How to get a new fish to start eating?

[egracheva]

I have bought a new Betta yesterday, but he is completely uninterested in any food I'm trying to give him. Do you guys have any pointers on how to get him to eat?

Thanks a lot!

[Aus]

Don't worry about him not eating. It's pretty common for bettas to go off food for a few days, even a week or more, in a new tank.

Offer him a pellet at feeding time - of he doesn't eat, take it out. Just keep offering, he'll eat sooner or later.

You could try tempting him with a little bit of live food - but I just offer pellets until they eat.

[ihatefirewalls]

Bettas can be picky eaters, and may also be stressed from the new environment. A lot of space and warm, clean water usually helps.

If he doesnt eat in a few days you may have to try different types of foods, or feeding him by dropping food near his mouth. (I used a plastic-tipped syringe to drop food on his forehead near his mouth. I've heard of people using tweezers to feed blind fish.)

I wouldn't be too worried unless he has gone a week or so without food.

[Perseusmom]

What type of food are you trying to get him to eat ? When I first got my Betta he didnt like the flakes so I got the pellets and he loves those. Welcome to the forum and enjoy your new little guy, I just adore mine !

[MyRainbowBettaFish]

Welcome and congrats on your new friend! Bettas are wonderful fish! He probably isn't eating because he is stressed from his new environment. Keep all lights off in or by the tank (if you have them) do make sure he becomes more relaxed and adjusted to his environment. Try feeding him tomorrow or the day after that. If he still dosent eat, tempt him with some blodworms :)



http://www.Bettatalk.com

[Blue Fish]

I feel your pain. ;) I rescued a Petco boy almost a week ago...and he's still not eating. These are the things I've seen rec'd/been told to try:

- live food or regular food moved around with tweezers to tempt them
- pellets soaked in garlic
- blood worms or brine shrimp (they come both frozen and freezedried)
- flakes or pellets. Most seem more interested in pellets than flakes
- time to let them adjust
- and, betta can go almost a month without food. If he seems active and interested in his environment, he's just acclimating.
- make sure that he's going to the bathroom, if not, then you might try an epsom salt treatment just to make sure that he's moving along and that's not the reason he doesn't want to eat

If it makes you feel any better, my rescue boy Geoffrey had serious ammonia burns, but he's recovering and flares at his neighbor, swims around a bit, and doesn't clamp his fins or seem to have any other issues...he just refuses to eat. It's making me insane. ;) If you want to rant about the not-eating, feel free to PM me, I can totally commiserate with you. ;)

Good luck to you, and I hope he starts eating soon! :)

[Stonehenge]

My new beta has no interest in the pellets but he does love the freeze dried blood worms so I offer a pellet first and he'll tank it in and then spit it back out. So I go with the blood worms and he eats them right up.

[lelei]

What kind of pellets are you feeding? Most betta's are soo picky, and will really only go for Micro pellets, they are a higher nutritional value, and more flavorful, the Wardley ones, most bettas just won't eat em, blahh..they spit em right out..I know I have been there..lol..try New life Spectrum, or Hakari Gold, or Omega one..those are the better Pellets, and you will see an amzing difference!! Btw..Hello, and Welcome to the forum:)

[lelei]

Also just to make note, be careful with Freeze dried BW's they will expand and bloat your lil guy, they are really only meant for treats, not an everyday staple food.

[Silverfang]

I have never had a new betta turn down frozen bloodworms. That being said, you don't want to make this their only diet, it's far too rich. (Think of it as eating prime rib every day. Also different from freeze dried- there is much debate on freeze dried, some people claim it's like eating potato chips, others say there is nothing wrong with them.)

Omega one pellets, NLS (new life spectrum- go for the grow or small fish formula, they are micro tiny!) are both good options. I use four different pellets and frozen bloodworms once or twice week.