PROBLEM! betta keeps eating the algae wafers

[WinnieTabz]

i have 2 plecos in a tank with my betta and my betta is getting bloated off of these algae wafers, anyone been through this? any solutions please and thanks

[Fishybitty]

I'm dealing with this also. If I put one in for my snail, the females find it. If I use sinking pellets for my cory cats. The females find it. I'm looking for some help also.

[waterdog]

Put the algae waffers in at night after the lights are off. Cats (plecos or coreys) are night feeders anyway and this will make it harder for the betta to find it!

[Otterfun]

yes, seems like my Fred eats the algae wafers for fun as in he chews and spits it out, just to harrass the snail?? Sometimes when Fred gets hungry, he would eat the little bits on top of the substrate.

I tried soaking the wafer which I break into 1/8" bits in a little cup using water from the tank. When the chuncks sink to the bottom of the little cup, I aimed at where the snail is and drop 2 or 3 of them next to the snail/amano shrimp. I have better chances if I do this at night. If I have the wafer in bigger chuncks, the snail would have a hard time holding/eating it and Fred would literally grab bits off the chuck from the snail.

[Option]

I wouldn't stress out about it. There are certainly worse things you would be dealing with....like NOT eating and being picky as most bettas are known for.

I'm currently dealing with a sorority of picky eaters right now: as some will eat flakes while others only eat pellets. So feeding time is an incredible task right now having to put a little bit of flakes and pellets, and then making sure each fish finds it's respective food. OMG....I wish they would all just eat an algae wafer!!!!

[WinnieTabz]

Thanks errone, i believe the night trick will work im gonna try it. Question tho is the wafer healthy for the betta?? What if i make it his regular food??

[majesticstorm]

No, bettas are carnivores, they need protein. They can't survive on algae.

[osromatra]

Not my betta, but my molly does this. I used a reed to tuck the wafer under a rock that she can't get to easily. Otherwise she pigs out on it, and not even mentioning how aggressive it makes her. She's like "This food is MINE!" and goes all Hulkamania on anyone who swims near.

One time though, I didn't tuck it far enough and she dug a wide enough rut out in the gravel and got to it. I was getting ready for school after I fed them. I walked by it on the way to the shower and didn't see her and thought, hmm, I guess she is hiding in the ship. Took my shower, came out, and out of the corner of my eye, I see a white flash in the back (she's silver). Yup, she'd dug a hole to it, and she was trying to eat it all sneakily. She'd nibble a bit, raise up over the rock, check if the coast was clear, and then go back for another nibble. She was FAT!

[Viva]

I have the same trouble when feeding my Cory Cats/Assassin Snails/Amano Shrimp. The assassin snails are harder to feed because they are carnivores as well and should be fed bloodworms/brine shrimp. I've started taking the algae wafers and crushing them into almost a powder (I put the wafer in a plastic baggy and crush it using a spoon). Then I turn the lights in the tank off and strategically sprinkle the crushed wafer in when my betta has his back turned. This usually works pretty well and I can do it with the NLS pellets too because they're small and blend in with the substrate. For a Pleco you can also feed it vegetables like zucchini squash and lettuce. Most bettas won't even want to eat the vegetables so they'll ignore it.

[Otterfun]

Originally Posted by WinnieTabz

Thanks errone, i believe the night trick will work im gonna try it. Question tho is the wafer healthy for the betta?? What if i make it his regular food??

no way, it gives Fred bloating and it is not nuitrious for him becuase he needs protein from meat.