He Isn't Eating..? Help!

[Maws]

I got my male betta, Sakana, two weeks ago. I've been kind of concerned,
when I feed him, he ignores the food (I've been giving him pellets) and
I haven't seen him eat the two weeks that I have had him. But if he
hasn't been eating, wouldn't he have starved by now? I'm just confused
and worried...is there anything I can do??

 

[loraxchick]

fish can live a long time without food. but likely hes hungry by now. try flakes. perhaps he wasnt fed on pellets as a youngster and doesnt know what they "are". and flakes can be a fine staple for a betta. some frozen bloodworms are a good thing to try in the meantime unti lhe is eating staple food.
cheers

 

[Polley]

I got my male betta, Sakana, two weeks ago. I've been kind of concerned,
when I feed him, he ignores the food (I've been giving him pellets) and
I haven't seen him eat the two weeks that I have had him. But if he
hasn't been eating, wouldn't he have starved by now? I'm just confused
and worried...is there anything I can do??

I had a hard time with my betas when I first tried keeping them and noticed they very rarely ate (I had separate betas at different times, btw). I think the best thing to do is find out what food he was eating at the LFS that you bought him at and if he doesn't improve, maybe you need a different tank? How big is the one he's in now?

PS -- Iorax is right though, because I do know of some fish not "recognizing" pellets if they've only eaten flakes their whole lives. Like my fish now in my larger tank -- they have only ever seen flakes and the occasional bottom-feeder nutrient and would probably have no idea what to do with a pellet.

 

[keithp]

I would try frozen bloodworms or brine shrimp.