Betta eating his poo

[Luna]

I've been feeding my betta cooked peas once or twice a week to keep him regular. So when he poops, it looks green. And he eats it! I know this because once or twice I've noticed he was midway through, and when I came back he was done and there was nothing in his tank. It's a glass tank with one layer of clear marbles on the bottom, so I can see if there is anothing on the bottom. He doesn't do this with his regular poo, just the ones that come out green. I usually clean the poo out as soon as I see it, but if I'm not around then he gets to it first. Can this habit hurt him?

[StickyGreen]

bettas dont need to be kept "regular". Normal pellet has fiber in it for regularity. but for the sake of a good laugh watching something dine on its own feces go right ahead

[Luna]

If I only feed him pellets he doesn't go for ages, and I'm not risking him getting constipated and dying, thank you very much. Any actual advice would be much appreciated.

[Falina]

Peas once or twice a week are a good precaution against bloat, as bettas can be prone to it. A varied diet more than anything else is what is important. A staple diet of flakes/pellets, ocassional peas, and a treat once a week of brine shrimp or blood worm is good. The fact that he accepts and eats the peas is a good thing, as many have difficulty getting their bettas to eat them in the first place.

While him eating his poo may seem disgusting, it won't harm him, so I wouldn't worry about it.

HTH

[miagrrl]

i agree, eating his poop is gross, but its probably not going to hurt him. he probably only eats is mistakenly thinking its more pea. and yes, feeding him some peas is good for him. any fish can get bloat- and we know in the fish hobby that an ounce of prevention is worth a pounf of cure! so go ahead and feed him peas, just remember to feed a variety- flakes, pellets, peas, etc. all fish benefit from a balanced diet.

[puff]

can bettas eat goldfish flakes? would it be harmful to give him that?

[Luna]

Thank you for the responses. Seems like I don't have to worry. Thanks!

[miagrrl]

to answer puff's question - bettas can eat any typical flake or pellet pretty much. the more variety the better!