# Are all betta's like this?



## Betta splendens (Nov 30, 2006)

Hi, I have a betta (betcha didn't know that!) and ever since I got him he hasn't eaten much of anything-at all.

When I feed him I try everything. He doesn't like live food. He doesn't like flakes. The only thing he does like is the sinking flake ball things (about a millimeter in diameter) and he only eats 2 or 3 of the little things after much coaxing. All the food's settling on the bottom and polluting the tank...

Before I had any experience in fish keeping my friend revieved a betta in a bowl-vase thing from the church. It had a big plant in it and they said the betta just ate the algae off the roots or something.
My point to the story is, do bettas just not eat much? Or is he just filling up on the live plants in his 5 gal or something? Both?

Do all you other betta owners have the same problem? What do you feed them if they acually eat much?

Thanks,
Betta splendens


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## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

They have tiny stomachs and don't eat much. They are carnivores and should not be starved to the point that they eat plants. Those vase setups are cruel.


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## Ringo (Apr 10, 2006)

All bettas are differant with their personalities. My betta is the exact oppsitie of yours, he doesn't ever stop eating it seems like.

How long have you had this betta? Often when bettas get to their hew home they won't eat, or eat that much food at all for a few days or even weeks.


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## Betta splendens (Nov 30, 2006)

I've had him for a few months now. He used to have a larger appetite but not he's just that enthusiastic. 

He's healthy and oh so beautiful, but I just worry-he's my first betta acually.


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## SueM (Jan 23, 2004)

get some Garlic Guard at the LFS, a couple drops in the tank daily will help stimulate his appetite, you can also soak his food in it, its a natural attractant and will also help if he has internal problems.


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## Christine (Nov 4, 2005)

Whats the temperature of his water?


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## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

Instead of Garlic Guard, you can also just use fresh garlic. Just slice it up and soak the food in a little tank water with a piece of garlic.


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## Willow (Mar 20, 2005)

Bettas will be sluggish if they're too cold. The temp should be at least 76 degrees, 78-80 would be best. You can buy smaller heaters, but a 50 watt will be fine with a 5 gallon tank. I had a 25 watt heater in my 5 1/2 gallon tank, but it was running all day just to keep the temp at 78, and I was afraid it would burn out, so I upgraded to a 50 watt, which is working just right.


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## Betta splendens (Nov 30, 2006)

I have no clue what the acual temp is, the only thermometer available to me is that type that has colors depicting the temp, it has white for too cold at the bottom, then yellow for 'you're pressing it', then green in the middle for 'ok' then yellow again for 'getting a tad too warm' then at the top is white again for too hot.

the bar's always on green, and I try to keep it constant.


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## anasfire23 (Jan 19, 2005)

Have you tried fasting him for a day? Most people who keep betta's fast them for one day a week. And my suggestion would be after u fast him for that day feed him a live (or frozen live) food. If he's hungry enough he'll eat it and that way get a taste for it. Also try giving him the inside of a cooked pea, he may be constipated and not wanting to eat more coz it makes the problem worse. 

GOod luck


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## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

You need to get a real thermometer. They're under $2 so there's no excuse not to have one.

I feed my bettas usually once a day, every other day. The vast majority of fishkeepers tend to overfeed their fish.


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## Betta splendens (Nov 30, 2006)

Boxermom, yes there is an excuse. Like I said, any other type of thermometer is unavailable, and ordering one online isn't really possible either. 

And to my knowledge, he hasn't eaten for quite a while. If I try floating flakes he'll go up half a cm from the surface then get bored. If I try sinking food or live food it's like he's blind to it even if it falls on him. 

Well tomarrow I'm going to release some brine shrimp and let them swim around, hopefully he'll eat them....


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## Christine (Nov 4, 2005)

Even walmart sells glass thermometers... You probably could get one wherever you got that brine shrimp.


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## Betta splendens (Nov 30, 2006)

Christine why do you contradict me so? My parents are in the american military so we now live in Germany (where there's a base, and don't go calling me a liar with stupid beliefs about the military-its no big deal if i tell you wer it is) where the nearest big fish place, or even the nearest FS that carries saltwater fish, is probably in berlin or munich, the latter if which is 9 hours away.

And people, not only do they not sell fish or fish stuff at wal-mart in europe (at least not in germany) but even if they did they're closing it down over here! So the only thermometer available is on the base at the BX (the shopping place), but the ones on the economy where I get the livefood and fish have the exact same type! So what do you want me to do? Swim accross the atlantic for a thermometer that tells exact temperature?? 
At least I have one where I can moniter the rise and drop of the temp, even if I don't know what exactly it is. 

Now I appreciate the help, but when fingers are pointed when there's really nothing I can so, what can I do?


SueM/Boxermom, unfortunately all the garlic did was stink up the water, and the area around my tank. Is there a specific way to soak it? Because he's not attracted to it at all.


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## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

You don't add the garlic to the tank, although some people do feed their fish fresh garlic. You put some of the tank water into a small container and put the garlic and food in it and let it soak for 5-10 minutes. Then pull the food out and feed the fish.


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## Betta splendens (Nov 30, 2006)

Alright I'll give that a try right now.


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## Christine (Nov 4, 2005)

> where there's a base, and don't go calling me a liar with stupid beliefs about the military-its no big deal if i tell you wer it is


All that because I suggested you try getting one where you got the brine shrimp or at walmart) You're whacked out.


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## (RC) (Jan 18, 2005)

Lets not let this turn into a personal battle. The thermostat you have that just shows the color will work for your betta. Keep it in the green and you'll be ok. I've kept Bettas in 74 deg fish rooms and 84 deg fish rooms with great success. The thing is to keep the water close to the same temp all the time and to keep it clean. We all just want to keep the fish we have healthy and there are many different ways to do that so listen to everyone and use what works best for you. You get advice that is just totally wrong you can be pretty sure someone here will point it out.


RC


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## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

sometimews a nice water change helps too. 
try and keep the food he doesn't eat off the tank bottom. Can you get a plastic turkey baster?
You can use that to suck out the sunk food.


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## Willow (Mar 20, 2005)

Are you sure the BX doesn't have glass or metal aquarium thermometers? I grew up Navy, mostly in Japan, and I remember the BX had basic aquarium supplies-----nothing fancy, but they did have thermometers, heaters, filters, and filter media. Maybe the BX there is different, or they changed since I was last at one (12 years ago). 

Anyway, most catalogs and online retailers will ship to APO/FPO addresses for the same shipping price as domestic. Although some things can't be shipped overseas, you'll definitely be able to buy a thermometer and a filter from an online retailer such as http://www.drsfostersmith.com/ . I order from them all the time for all of my pet supplies, their products are great, and the price for shipping is reasonable. Awesome customer service, too.


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