Feeding and the 3 second rule???

[fav74]

We bought our first Betta 2 days ago and I have question about the 3 second rule. We are feeding small amounts once in the morning and once in the evening rotating 2 different brand pellets and he has had 1 feeding of freeze-dried bloodworm's. I know you are suppose to remove what he doesn't eat in 3 seconds from the aquarium to avoid problems. With that said here is my dilemma when the food hits the water he is very attentive he swims to the center of the tank heads up watching briefly then he will swim and take cover in the plant. There he waits until the pellets start to sink then he dashes over and grabs it then returns to the cover of the plant. He really seems to enjoy this but he misses some pellets and some he will just watch sink. Now there are several pellets laying on the bottom in the gravel which i will remove during the weekly water change gravel vacuum. I am wondering if I should add a few more pellets because of the ones he misses and if I should throw out the 3 second rule for him. Which I sure I will end up doing. Another thing is the bloodworm's he would put them in his mouth and spit them back out several times before eating them. Is this normal?

I ques on a good note had a large bubble nest in the corner above his plant this morning.

Have a good day and stay safe!

[DormDrax]

Originally Posted by fav74

We bought our first Betta 2 days ago and I have question about the 3 second rule. We are feeding small amounts once in the morning and once in the evening rotating 2 different brand pellets and he has had 1 feeding of freeze-dried bloodworm's. I know you are suppose to remove what he doesn't eat in 3 seconds from the aquarium to avoid problems. With that said here is my dilemma when the food hits the water he is very attentive he swims to the center of the tank heads up watching briefly then he will swim and take cover in the plant. There he waits until the pellets start to sink then he dashes over and grabs it then returns to the cover of the plant. He really seems to enjoy this but he misses some pellets and some he will just watch sink. Now there are several pellets laying on the bottom in the gravel which i will remove during the weekly water change gravel vacuum. I am wondering if I should add a few more pellets because of the ones he misses and if I should throw out the 3 second rule for him. Which I sure I will end up doing. Another thing is the bloodworm's he would put them in his mouth and spit them back out several times before eating them. Is this normal?

I ques on a good note had a large bubble nest in the corner above his plant this morning.

Have a good day and stay safe!

May still be a REAL novice myself but Drax seems to like to wait with food as well. He also shreds everything... (Flakes) lets them sink a few inches, then dives into them and eats what he can then swims off.

[fav74]

He really seems to enjoy this and I am pretty that their natural diet in the wild doesn't just sit still on the surface waiting to be supper. Everything that i have read seems to make a big deal of the 3 sometimes 5 second rule.

[fav74]

"pretty sure"

[Jupiter]

Feeding your betta according to how much they eat in x amount of time doesn't really work out because they are such piggies.

Keep in mind that a betta's stomach is about the same size as its eye.

So that being said, most people feed their betta 4-6 pellets during the day. 2/3 during the morning, and 2/3 at night. Bloodworms are fine, but should only be given once or twice a week as a treat.

[TaylorW]

Lol, I'm pretty sure the 3 second rule was made by food companies that want you to waste more food and spend more money :P

It's the number of pellets you offer that matters, not the amount of time... I would really clean all those wasted pellets off the bottom as soon as possible. They'll make your water dirtier and your betta might eat them off the bottom and get sick.

My betta has learned to pick food off the bottom, I wouldn't be surprised if your's was eating it when you weren't looking!