Betta not eating

[Daveman]

Hey,

Sorry I'm new here. I always wanted a betta fish and reading through here you all convinced me to finally get one and I'm so happy I did. I have Jethrow in a 5g tank with a heater, and little house and a plant, sorry not sure what it's called. I got him last Sunday and when I first brought him home i fed him and he was very happy to eat. Since then though whenever I put food into the tank he just swims up to it, kinda looks at it for a while and then swims away. I don't know what I can so he will eat and I'm getting worried since it's been a week. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!

[Jodah]

What kind of food are you using? I know my g/fs didn't want to eat for the first 4 days. Then he would nibble at the flakes we were using. Didn't start eating untill I got him some Hikari gold pellets.

[Daveman]

That's the same type of food I have actually. Every once in a while he'll go for the food but he'll spit it back out :(

[Irish Dancing Man]

I would say just try A different brand. Maybe he just doesn't like the food your giving him. Also, Are you feeding him flakes or tablets (i think thats what there called...) Because I first got my betta flakes, and he wouldn't eat them so I bought the tablet things and he eats those. So try switching brands and type of food.

[Myates]

Welcome to the world of bettas and congrats on getting bitten by the betta bug.

Could be a couple different reasons why he isn't eating.. he may of eaten when you first got him because he was starving- who knows how long it was he went without food.
You are feeding the Hikari pellets? If so, I would continue to try those for a bit as they are one of the better brands of pellets out there and make a great staple in their diet.

They can go a long time without food, so until he hits the 2+ week mark, don't worry too much- he will eat when he needs to if it's not health related.

Is there a way to get a picture posted of him to see him in case there is something else causing it?

For now, keep offering him the pellets twice a day (normally would feed 2-3 pellets per meal, twice a day for them). Eventually when he realizes there isn't going to be anything else, he'll go for them. After that you can introduce other foods. (I wouldn't try freeze dried foods just yet, as some love them, but they aren't nutritional enough to be fed as the main diet.. would wait until he establishes pellets as his main diet).. you can always try frozen blood worms and brine shrimp as well. But continue on with the pellets first.

A trick that has been known to work is using garlic juice. Either from the jar or crushed up fresh garlic cloves in a tad bit of water- soak a pellet or two in the juice mix for a few seconds before feeding them to him. Garlic is supposed to act as a hunger stimulant and often will get them eating. Doesn't work for every fish.. but if he is just being stubborn then it's worth a shot.

Is your tank filtered? For a 5 gal unfiltered tank you would be wanting to do weekly 50% water changes and once a month 100% water changes.. for filtered you would just skip the 100%s. Don't forget the water conditioner.. you may want to try a water change (if you haven't already this week) and then a short while later try feeding him.

Good luck, keep us updated on how he is doing.

[Daveman]

Thanks a lot I appreciate all the help and ya this betta is taking over my life lol not that I'm complaining I love the little guy. My tank isn't filtered and I did a water change yesterday so see if it would help at all. I'll try the garlic trick and get a picture. Thanks!!!!