Recent picky eater

[InfiniteGlory]

I picked up Glory II on 31-Dec-12 from petsmart. He is a DTHM with plenty of spunk and great looking fins but a skinny body when viewed from the top. He can be seen in my avatar.

For the first few days he was eating Top Fin Color Enhancing Betta Bits and the occasional Top Fin Freeze Dried Medley (daphnia,mysis shrimp,bloodworm). I had the Betta Bits and some TetraFin Goldfish flakes from our last betta, Glory. I would have to rotate the food since he would get bored of the same food every day and not eat.

a few days ago he seems to nibble on the green pellets and then spit them back out. After a few times he gives up. He won't even go near the red pellets at all. Occasionally he bites a daphnia/shrimp/worm and does the same, nibbles and spits it back out then gives up. I tried the flakes and he just looks at them confused for a moment then swims away.

If I see food still floating in the morning or when I get home I will take it out and wait a few hours before trying again. I assume that if I don't see something he as either finally eaten it or it has sank to the bottom.

Do I need to try another brand or type of food? Something frozen or live? He seems to hunt and peck the glass beads like he is bottom feeder. Is this normal or do I have a 'special' fish

[majesticstorm]

Most bettas dislike flakes, hence why yours stay away from them. Please don't feed your betta goldfish flakes since their diets are very different. I'm not sure what's in the goldfish flakes, but I do know that goldfish are herbivores while bettas are carnivores, so the fish food should cater to the type of fish it is meant to be given to.

Personally, I think that New Life Spectrum betta formula is the best betta food. They use really good ingredients instead of those wheat "fillers" so your betta won't get bloated as easily. Garlic is also an ingredients so it makes the pellet even more appealing to the fish. My betta hasn't gotten tired of it, and I've been only feeding that to him for over a month. Omega One is also a good brand.

[InfiniteGlory]

Our previous betta was fed them not knowing what I know now. Plus it kept him eating when he got bored of the pellets. I thought I would try it just to see if he would eat something. When I get home I will get rid of the flakes.

I have heard nothing but good things about NLS and Omega pellets and may pick some up. my current bottle of pellets seem like they should last until the end of eternity. Is there a way I can make them more appealing before I throw them out?

quick question about the Omega brand. they make a flake and pellet style for betta's, is either one OK to use or should I just stick with pellets?

[majesticstorm]

Um, I heard that soaking the pellets in garlic juice will make it more appealing, so maybe you can try that?

Um, I think that both the Omega pellets and flakes are fine, but I would stick to the pellets since they are more likely going to eat that. Plus, you know exactly how much you've fed your fish, as opposed to flakes, which are different sizes. But it's up to you. :)

[InfiniteGlory]

OK. thanks for the help. I will try soaking a few pellets in garlic and see what happens. If there is no change then I will go to Petsmart this weekend and pick up some Omega Pellets.

[InfiniteGlory]

I tried soaking a few pellets in some mashed up garlic cloves and they were still floating in his tank this morning, 8 hours later. So I hate to invest in NLS or Omega just to have him ignore those too.

One thing I have noticed is that he is stubborn and will not eat anything from the surface now. At first he did then his mind changed. He is always searching the bottom of the tank like he is looking for something. The occasional pellet that does sink is swallowed and chewed then spit back out. Once the pellet hits the bottom he just leaves it. There are about 10 pellets all in the glass beads on the bottom

I may try and add sand and see if that helps him find his food after it sinks so it stays up where he can beter get to it. Not to mention help my plants. Anybody have any other ideas? If I look down at him from the top of his tank his head looks way larger than his body. So he is eating something to survive because his energy level and curiosity is very good.

[Gen2387]

Awww picky eaters... They're so hard to please. I had a betta that didn't eat ANYTHING except his pellets. He was really healthy, in good shape but refused anything except pellets. I tried frozen bine shrimps, frozen blood worms, flakes, different brands of pellets but he would only go for the Betta Bio-Gold Pellets by Hikari... he was weird. LOL!

[InfiniteGlory]

Gen2387 do you think a simple change in the pellets will make him eat again? I'm afraid since he has no interest in eating from the surface that no matter what i put there he will not want it.

[shellieca]

Have you tried crushing them up? I've had Bettas that at 1st wouldn't or couldn't eat a whole pellet of the Top Fin, I'd crush them up & they'd eat the smaller bits. Plus some of the pieces would sink & they could scavenge if they preferred. I switched to NLS because they're better quality & so far I've not had any issues even with new Bettas. One of my males gets Omega One flakes because he can't eat pellets for so,e reason.

[InfiniteGlory]

I will try and crush them up. As for him scavenging on the bottom I have large glass beads and the pellets can easily slip out of his reach. I am thinking about adding some sand to help make it a more uniform bottom and for my plants too.

I am torn between NLS and Omega since I can pick up Omega at Petsmart and I would have to wait on the NLS to arrive in the mail.