Tempting New Bettas to Eat

[bunnicula]

I know that these things take time, but is there anything that you can do to try to tempt a new betta to eat?

I've been trying to feed him freeze dried blood worms (that's all that the fish store feeds their bettas ) around 2 times a day (I have tried pellets a couple of times as well, but I thought that it would be easier to get him to eat something that he would recognise). I just put one in the aquarium, wait to see if he'll take it, and when he doesn't take it, I remove the uneaten worm. He doesn't even seem to notice or care about the food (he's run into the food a couple of times and didn't pay any attention to it).

When should I start to be worried?

[abm]

Hi bunnicula,

If you've read other posts, you know that getting new bettas to start eating can be challenging I had one who flatly refused to even pretend interest in any food for 10 solid days. On the 11th day he gobbled the worm like he did it every day of his life, and he's been fine ever since:)
Most people use 2 weeks as the outside for really panicking about not eating....I think you're doing the right thing, just offer the food, wait a few minutes, then remove it if he doesn't eat it. Resist the temptation to try 16 different foods in succession....all that will do is dirty the water and confuse the fish. You might try pellets for a couple of days, even though they look different, they can float a little longer and if you walk away from the tank he'll have a little longer to check it out before you need to remove it.

How long has it been so far?

[Minaku]

My new fish just started eating two days ago, and that was after one month of refusing food.

So cheer up! It's not bad, just have patience and always remove the food if it's uneaten. My girl refused food for three weeks.

[cellogirl]

But do you really want to eat them? ;D

[bunnicula]

I got him on Sunday (in the late afternoon), so it hasn't been that long. It still makes me nervous though...how can they survive without eating for so long?

[Rachel]

cellogirl said:

But do you really want to eat them? ;D

Hehe...I thought that too when I read the title.


bunnicula - Have you had any luck with him eating yet? Just like any animal, fish are able to go a certain amount of time without eating as a survival tactic. Since bettas are carnivores they tend to be a bit picky *and stubborn* at times when it comes to trying new foods.

[bunnicula]

No.

[bunnicula]

My fishie ate! He just ate about 4 pellets. He seemed to have a hard time eating them though. He put the smaller pellets in his mouth, chewed them, spit them out, then put them in his mouth, and chewed them some more until they were gone. Then, there was one larger pellet (Wardley brand) that he tried to put in his mouth but couldn't so he just chewed on it a couple times.

I guess he's feeling better!

[abm]

Some people cut the larger pellets in half with a razor blade before offering them...you might try that and see if he's able to eat them better. Or you might try Aquarian pellets, which are very small and very well liked, at least by my crew
Congrats on getting a little food into him!