Betta Not Eating

[kingsnake2]

It been a week and 2 days since I bought my betta at petco and he still won't eat.

So here are his conditions:

Cage-

+1 Gallon
+Small pump (runs hour a day or so)
+light on 16 hours a day
+Little cold (about 70F)
+No natural sunlight

My room cant be warmed up ( dorm, no control over thermastat). So I try to keep his light on a lot to keep it warmer and have a towel wrapped around his cage at night.

I'm trying to feed him pellet like things. Since he's not eating I've only been putting 3 or so in.

He seems fairly happy. Blows little bubbles, usually swims around (although been less active the last 2 day).

So any suggestions, questions, etc?

 

[Azaeil]

Try different foods like flakes, freeze-dried bloodworms, and frozen bloodworms/brine shrimp (they're cheaper than you think for a pack that'll last you a few months in the freezer for one betta!) Bettas can be very picky on what foods they will eat, but they will almost always favor the frozen foods. None of mine are picky, fortunately, so if I run out of one I can feed them another type of food, or comfortably send them off to a wanting owner and know they'll be fine on something like flakes.

I'd say 3 pellets is too much for him, 1-2 a day is more the proportion size, they don't have very big bellies and some pellets will expand in water, which can cause temporary (and if not treated with a few days of fasting or a de-shelled pea for fiber - rarely fatal) bloating from a clogged digestive tract. I usually feed my fish a hefty meal of bloodworms or brine shrimp every 2-3 days. Just enough for them to be a little heavy in the belly.

 

[kingsnake2]

Try different foods like flakes, freeze-dried bloodworms, and frozen bloodworms/brine shrimp (they're cheaper than you think for a pack that'll last you a few months in the freezer for one betta!) Bettas can be very picky on what foods they will eat, but they will almost always favor the frozen foods. None of mine are picky, fortunately, so if I run out of one I can feed them another type of food, or comfortably send them off to a wanting owner and know they'll be fine on something like flakes.

I'd say 3 pellets is too much for him, 1-2 a day is more the proportion size, they don't have very big bellies and some pellets will expand in water, which can cause temporary (and if not treated with a few days of fasting or a de-shelled pea for fiber - rarely fatal) bloating from a clogged digestive tract. I usually feed my fish a hefty meal of bloodworms or brine shrimp every 2-3 days. Just enough for them to be a little heavy in the belly.

So, where might I get some of that stuff? Would walmart have it?

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

He would benefit from a heater and filter as well

 

[loraxchick]

id say its the cold water. they are tropical fish and need warm water. as it gets colder they eat less and it can contribute to a wide range of health problems. waterchanges should be performed no less than twice a week if you have no filter. feed 1-2 pellets every other day.
cheers

 

[kingsnake2]

Mk, is it possible he is eating behind my back and just shy? For the last few days the towel and light have kept the water warmer. Every now and then he even chases food falling to the bottom, I've just never seen him eat it.