Best way to feed a sorority?

[WuGolfer07]

As some of you know i have a sorority that consists of 4 girls. I had some minor issues with the littlest girl not getting food/eating the food. But now i have another problem. How do i feed those girls with out 1 or 2 of them scarfing down the food before the others get a chance? I mean i drop pellets in and the girls go crazy, but 2 of em scarf the food down like they are NEVER fed. I drop more in and those same 2 gobble em up! So then the 3rd one and the littlest one are left with crumbs or nothing because the other 2 fatties steal the food before they get a chance to eat it. What else happens, is the other 2 chew and spit the food out and the 2 fatties shove them out of the way and scarf the food down! =[ i am about ready to give up on the sorority and give 3 of the girls away and keep one, because i do not want a bunch of stressed/starving bettas =[

[DragonFish]

You can try leading the piggys away to one side of the tank with a few pellets, then feed the others on the other side. If that doesn't work, you can always use the net and catch them each individually(keeping them and most of the net in the water of course, just separating them)and feed them that way. No competition for food, and you can regulate how much each gets. You can also get a plastic breeder box or two and pretty much do the same thing, if you want. The breeder box is also helpful if you have to fast someone for a couple of days. :)

[WuGolfer07]

wouldnt netting them stress them out to where they are not going to want to eat? from my experince, no fish likes being in a fish net. I tried to lure the fatties away, but the girls seems to know who i am and know when its feeding time and following me from one end of the tank to the other haha. I was thinking about the breeder box, but again, wouldnt going from a big area to a very small area freak the fish out to where it wont eat? I dunno, that's why i am asking. I did see this nifty little thing last night at petsmart calle the feeding ring. It stops food from floating around the tank. I think its a neat little device that sits on top of the water. you can suction it to the side of the tank. Would this maybe help if i got 2 of those?

[1fish2fish]

A feeding ring might work.. or the dominant females might just hog the rings.

I would either net or get a breeder box or a dip 'n pour and scoop the hogs out while feeding the others. It shouldn't stress them too bad and if you do it daily eventually they won't care. I dip my guys into cups all the time and they don't stress about it.. they're used to it.


I have yet to see a betta too stressed to eat unless it had an illness so I wouldnt' worry about that.

[WuGolfer07]

i have seen a stressed ( non-sick ) betta not eat haha

[DragonFish]

I've done all three of the methods I mentioned with my Sorority and I've never had problems with them being too stressed to eat if I simply net them and they remain in the water. Obviously they're a bit confused, but once they see theres food, all that changes Eventually they learn to associate the net or breeder box with food and it becomes a pleasant experience for them. Net=feeding time....and the #1 thing that motivates all fish IME/IMO is food. ;)
Bettas are smart though, I did have issues with trying to feed on opposition sides too They figure it out eventually, IME. Though its worked for some...

Feeding rings are neat little things, good fro training your fish, but it probably wouldn't help the bully issue much. ;)

[WuGolfer07]

guess i will have to try to net method haha... i hope trying to chase them down doesnt stress em out haha females are FAST!

[DragonFish]

Haha, aren't they? xD They're smart too, if they don't want to be caught....they don't get caught
Eventually though, you learn to be quicker and catch them before they even know theres a net in the water. ;) It just takes practice xD

[WuGolfer07]

all i can do is try. i'd hate the thought of any of the girls going with out =[

[WuGolfer07]

btw, i LOVE how my girls went from fatties to piggys LOL