Betta Not Eating?

[Ifti]

Got my first Betta yesterday morning.
I havent seen it eat at all.
Today I fed it some Tropical Flake food, which is what the store told me to give him, and he took a bite, then spit it out and carried on his business!!

Do I have the right food? Or will he just eat when he's good and ready?

 

[Noahs ark6]

it takes fish a few days to get used to their (hopefully large) tank, he'll start eating in the next 3 days

 

[Ifti]

Cool, thanks

The tank is a 48 litre - just the Betta and a couple of Dwarf Cory's - plenty of room for him to explore....

 

[Noahs ark6]

Cool, thanks

The tank is a 48 litre - just the Betta and a couple of Dwarf Cory's - plenty of room for him to explore....

 

[fuzzynicki]

I'm sure your new baby will start eating soon. It can take a few days for them to settle.

 

[Ifti]

Cool - tried to hand feed a little as he was near the top of the tank. He seems to bite at the food and take it, but then spits it back out!

 

[Noahs ark6]

Cool - tried to hand feed a little as he was near the top of the tank. He seems to bite at the food and take it, but then spits it back out!

i'd give it another 2 days and if its still not eating after that, post another message on here

 

[tropicalfish16]

My brand new betta did the same thing! I'm assuming it is normal behavior.

 

[marieukxx]

Yeah mine didn't eat the first day. It's fine to wait a few days

 

[Ifti]

It ate a little bit today!
It was at the top of the tank a little while ago, and I usually feed around 6pm daily, so I got a cloths peg, clipped some flake food onto it, and held it in the tank for a while, being careful to stay still. It picked at the food as usual, but I didnt see it spit as much out. Seemed to come back for more food 2-3 times, and I gave very small pieces so I didnt overfeed him!
Any bits he dropped down were quickly picked at by the Albino Cory's at the bottom

Having 1 Betta and 3 very small Cory's - how much should I be putting in? Just a couple of well sized flakes?

 

[clgklg]

Also, Betta (as well as lots of other tropical fish) tend to gulp flakes and then spit them back out to break them down. While they are 'chewing' the small piece they broke off they spit the rest of the flake out and then they go back for more. I'm not sure if that is what yours is doing or not but if so then he is eating fine. Also, are you only feeding the Cory's the flakes that fall to the bottom? I have always fed my Cory's a wafer once a week, I have two Cory's so I break my wafer in two and drop them at night so the Betta wont try to go after it. I felt so bad one time when I did drop it in during the day and the Betta went after it....that Cory was willing to fight over it, and lets just say the Cory won. You picked great fish mates, since if you have an extremely grouchy Betta the catfish are like armor. Anyway, I just wanted to point out that by the time the flake gets to the bottom it has very little nutritional value.

Good luck,
Katie

 

[Ifti]

Thank you for your comments.

He likes to spend time at the rear of the tank mostly, but at 'dinner time' he comes to the top front of the tank - almost like he knows thats what Ive come for! Sometimes I put my finger on the glass and slowly move it around and he'll follow my finger for a while! lol

Anyway, he ate much better today so all is well. I like to use a plastic cloths peg to hold a single flake, and then keep it very still as I dangle it in the water. he seems to like this as he eats the food etc. Is this giving him bad habits??? If i just drop the flake in he doesn't seem as interested - he likes to pick it off of the peg!! lol Its almost like he waits around for me to poke the food in and feed him!

Any bits he spits out, or fall down, the cory's go for, so they are keeping the tank nice and clean

Today he looked a little fat, so maybe I fed too much. His tummy is bulging a little so he's definitely full! he wanted more but I though that was enough. e must have had 2-3 flakes.
Is this too much? If so, should I not feed him tomorrow to compensate, or should I continue to feed daily, but only 2 flakes, for example?

I also have small Tropical Pellets that i was told Cory's like - should I add a few of these for the Cory's as well daily?

 

[marieukxx]

I crush up the flake in my fingers over the open tank and sprinkle it in. Mine doesn't like big flakes. Also Betta Pellets are very good and they bring out the colour of the betta. You just drop a couple in and they are the perfect size for your betta to gulp in one go.

Yeah you gave too much I did that once too. You'll get used to it. They really don't need hardly anything at all. One flake is enough. If he's bloated up I'd leave him a day now to clear out before feeding him again. Fish don't need to eat much.

 

[clgklg]

He sounds like he eats like a shark LOL! It is really easy to overfeed corys so be careful or you'll ruin your healhy water.

 

[Ifti]

I'll look for some Betta pellets - would like to give him a varied diet!