Feeding moths!

[Jorjor2]

I've recently discovered another fan favorite as far as live foods go. Moths! My dad killed a pantry moth a week ago(we have a moth problem in our pantry, there always trying to get at the cereal boxes, so we see alot of them) and dropped it into Red's bowl and I sat back and watched, thinking he'd peck at it a couple times and then loose interest, shockingly he went up to it and wolfed it down like it was nothing! how such a big bug could fit into such a tiny mouth with so little effort was beyond me lol. He really seemed to enjoy it. His belly didn't even look very full afterwards, so lately this week whenever I see one flying around I wait till it lands on wall, scoop it up with a napkin and toss it in and they gobble it up. I've dropped some other kinds of bugs in there in the past such as flies and ants, and they've always rejected both.

Would you give the ok, to this? they seem to really like them it doesn't seem to have any problems digesting them.

[trilobite]

I did it all the time. Moths would be attracteed to the lights and drop into the tanks where te bettas are waiting. They loved it and it was fun seeing them try and rip parts off like sharks.
As long as the moths havent been poisoned or anything then go for it

[Bambi]

The issue with feeding wild insects, as stated, is youdon't know where they have been and they could be poisoned.

You;re in LA, i live just north of you(literally just on the other end of the metro) so,my suggestions are:
petsmart- buy either a flightless fruit fly culture or some of the smallest live crickets they have. my bettas LOVE these.
Local pet stores- live bloodworms. mostplaces i've foudnd that have reptiles will have these ^^

these are live food your bettas will love to chomp on and they;re safe to feed.

[Oldfishlady]

Since all my tanks are open top-like trilobite posted- I get all kinds of bugs that will be drawn in by the lights and fall in the tank...its pretty neat watching the Bettas and other species of fish-track the bugs over the water until they fall in....mine eats all kinds of bugs and aquatic critters I add to the tanks.....I have noticed that the moths will leave a bit of wing dust behind but this has never caused any problems.....

But as Bambi stated.....you do have to be cautious with feeding native critters around the house, however, if the critters is alive it most likely will be safe-you don't want to feed dead bugs or bugs that appear to be struggling since that could mean they could have gotten into a toxic substance.....

[SnowySurface]

I freak out a bit when I find a bug anywhere near my tanks. My apartment complex uses pesticides on the lawn, so I can't trust any of the local bugs. To be honest, I don't know what's worse. The bugs that drive me crazy, or the chemicals that are used to kill them. T_T

[nel3]

are pill bugs safe for the betta to eat? i have a planted pot and a few pill bugs live there. iuse normal water and i did use powdered fertilizer (mixed with water) to fertilze the plants 2-3 times in the past.