Selective Eating Habits

[smadi278]

So previously I posted that my Betta simply won't eat his "Top Fin" pellets and didn't eat for a few days. Some of you kindly suggested varying his diet by introducing something else so I got home "Top Fin Freeze-Dried Bloodworms"; he literally loves them and goes wild everytime I feed him the bloodworms. One problem, he simply refuses to take the pellets anymore and only eats when I feed him the bloodworms; he swims up to the pellets, looks at them and just continues swimming making me have to fish the pellets out.
I've been thinking I want to try a classical conditioning experiment on him where I wont feed him for a couple of days to ensure that he's hungry then I'll feed him the pellet, he will initially refuse them but will learn that he must eat the pellet to survive, once he eats the pellet ill follow with some bloodworms; ill repeat this a few times; he'll begin eating his pellets expecting bloodworms to follow; eventually ill stop feeding him the bloodworms after the pellet and only provide the bloodworms as an occasional treat.
What do you guys think of my experiment?? Nerdy, I know!

[Flashygrrl]

Nope, just starve him and make him eat the pellets otherwise you run the rick of him getting "bound up". Teach him to eat peas while your at it. He might hate you for a while but he'll get over it :)

[JMeenen]

Mine are picky too..but I only give them frozen Bloodworms or Beefheart or boiled eggwhite as a treat once a week..friday Night...treat night..usually I give them a variety of flakes and a pea... different ..they can taste so they can taste so they like or dislike different things. Try a variety but don't overdo the meat...they get constipated

[missfish1996]

I say it's a good plan
I actually just "switched" foods like i got two different brands czuse my betta seemed sick of the old kind and the first time i gave him the new food i had to follow with the old food but now he likes bothh woo!