food

[BettaGirl]

My fish eats Betta Bites but I don't know how much to feed him. He always eats when I feed him but I wonder if it is too much when he eats all of the time. The directions say They will eat if they are hungry, but I think it is too much. What do you think?

[orrmk]

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Sorry...hit a wrong button and my first post didn't come through!

Bettas are hungry all the time....they are pigs!!

Generally, 6-8 pellets per day.
Usually feed 2-3 pellets/2-3 times a day.

I have Aqua Culture pellets and they are soooo tiny that my babies get 1-2 more per feeding. (Aqua Culture is a lot smaller than they used to be!) Most betta bites and pellets are a pretty good size that 2-3 per feeding is plenty. Bettas will totally eat as many pellets as you put in the bowl, but they don't need that many to be happy and healthy.

[Betta MVP]

Yes, the pigs of the fish world. They will eat themselves silly if you let them! Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think betta bites are a little smaller than Bio-gold pellets so you could probably give him a few more, whatever he eats within a few minutes time. Just make sure that he doesn't look like a stuffed sausage after he eats, if so, it's too much! lol

Here is a good link to Betta Talk about feeding your betta
www.bettatalk.com/food.htm

It's actually better to underfeed him a bit than to over feed him.

[ana]

no way, (referencing the bettatalk page) seriously if i fed my bettas all that they could eat in 2 minutes, they be so fat. i did overfeed at 12 pellets a day once because its supposed to be good for bad finnage, they gobbled those up easily in less time, all except one, hes very picky, 4 pellets and no more at a time, and i know that people skip a day, but i just cant, i wouldnt like it so i wont to them, they love feeding time, its special to both of us

i think betta bites are a lot smaller, i wish theyd say on the packages the recommended amounts, when i first got pellets i had no idea how much, i had to search all over to find an amount

[jedicat]

i used to feed wedge about 12 betta bites a day...4 pellets, at 3 feedings. i was feeding him like that for a few months. he did get big (he's long and chubby, but not swollen), but luckily he's never been constipated. i'm not sure if he would have gotten sick if i kept feeding him like that, but i don't want out first-hand! now, i'm feeding 8 a day, 4 at 2 feedings, and i feed bio-gold every other day, and a small pinch of blood worms the mealtime after water changes, and he gets fasted one day every other week.

[FishyYugi]

[glow=red,2,300]I just got a betta yesterday, and I bought a kit with everything in it. The food is Hikari, and I fed him at about 8:40 this morning, two pellets. I plan on doing that again at 12:00 and at 6:00. Does that sound good??[/glow]

~KT~

[Jenny]

The timing for that is fine, but you may want to increase one or two of those feedings to three pellets. I give mine 3, 2, then 3.

[ana]

any schedule is pretty good, theyre not very picky

try to spread 6 - 8 pellets per day over 2 - 3 feedings and he'll be happy, though i dont know betta bites, they are smaller, maybe go for 9 pellets a day?

[BettaGirl]

Well I was feeding 12 bites a feeding 2 times a day but he started to spit all of the food out at night time so he only wanted to eat in the morning. That is working great now that I only feed him in the morning so thanks for your advice. He now gets a few bugs at night when they are fliing around the lamp and fall in. ;D

[AuntieM]

I read somewhere about giving a pea to the betta to help with constipation and also they love them. I'm a little confused. Is this a regular pea like from a pod, or a defrosted frozen pea ... do you mash it up or cut it up? I just never heard of feeding fish veggies and I was wondering how it's done.

Geez, I'm learning something new everyday about these little beauties.

Ruby & Pearl are doing great so far. Now that they're in a bigger bowl (2.5 gal) they seem to have forgotten their differences and are getting along great. They even do a synchronized swimming thing that is absolutely wonderful to watch.

[BettaBGood]

AuntieM,

Regarding the pea - I take a frozen pea & warm it in a bit of hot water, let it cool, peel it & cut it into small, bite-size pieces. The pieces don't float, but my bettas run them down & snatch 'em before they hit the bottom. Have your turkey baster on stand-by for uneaten pieces. I have also split one pea between two fish if the first guy has had enough. Feeding peas to "first-timers" is comical, too! (Hip Hip for FREE entertainment!)

[AuntieM]

Thanks much for the Pea Feedback. I guess one frozen bag or box of peas should last a millenium. Too funny lol ;D