is clamping his fins. He's a veiltail, right? Most veils (I will add two pictures) will pause with their fins dropped and may SEEM clamped, but they aren't =D Then when they swim they may hold their fins very grand. Some veils don't ever hold their fins grand.
First picture: Juniper chilling out. His caudal had rot before, afterwards it wasn't bad. He never really held his fins well unless he was flaring!
Second picture: Maine. He held his fins very well while scouting his territory, flaring, and flirting
LAST pictures, is clamping.
Last edited by Sena Hansler; 06-04-2012 at 10:38 AM.
1. I usually feed mine through out the day slowly and abit at a time.. I stop feeding when their belly reaches a certain roundness(I usually just give each small something and move to the next until a full round and then I look at the belly), with one day a week without food.
As for the store clerk, not feeding is even better you come buy a new fish faster..
He's probably just misinformed and doesn't care..
2. Clamping is bad, but they don't swim 100% of the time with their tails open.. He might be just bored try to put stuff differently when you change his water(if you take him out..) if you don't then try changing his surroundings, some of mine love watching the pc screen :P
I think that depends on the type of food, that varies, because the reg size pellets, if I remember correctly said 1-2pellets, 2x a day, but for micro pellets, it says 3 pellets 3x a day..and unsure about flakes..but I use micro, and I give Sammy 3 in am, 3 at night, and a later in the eve snack (2) so he can make it thru the night, till morning..on weekends pretty much the same, been doing this now..for the past month..or so..and he is doing quite well..So yea, depending on size, and feeding directions..I'd go with that..:)
Agree with above posts- I feed my 15 bettas 2x/day, 2 pellets each. It's quite a routine. I do vary a litte with 1 blood worm or a pinch of brine shrimp for change. I don't particularly do a fasting day but occasionally they have to miss a feeding if I am not home.
Be sure to keep up with water quality and change water appropriately. The main reason the pet stores feed so infrequently is $ and b/c they don't do appropriate water changes for the size of containers.
As for clamping, I have 6 VTs and they show their fins differently, but when they lounge they droop them naturally. It is likely not clamping in your little guy:)
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