Betta fish, which is also popularly known as “Siamese fighting fish” is a hot favorite of aquarium owners around the world. And it is primarily due to its striking shades that add a frenzy of colors to the mini under water life that people try to showcase in their homes in their little aquariums. Besides, the aggressive nature of these fishes, their ability to interact with people in close vicinity of aquarium and minimal costs involved in their upkeep and maintenance, makes them an ideal choice for keeping as pets in a home aquarium.
What do Betta fish eat?
A very important part of keeping the betta fish healthy is to understand the diet that would be most appropriate for betta fish feeding. Since these fishes are carnivores, it will be advisable to pick a diet that consists of pellets made from a variety of carnivorous foods. If you are buying this food from a mart, it is absolutely critical that you properly check the ingredients of pellets and flakes on the packing before buying them for feeding the Betta fishes you have petted in your aquarium.
If you are thinking about serving live food options for your Bettas, then a live brine shrimp or blood worms would be a great option. Another important aspect to keep in mind during betta fish feeding is the protein content of the food that you are picking for your Bettas. According to experts, the protein content in pellets and flakes being fed to these fishes should not be less than 40% under any circumstances. If these fishes are fed properly and provided with sufficient oxygenated water in the tank, they can easily last for 4 years and even longer, adding to the beauty of the aquarium they are being housed in.
What is the best food for Betta Fishes?
Since Bettas are the most preferred variety of fishes for petting in aquariums around households, the market is filled with a number of brands who claim to market the best foods for these fishes. However, there are 2 products that are truly worthwhile to buy, if you are conscious about feeding your Bettas with only the best. These are TetraBetta Plus Floating Mini Pellets and Hikari Betta Bio-Gold Baby Pellets Fish Food.
TetraBetta Plus Floating Mini Pellets
These are small and highly palatable floating pellets, which are ideally sized according to the stomach size of a Betta fish. They are loaded with the desired quantity of vitamins to give the best nutrition to these fishes, so that the immunity system of these fishes remains healthy and strong. These pellets are also high in protein and Omega 3 fatty acids, which is essential for promoting energy and growth. An added plus with these pallets is that they do not cloud the water in the tank if they are added to the water as per the given instructions.
Hikari Betta Bio-Gold Baby Pellets Fish Food
These pellets contain a scientifically developed diet for all types of Betta fishes found around the world. Their composition is optimally balanced to provide the Nutrition that is essential for Bettas to remain healthy and strong. The ingredients of these pellets are perfectly matched with the eating habits of Bettas in their natural habitat. These pellets too are ideally sized to allow easy nibbling and swallowing by Bettas and also don’t cloud the water if added in water according to the instructions for use.
How much do Betta fish eat?
It is also important that these fishes are not overfed. Since Bettas have a very tiny stomach only about the size of their eyes, over-feeding them could also prove fatal in many instances. That’s why; a safe bet would be to go with 3 pellets in the morning and 3 pellets at night for every Betta in your aquarium, and sticking to this pattern every day. A strict diet regiment is the only thing that would keep your Bettas hale and hearty through their entire life span.
Since the main problem with these fishes is that they do not know when to stop eating; they will go on gobbling up more pellets one after the other if you keep on feeding them. Sticking to a limited number of pellets would be the ideal way to go. It will be even better if the pellets could be soaked in water for a while before feeding to the fishes. This will allow the pellets to expand outside, and not inside the tiny stomach of your Bettas, which would save them from unhealthy bloating, obstruction in digestive process and bladder problems that could all prove fatal for them.
How often do Betta fish eat?
It is also important that these fishes are fed regularly by sticking to a proper routine through the day and night. Since every Betta fish would have different feeding habits than others, it will be better if you studied their eating pattern first and then chalked out a feeding routine that you could follow religiously without any breaks. For instance, if you could feed them once in the morning after you get up and once during the night before going to bed, you would set a trigger on the way your Bettas actually feed in the aquarium.
Sticking to a strict routine would ensure that the Bettas in your aquarium would be raring to go at the food every time you drop their serving during the morning and the night. Keeping a sufficient gap between feeding times will also allow your Bettas to digest the pellets properly before you arrive back with their next diet after a fixed time interval.
How long can Betta fish go without eating?
This is a question that comes in the mind of all the Betta owners who have plans to go out of town for a few days on a business or a pleasure trip. If your Bettas are used to a strict feeding routine, then they will obviously look for food when the next feeding time arrives. So if you are thinking of leaving them on the mercy of hunger, then it is quite likely that they might not survive a full week at the most. In such a scenario, you best bet would be to go for either automatic food dispensers or food blocks that slowly dissolve in the water over a period of time.
However, the problem with food blocks is that they are constantly dissolving in the water and that can seriously affect the quality of water over a period of time, which would be quite detrimental for the health of your Bettas. With automatic food dispensers however, you would not have to worry about the quality of water at all, and your Bettas too will get their food on time even when you are away with your near and dear ones on a family holiday.
Can Betta fish eat goldfish food?
If you are worried that somebody might have given your Bettas Goldfish pellets to eat while you are away, then you can definitely put your worries to rest now. The reason behind this is that Goldfish pellets are primarily made for fishes that are plant eaters, and since Bettas are carnivores or meat eaters, they are not going to be happy when served with a food made of plants. However, if they are served a vegan diet once in a while, it won’t do them any harm as such.
So you don’t need to worry about the health of your Bettas if they have been accidentally served with the Goldfish diet once or twice. But there could be reason for concern if this diet is continued for more than a week at a stretch, and you would definitely need to take action and ensure that your Bettas are not starved anymore and served a carnivorous diet as soon as possible.
Should you really go with Bettas for your Aquarium?
If you are looking at the best fish varieties to keep in your aquarium, then Bettas should be on the top of your list without doubt. These fishes make the perfect pets because they are quite sensitive to your movements and touch. And the wide range of striking colors they come in is simply a treat to the eyes. They don’t even require high cost care and maintenance, and can be a great addition to your aquarium for up to four years if handled with a little attention and care.