Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Feeding the right amount
• Part 2 of 3: Selecting the right food
• Part 3 of 3: Avoiding the wrong food
• Tips
• Warnings

Betta fish are perfect for the aquarium, at home or at the office. They are easy to care for, more active than most human-kept fish, and of course they are just beautiful too. Bettas are carnivores. So you should give them food that contains meat, and not the dry, vegetarian pellets that are fed to other tropical fish. Understanding your betta fish's diet and how to properly feed it can help keep it alive for a long time.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Feeding the right amount

1. Give your betta an amount of food about the same size as his eyeball. The betta's stomach is about the same size as its eyeball, so you shouldn't feed it more than that at one time. That means about three bloodworms or brine shrimp, or, if you give them granules, about 2 to 3 soaked granules at a time. It is best to feed the betta once or twice a day.
   • It is best to soak dry food (such as bloodworms) before feeding it. This is because some foods can expand in the betta's stomach when they are dry.
2. Feed less if your bettas are not eating. If your fish is not eating all of its food, give it less. If you normally give four grains per fish, try to stick to three grains for a while. If you find that the fish is eating quickly, you can go back to four grains per fish.
3. Remove any leftover food from the water. Uneaten food can attract bacteria, which is bad for the water quality and the health of the fish. Especially when a fish eats spoiled food, this can cause problems.
   • Use a net of the same kind that you can use to remove excrement from the water or transfer the fish to another tank.
4. Feed regularly. A betta fish should be fed every day, or at least almost every day. Feeding twice a day with about the same amount of time in between works best. If you keep a betta in the office and you can't feed it on weekends, that's no problem as long as you feed it every day during the week. Don't forget to fast your fish one day a week - that's good for him.
   • A betta only dies after about two weeks without food, so don't panic if you don't eat fish for a few days because it is sick or has to get used to a new home. However, it is never good to test his limits and see how long your betta can go without food!
5. Feel free to vary! In the wild, bettas hunt a variety of small animals. Feeding your betta the same food over and over for a long time can weaken his immune system and cause him to lose his appetite.
   • You can change the type of food as often as you want. At least once a week, try to feed the betta something different than you normally do.

Part 2 of 3: Selecting the right food

1. Give him worms. Several species of waterworms form the core of the betta fish's diet in the wild. The most common worm is the blood worm, which is available live, freeze-dried, frozen or in gel.
   • You can also use roundworms (tubifex), which are usually sold frozen in blocks.Live roundworms often carry parasites or bacteria and are therefore better avoided.
   • The best live worms are white worms, gravel worms and black worms.
   • These worms are available at most major pet stores.
2. Feed him insects. You can use both live and frozen insects. The best options are Daphnia (also known as water flea) and fruit flies.
   • These insects are available at most pet stores. Non-flying fruit flies are often sold live in pots for reptiles, but they are also suitable as fish food. Shake a few in a plastic bag and place in the freezer for a few minutes. This causes the insects to slow down. Then quickly toss them into the tank. You can remove uneaten flies with a scoop net.
3. Feed him other things. There are many types of frozen meat suitable for bettas. You can feed brine shrimp, bait shrimp, or frozen beef heart. These are available at most major pet stores.
   • Oil and protein-rich meat such as beef heart can contaminate the aquarium and is therefore best used as a rare treat.

Part 3 of 3: Avoiding the wrong food

1. Do not overfeed your betta with dry food, such as dried granules, flakes, or freeze-dried food. Certain fish foods are touted as good for bettas, but indigestible fillings or lack of moisture can still cause digestive problems.
   • These granules absorb water and expand in the fish's stomach, growing to two or three times the size. Some bettas react badly to this and can develop constipation or bladder disorders.
2. Let dry granules soak. If you only have dry food available, soak them in a glass of water for a few minutes before feeding them to your betta. This causes the granules to expand and reach their final size before the betta ingests them.
   • Do not overfeed your betta and give him smaller portions when you notice his belly expanding. If your betta is continuously fed up, it is better to switch to live food.
3. Do not blindly follow the instructions on the packaging. The packaging of fish pellets or flakes often says "give your fish what it can eat in 5 minutes or feed it until it stops eating." This does not apply to betta fish. Their instinct is to eat as much as possible because in the wild they don't know when they will be able to do so again.
   • Overfeeding can also lead to poor water quality and cause obesity.

Tips

• Keep your betta in a larger tank (not in a bowl!). This will make it easier to clean up leftover food and waste, while also providing plenty of room for your fish to thrive.

Warnings

• Avoid feeding your bettas to insects found in the wild. They can carry diseases.