Betta Fish Forum banner
Cancel
Create thread New Forums

Dealing with a picky eater?

Jump to Latest
702 views 7 replies 6 participants last post by  hellobird  
#1 ·
I think I might have spoiled my new betta Floyd by feeding him thawed bloodworms the first time I ever fed him, because now that's all he will eat!

I've tried crushed and cut up NLS (he's quite small and can't eat a whole pellet), he's all keen to eat then I drop the pieces in and he just looks at them and me like 'what on earth is this rubbish' and swims off. Little bugger! I even tried to feed him a live fruit fly but he turned his nose up at that too.

I don't think he's stressed. Sometimes he'll nibble a pellet but then spit it out. I thought he could be blocked up but the bloodworms stay down fine and he sucks them up like spaghetti.

Could he just be a picky eater? If so, how do I deal with it? Is tough love the best way to go?

At the moment I'm giving him a few bloodworms every 3-4 days and trying pellets twice a day. He eats some of the crumbs but nowhere near enough. I'm afraid he'll become underweight in time and get sick.

Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk
 
#2 ·
Tough love may be the best way you can go. Unless he's sick, he'll eventually figure out that pellets are food.

Things you can also try:

1) soaking the pellets in garlic juice

2) soaking the pellets in the bloodworm juice

3) making your own pellets with mostly bloodworms for the first batch, then gradually switching out to store pellets. Someone did this - ground up various frozen stuff with store pellets and baking it to pellet consistancy. The second batch had less frozen stuff added, and continued until the betta was eating normal store pellets.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Hallyx
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
#3 ·
most of my guys did this. Vincent most recently. Currently I'm away from the tanks so they're not being fed but I'm pretty sure mr. Vincent is gonna be hungry cause he hasn't really eaten much substantial food since I got him. Only a few bloodworms
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
#4 ·
Usually they're not picky; they're spoiled! Stop the bloodworms and offer him a pellet two or three times per day. Remove if he doesn't eat it. Keep doing this until he figures out that's all he's going to get.

When he starts readily eating the pellets you can offer him a bloodworm for diversity in his diet.
 
#5 ·
He's still not eating pellets or flakes :-( I don't know what I can do to get him eating! He seems to only want food that is 'wriggling'... Is there any live foods available in Australia that I could feed him. It's starting to get too cold in Victoria to grow mosquito larvae. Maybe I could try catch some fruit flies?

Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk
 
#8 ·
+1 Russell. Bettas won't let themselves starve and they can easily go more than a week without eating. Stop offering the bloodworms/mosquito larvae and only offer pellets. He will get hungry enough to eat them after he realises the treats aren't going to be offered if he doesn't eat his dinner first. ;)
 
Betta Fish Forum
posts
1.8M
members
120K
Since
2006
A forum community dedicated to Betta fish owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about breeds, health, behavior, tanks, care, classifieds, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
Betta Fish Diseases and Emergencies Betta Fish Care Betta Fish Bowls, Habitats, and Accessories Betta Pictures Betta Chat