eating only when I'm not looking?

[stephanier]

Does anyone else have bettas that won't eat if you're in the room? I have been putting food in my betta's tank before I go to work in the morning and before bed at night. I used to find his food either still floating in the same spot or in the filter, so I knew he wasn't eating. But now,when I get home from work, or when I get up in the morning, the food is gone and it's not in the filter. So, he must be eating it when I'm gone. I'm curious if this is a common practice among bettas.

[KevinPham123]

How long have you had the betta? if you just got it, it might be just adjusting to the new environment and is cautious of you atm.

If not, it could just be your bettas unique personality haha.

[stephanier]

I've had him for almost 2 weeks now. It's so funny; it's like he knows when I've left for work or go to sleep. If I just go upstairs to get ready for bed and come back down, the food is still there lol.

[Pilot00]

Its probably his personality or the fact that he doesnt know you well enough yet. How did he reacted when he first saw when you were looking at him before purchase? Some bettas have an affinity for certain people.

Those fish are clever. When he sees me and my father always 'dances' and comes on top despite the fact that only my father feeds him. Whereas he promptly ignores my mother altogether despite been around the tank most of the time.

What type of food do you give him? The little guys are selective eaters. Mine was given pellets and he promptly spit them out and turned to face us with a disgusted look. Then swam around the plants for half an hour or so not even touching the blood worms thrown at his tank, an act i would guess to be out of spite. He ate the blood worms after his ego was satisfied worrying about him.

It's so funny; it's like he knows when I've left for work or go to sleep.

Well the fact that he pays attention to your daily routine means that he pays attention to you. Thats a good sign. He either prefers seclusion while eating or the food is not the best for his tastes and he doesnt want to encourage you keeping throwing the same at him.

[magnum]

Maybe you should try fasting him for a little while, just to encourage his attitude to eating when your around. I know Stu is a really slow eater, and takes his time. Some fish just like to look and inspect before they eat.

I would also suggest maybe just getting a variation in his diet, it might entice him to eat if he see's your the bringer of yum foods!

[toad]

The male I rescued a week ago from Walmart is doing this - he's the only one in the crew who won't eat while I'm watching. I wasn't sure he was eating at all, until this morning - I dropped the pellet in, and watched from the other side of the room. When I am by the tank he ignores the food, and when he thinks I'm not looking, he eats it. Weird fishy.

[Pilot00]

I wouldnt call it weird to be honest. Its a character trait. They just value their privacy it seems. In the last year that i got into pet keeping/loving/raising, i have noticed from pets things that seem crazy. Yet its all part of ones character really.

[shellieca]

I've had Bettas who wouldn't initially eat floating pellets but I'd see them snacking off the substrate if I made the food sink. Once they start eating the floating pellets, I drop a pellet make sure they eat then drop another. Doing this one at a time pellet system helps me see how much they will eat & lets me know they are eating. Berry took about 2-3 weeks after I got him before he ate well & for a while he wouldn't eat anything other than freeze dried blood worms. My girls on the other hand, they're pigs disguised as fish.