Do fish have changing tastes?

[sharkweek178]

My betta used to love wingless fruit flies. Now he doesn't show much interest. He still eats his other foods. So it's not a loss of appetite in general. Do fish sometimes have a changing palate?

 

[Uberhoust]

I would say yes, but not because of any real knowledge. Every animal I have cared for seems to have food desire changes over time.

 

[GaryE]

Good question. I know some fish change their tastes with time - some algae eaters stop eating algae as they age. Others, as they get older and maybe lose their edge a bit seem to go for the easiest food - forsaking live for prepared. I doubt they'd live long enough for that in the wild.

They have taste buds - so I guess they'd have preferences.

 

[sharkweek178]

Good question. I know some fish change their tastes with time - some algae eaters stop eating algae as they age. Others, as they get older and maybe lose their edge a bit seem to go for the easiest food - forsaking live for prepared. I doubt they'd live long enough for that in the wild.

They have taste buds - so I guess they'd have preferences.

Now that you mention it... he doesn't eat his flakes as enthusiastically as before either. Everything else... Bug Bites pellets, frozen bloodworms and mysis shrimp, live grindal worms and mosquito larvae; he eats just fine. So maybe it's not a matter of taste as much as behavior. Maybe for some reason, he doesn't like feeding from the surface now.

 

[sharkweek178]

FWIW, my betta has started eating fruit flies again. He has started resting on the suction cup that holds the feeder ring in place. That's where he likes to hang out now. I was feeding him some Bug Bites one day. I saw that the area right by him was pretty clear of salvinia. So I dropped some right in front of him, outside the feeder ring. I noticed that he ate some right from the surface. Next feeding, I gave him some fruit flies in the same area and he ate them.
So maybe the issue was that he didn't like eating from inside the feeder ring. I have no idea.

 

[Archerfish]

I think so. My guess is they are like us and like a variety. The only fish I have really noticed this with is the Archerfish. The other fish species seem to like a variety but it is very evident with the Archer who goes nuts if a new kind of bug is introduced.