I Have A Feeding Issue With Taz

[Tangerinefizz]

Taz is one of my office betta's that I brought home for the holidays. He is a voracious eater, never turns a Hikari pellet down, or bloodworm treats. He has been known to enjoy a pea or two on occasion.

Here is my problem. Last week, I ran out of Hikari pellets. I could not find any in our LFS, so I settled on another brand. (nutrafin) Mohican, my other office betta, is eating those, but Taz will NOT touch them. He quite simply turns his nose up at them. He is not eating bloodworms, though he did eat a pea. His behaviour hasn't changed, his water stats have been great (I've been obsessing and had tested them as often as 3 times a day since this started)

I managed to find Hikari pellets yesterday, but the little booger is still turning his nose up at them. He simply is not eating. I'm getting worried. His normally pudgy-ish belly is looking thinner and I'm afraid he's starving himself to death, not knowing that the new pellets falling from the sky are his favorite.

Today I moved his little 1 gal tank over next to my 35 gal tank in the hopes that maybe seeing other fish swimming around might entice him to eat. No luck yet but he is pretty curious.

Any advice from our sage experts, or anyone? I really love this little guy. He *was* a white dt girl from Petsmart, who turned into a very handsome black and rust red marble dt male.

 

[wuvmybetta]

it would be a severely stupid fish that would let himself starve over pickyness...or maybe he's too smart for his own good?!

How long do you let the pellets float? I'd just leave them for a few hours and see what he does. Surely he wouldn't let himself waste away before going to investigate what's floating at the top.

 

[Tangerinefizz]

That's what I'm afraid of - that he's so handsome he's lacking in the smarts department.

To answer your question, I left his pellets in all afternoon and evening until bedtime. Then they were removed for lights out.

I re-fed him this a.m. at 8:30 a.m. ( I try to keep their feeding schedules on "office" time so as not to confuse them) and the pellets are still there. I will remove them now after this post and re-feed him at 4:30.

I hope he's not stupid.

 

[liz2]

Have you tried putting a mirror next to him so he flares...then whilst he is active move the mirror and put a pellet in he might eat it so the other one dont get it.

 

[Glod]

Bettas are known to be picky at the best of times, it could be something as simple as he's stressed at a change of scenery. If he used to eat hikari no problem and he's not now then I'd watch him for any other signs of illness. He may be off his food because he's feeling a bit off colour. A few days with no food isn't a major problem, he can probably go 2 weeks with no serious long term effects, but if it goes more than 4 or 5 days I would be concerned.

If all else fails try some live bloodworm... never seen a betta refuse it.

 

[matty101]

hope everything goes well...if he turns his nose up, keep poking at it