Okay For Betta To Eat Cat Food?

[wodesorel]

I've been supplimenting my snails' diet with cat food. (Seven cats, so I have plenty.) And the darn betta that always refuses betta food just loves cat food!

Should I just be thrilled that he's finally eating something, or do I panic that he's eating the wrong stuff? (If he's not eating cat food, he's eating snail poo - no, not kidding.) He won't touch betta pellets, and I've tried six brands so far.

They snails get a rotating combo of Iams Multicat Salmon and Chicken, NutroMax Lite Chicken, and ScienceDiet Indoor Cat Formula. Chicken meal, fish oil, fish meal, corn, wheat - the usuals - with vitamins.

So am I horrible to let him eat it, or should I just let it slide?

 

[pica_nuttalli]

sorry if i'm contradicting something someone else has told you, but catfood? i'd not put that in a tank myself, especially if a primary ingredient is oil--which can form a barrier on the water surface and interfere with a betta's breathing.

if your betta isn't eating betta food, why not just use that to fatten your snails?

 

[wodesorel]

I have one snail that's the size of my fist... betta food isn't even an hor'deorve.

Besides if you read the ingrediants on fish food, there's fish oil in that.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

i was thinking "pond snails"

i'm still not convinced on the catfood since ours has always seemed like nasty oily stuff, but if you have it on good authority... if its ok to put in the tank, then its probably ok for the betta to eat it.

 

[happyannie]

I'd like to know about cat HAIR. No matter how careful I am when changing out water I STILL see a few kitty cat hairs floating in the water. The other day one of the girlies ate one before I could scoop it up. Will the next thing be hairball remedy for Betta?

 

[starrynightxxi]

if its okay for the snails it's probably alright for the betta, but i'd be careful of the ingredients. bettas don't need lots of salt or preservatives ('course niether do cats or snails )

 

[liz2]

I'd like to know about cat HAIR. No matter how careful I am when changing out water I STILL see a few kitty cat hairs floating in the water. The other day one of the girlies ate one before I could scoop it up. Will the next thing be hairball remedy for Betta?

we all eat OES dog hair in this house

 

[Rynoah]

I dunno about cat food, but cat hair has not seemed to cause any damage to my bettas, and they've eaten a strand or two. I wouldn't recommend it as a regular thing, but your girl should be fine if she's just eaten the one strand.

 

[happyannie]

I probably have a hairball liz. Off topic here sorry.

editted fore spellink

 

[wodesorel]

I've been finding one cat hair in every meal since I was 10. I'm sure the bettas and the snail are feeling the same way by now.

Yes, I double checked with some breeders on the cat food for snails question. They use dog food in their snail biscuits, but a few who have cats do use dry cat food.

Unfortunately, it's the only thing the rescue betta will eat at the moment. I'm hoping to ween him over to betta food, but he just won't eat any of it.

I just wanted to make sure it wasn't going to kill him immediately.

Thanks!

 

[starrynightxxi]

I just wanted to make sure it wasn't going to kill him immediately.

 

[Loko17]

Haha, well put.