# Best and Worst Foods for Bettas



## Flare

I've been doing some research about good and bad brands of food for bettas, so I thought I would post what I have found, and information about whether all of the popular brands of food are really good for bettas or not.

First of all some Definitions

Fish Meal - "Fish meal is the clean, dried, ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish or fish cuttings, either or both, with or without the extraction of part of the oil."

Basically meal is ground up, dried out parts of the animal that are not considered human grade. They are higher in salt but lower in protein and nutrients then whole meats would be. 

Foods that contain just "fish meal" are not good, foods that contain more specific items like "Antarctic Krill Meal" or "Herring Meal" while still not as good as whole fish, are a much better option then those that contain just "fish meal"

Foods that contain whole meats and not too many fillers are going to be much better for your bettas then foods that contain meal and lots of fillers. 

Now I'll post some popular brands of betta food, and their ingredients. And put the title in Red if the food is low quality or bad, Purple for neutral and Green if the food is a good choice to feed to your fishie! 


*Atison's Betta Pro*

*Description:*
Ocean Nutrition’s Atison Betta Pro is highly regarded among Betta splendens keepers. In the aquatic food business of today, aquarists are spoiled for choice. Out of the multitude of generic feeds, many have been specially tailored for specific fauna, and the Betta Pro is one of them.

*Ingredients*
Pure brine shrimp embryos | wheat flour | vitamins (stabilized ascorbic acid, vitamin E supplement, niacin | thiamine mononitrate | folic acid | calcium pantothenate | riboflavin | menadione sodium bisulfate complex | Vitamin A acetate | pyridoxine HCL | Vitamin B12 supplement | Vitamin D3 supplement, biotin) and preservatives (calcium propionate, ethoxyquin).














*New Life Spectrum Betta Pellets*

*Description:*
New Life Spectrum Thera-A Regular Formula is a hormone-free, color enhancing formula. The non-medicated anti-parasitic formula helps fend off parasites. An excellent diet for newly acquired fish and brood stock. Formulated for all types of omnivore, herbivore and carnivore tropical fish. Spectrum food is made with high-quality easily digestible krill and herring protein with all-natural color-enhancing ingredients for a balanced diet that boosts immune system function and enhances the full spectrum of your fish's color.

With the belief that all fish require a complete and fully balanced varied diet, New Life also contains algae meal, that consists of seaweed, kelp, and haematococcus pluvialis (a micro algae), a premium grade of natural spirulina, as well as a fruit and vegetable extract that consists of spinach, red and green cabbage, peas, broccoli, red pepper, zucchini, tomato, kiwi, apricot, pear, mango, apple, papaya, and peach.

Our premium line of fish food is made in the USA, in an FDA approved state-of-the-art facility. All of the ingredients used in New Life Spectrum premium fish foods are thoroughly analyzed and certified, ensuring only the highest grade of quality and purity in each and every container of our food.

*Ingredients:*
Whole Antarctic krill meal, whole herring meal, whole wheat flour, algae meal, garlic, soybean isolate, beta carotene, spirulina, vegetable and fruit extract (spinach, red and green cabbage, pea, broccoli, zucchini, tomato, red bell pepper, kiwi, apricot, pear, mango, apple, papaya, peach), vitamin a acetate, DL alphatocophero (E), d-activated animal sterol (D3), vitamin B12 supplement, thiamine, riboflavin supplement, pyridoxine hydro-chloride, calcium pantothenate, L-ascorby-2-polyphosphate (stable C), choline chloride, copper proteinate, ethylenediamine dihydroiodide, cobalt sulfate, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate.














*Omega One Betta Buffet Pellets*

*Description:*
The fresh seafood ingredients in Omega One are particularly attractive to Bettas, since they thrive on higher protein foods. The cold water marine proteins and fresh omega fats in Betta Buffet micro pellets make it a nutritional must for all Bettas. With natural pigments in salmon skins for vibrant colors. Additionally, the protein binder in Omega One, which is not water soluble, results in a much cleaner environment, especially in a small tank. Never clouds water!

*Ingredients:*
*Whole Salmon, Halibut, Shrimp*, Wheat Flour, Wheat Gluten, Fresh Kelp, Astaxanthin, Lecithin, L-Ascorbyl-2-Phosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Natural and Artificial Colors, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Folic Acid, Biotin, Inositol, Tocopherol (Preservative), Ethoxyquin (Preservative). 













*NutraFin Max Color Enhancing Betta Flake Food*

*Description:*
A highly nutritional formula that contains freeze-dried blood worms for maximum palatability and natural sources of pigments to enhance brilliant betta fish colors.

*Ingredients:*
Krill, fish meal, fish protein concentrate, wheat flour, corn meal, squid meal, oatmeal, wheat gluten meal, dried seaweed meal, soybean flour, oatmeal, wheat gluten meal, dried seaweed meal, soybean flour, soy protein concentrate, fish liver meal, dried yeast, salmon oil (ethoxyquin used as preservative), cochineal extract, squid liver meal, shrimp meal, vitamins (cholecalciferol, biotin, d-calcium pantothenate, folic acid, inositol, niacin supplement, riboflavin-5-phosphate, calcium inositol, L-ascorbyl-2-monophosphate, vitamin A acetate, thiamine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin E supplement, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K activity), yeast extract, fructooligosaccharide, lecithin. 

**Contains whole krill and not just meal which is good. But it's a flake food and it can be more difficult to get bettas to eat flakes instead of pellets*












*Top Fin Color Enhancing Betta Bites*

*Description*
A unique floating betta formula with added natural color-boosting ingredients to help brighten the color and enhance the beauty of your betta fish. Betta Color Enhancing Bits are fortified with vitamins and minerals for complete nutrition. This unique floating pellet simulates natural feeding behavior and contains natural color enhancers, including red algae and spirulina. Feed as a supplement to standard Betta Bits or feed exclusively for maximum color enhancement.

*Ingredients:*
Fish meal, shrimp meal, soybean meal, wheat flour, corn gluten meal, fish oil, squid meal, yeast, calcium propionate, rice bran, proteinase enzyme, garlic, brine shrimp, astaxanthin, spirulina, red algae, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate, vitamin a acetate, choline chloride, a -tocopheryl acetate, niacin, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin, thimain mononitrate, biotin, pyridoxine HCl, folic acid, d-activated animal sterol, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin K3 supplement, inositol, calcium iodate, dicalcium phsophate, copper sulfate, sodium selenite, cobalt chloride, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, magnesium sulfate, manganese sulfate.














*HBH Betta Bites*

*Description*
Nutrient-packed, color-enhancing fish food for Bettas. The micro-pellet diet improves Betta health, growth, and coloration.

*Ingredients:*
Fish meal, wheat flour, soy flour, fish oil, brewers dried yeast, squid meal, soy lecithin, krill meal, l-ascorbic acid phosphate (source of vitamin C), choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, niacin supplement, astaxanthin, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, thiamine mononitrate, biotin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, manganese sulfate, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, copper sulfate, sodium selenite, potassium iodate, ethoxyquin (preservative), propionic acid (preservative), red 40.














*Aquarian Floating Pellet Food For Bettas*

*Description*
This floating pellet food is a complete and balanced diet, specially formulated to meet the nutritional needs of Bettas. Fortified with vitamins, minerals and spirulina, it brings out the Betta's natural, vibrant colors and the protein rich formula helps promote the growth of long, beautiful fins.

*Ingredients:*
Wheat, soybean meal, fish meal, ground corn, soy protein isolate, shrimp meal, canola oil, dehydrated alfalfa meal, rice bran, dicalcium phosphate, spirulina algae meal, brewers dried yeast, l-ascrobyl-2-polyphosphate, chitosan, vitamin A acetate, d-activated animal sterol, dl-alpha tocopheryl acetate, vitamin B12, riboflavin, d-calcium pantothenate, niacin, choline chloride, menadione dimethylprimidinol bisulfite, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, folic acid, iron sulfate, zinc sulfate, manganous oxide, copper sulfate, cobalt carbonate, ethylenediamine dihydriodide, calcium carbonate, rice hulls, mineral oil, Red 40, ethoxyquin.













*Aqueon Betta Pellets*

*Description*
Aqueon foods contain only natural ingredients and contain no artificial colors. The colors of the foods are attributed to the actual ingredients in the formula, and help to bring out the natural colors in your fish, while keeping them energetic and healthy. Aqueon Betta Pellets contain shrimp and other ingredients that bettas love, and are the perfect size to prevent overfeeding. Formulated so that fish will utilize more of what they eat, creating less waste. Premium ingredients that naturally attract fish, support a healthy immune system, bring out their true colors and provide the essentials for proper growth and vitality.

*Ingredients:*
Whole Fish Meal (Whole salmon, herring & other mixed fishes), Whole Wheat Flour, Soybean Meal, Shrimp Meal, Whole Dried Krill, Wheat Germ, Corn Gluten Meal, Fish Oil, Squid Meal, Garlic, Natural Astaxanthin, Dicalcium Phosphate, Dried Yeast, Choline Chloride, Calcium, Propionate (a preservative), L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Vitamin A, Acetate, Cholecalciferol (source of vitamin D3), Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Niacin, Menadione Sodium Bisulphite Complex (source of vitamin K activity), Folic acid, Thiamine, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (B6), Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, DL-Alphatocopherol (E), Manganese Sulfate, Cobalt Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate













*Hikari Betta Bio-Gold*

Description:
Hikari Betta Bio-Gold enhances the natural brilliant colors of your betta and will help prevent color fading. It’s a completely balanced diet with vitamins added for healthy growth, including vitamin C which is important in reducing stress and fighting off disease. The floating pellets will never cloud the water and disperses evenly. Dispenser package allows you to control the amount of food you feed, helping to prevent overfeeding. All Hikari brand fish foods are manufactured by highly automated and specialized equipment using only high quality ingredients.

Ingredients:
Fish meal, wheat flour, milt meal, Antarctic krill meal, gluten meal, clam meal, cuttlefish oil, soybean meal, enzyme, garlic, monosodium glutamate, dl-methionine, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, menadione sodium bisulfite (source of vitamin K), thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, calcium pantothenate, biotin, inositol, niacin, choline chloride, folic acid, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (stabilized vitamin C), manganese sulfate, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, magnesium sulfate, cobalt sulfate, calcium iodate, aluminum hydroxide.













*Tetra BettaMin Tropical Medley*

*Description:*
BettaMin is a nutritious, high protein diet that helps promote color and fin development. This specialized combination of small, thin, red flakes and freeze dried brine shrimp is formulated to maximize acceptance and intake. BettaMin does not cloud the water.

*Ingredients:*
Fish meal, ground brown rice, torula dried yeast, shrimp meal, wheat gluten, dried potato products, dehulled soybean meal, fish oil, soybean oil, algae meal, sorbitol, lecithin, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (vitamin C). Artificial colors including red 3. Ethoxyquin as a preservative.













*TetraBetta Floating Mini Pellets*

*Description:*
Our TetraBetta Floating Mini Pellets are a nutritionally balanced, premium food that has been specially formulated for Bettas. This highly palatable staple food contains precise amounts of select vitamins and nutrients that help support a strong immune system.
Enhanced with added Omega-3 fatty acids for energy and growth and the new patented, health enhancing ProCare blend for optimum health
Does not cloud water
Contains color enhances to keep your Betta's brilliant color

*Ingredients:*
Wheat flour, fish meal, wheat gluten, potato protein, corn starch, soybean oil, corn gluten, shrimp meal, dried yeast, monobasic calcium phosphate, lecithin, algae meal, yeast extract, ascorbic acid (source of vitamin C), inositol, niacin, a-tocopherol-acetate (source of vitamin E), riboflavin-5-phosphate, l-ascorbyl-2-phosphate (stabilized vitamin C), choline chloride, d-calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, pyrodoxine hydrochloride, vitamin A palmitate, menadione sodium bisulfite complex, biotin, cyanocobalamin (source of vitamin B12), cholocalciferol (source of vitamin D3), manganese sulfate, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, cobalt nitrate. Color Includes: Bixin, beta-carotene, canthaxanthin. Ethoxyquin as a preservative. 
Easy to use and store, slide feeder makes dispensing food a breeze














*Wardley Premium Betta Food*

*Description:*
Nutritious ingredients specially blended for bettas. Extraordinary color enhancement is achieved from natural ingredients.
Floating mini pellets will not cloud the water.

*Ingredients:*
Fish meal, whole grain wheat, shrimp meal, soybean flour, brewers dried yeast, wheat germ meal, wheat gluten, fish protein concentrate, fish oil, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate, crayfish extract in soybean oil, iron oxide, vitamin premix containing (wheat middlings, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, B12 supplement, riboflavin supplement, niacin supplement, calcium pantothenate, menadione sodium bisulfite complex, folic acid, pyridoxine HCI, thiamine mononitrate, d-biotin), choline chloride, marigold petal extract, canthaxanthin, ethoxyquin (as a preservative).


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## Ghost Knife

I always fed mine the Top Fin color enhancing bits and he loved them. He lived for nearly 3 years so I don't think there was anything wrong with the food.


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## Flare

I am simply showing which foods have better ingredients, and which foods may not have the best ingredients. A dog can eat pedigree their whole life, doesn't mean that it's the best choice out there for it


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## Ghost Knife

Flare said:


> I am simply showing which foods have better ingredients, and which foods may not have the best ingredients. A dog can eat pedigree their whole life, doesn't mean that it's the best choice out there for it


So is Top Fin good or bad?


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## Flare

It's not one of the top brands, it's not too bad, it does contain fish meal which isn't good, but it also has shrimp meal so it has a little more protein then some of the brands that only contain fish meal


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## lohachata

*BETTA BLASTS by Neptune Aquatics*


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## Schwartzy61

I was going to say, anything related to Top Fin, Tetra, or Wardley should be left to collect dust. I can buy Wardley flakes at my grocery store....rofl. NLS is an optimum product, and really promotes color enhancement. Pricey but worth it.


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## Schwartzy61

By the way, excellent post Flare.


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## lohachata

is there any actual scientific studies to back up what you are posting here ? for any kind of difinitive accurate evidence of the posted statements there would have to have been some pretty exhaustive side by side comparative studies performed..
stating that specific ingredients are bad relyy need to be backed up by solid evidence...
not just some hobbyists opinion....unless they might be an aquatic nutritional biologist...and even then i would want solid proof to back them up..
"fishmeal" does not eliminate the use of the whole fish.."krill meal" is dried ground whole krill...i know what krill meal is...i sell it...i also sell what is considered to be one of the top 3 fry foods in the world....it is dried and ground....it costs me over $165.00 per pound for the micro powder....but because it is dried and ground up you may not consider it to be of any quality at all....

flare.....not trying to be unkind to you...just want you to make "accurate" statements backed by scientific evidence...


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## pj1218

i feed my bettas the omega one flakes and they love it  when ever i walk to the tank and they see me opening their lids they dart to the top and just wait for it


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## lohachata

i have questions..
please explain the difference between krill meal and whole krill meal...
if fish meal has whole fish . why is whole fish better than fishmeal ?
what are you referring to when you say whole meats ?

some of your statements are a bit contradictory...i am not a nutritional expert ; but i have been selling high quality fish foods for several years.....

do you really think that these food manufacturers would put a product out on the market that was bad for your fish ? 
i have some food for betta fry that will make them grow faster and will enhance their colors.....only 1 ingredient.........but it costs $15.00 per ounce......


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## iheartfish:)

OOOOOOHH OOOOOOOH OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What's the secret ingredient?


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## Guest

I like the Atison's Betta Pro, cause that's the only one I used. The 60g last me about 2 last.
Cause I drop the contains 2-3 time during those yrs n lost ton of it. Lol 

I just order 7 60g contain from the man himself, so if anyone like a contain ill be please to sell you one or two. I will sell them for $5 each plus $5 shipping.




I heard Hikari Betta Bio-Gold is pretty good. But cost a bit to much.


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## Flare

lohachata said:


> i have questions..
> please explain the difference between krill meal and whole krill meal...
> if fish meal has whole fish . why is whole fish better than fishmeal ?
> what are you referring to when you say whole meats ?
> 
> some of your statements are a bit contradictory...i am not a nutritional expert ; but i have been selling high quality fish foods for several years.....
> 
> do you really think that these food manufacturers would put a product out on the market that was bad for your fish ?
> i have some food for betta fry that will make them grow faster and will enhance their colors.....only 1 ingredient.........but it costs $15.00 per ounce......


I'm sorry, I was just trying to help... I have more research to do, I guess I shouldn't have posted anything until I was totally done. 

I don't know the difference but I read some place people saying that foods containing fish meal aren't as nutritional as foods that contain more specific meals like arctic krill meal, or even better foods with whole fish (not meal, which is not human grade) like the omega one does. 

I don't think they're bad for the fish but just like dog and cat food there are brands that are cheap and low quality and brands that are higher quality and made with better ingredients.


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## lohachata

when a dried fish food is made ; it is made with dried fish that is ground into a powder....
a word of caution my friend...when researching ask pertinent questions...especially when that somebody talking is not a real professional...i have heard a lot of people bash others foods because they think it is too costly or too hard to find or they just can't get a good deal on it.......
i sell Plecocaine...it is the name i gave a very high quality food...it is great for all fish...but i never tell people that it is a good staple food...to me ; there really is no such animal as the "perfect staple"....Plecocaine is great for bettas...but not as a staple...it is designed as a food for fast growth of young fish and for priming females for breeding..it is also great to feed 3-4 times a week along with a variety of other foods..
when looking for what to feed your fish you really need to study that species food chain...
all fish are omnivores..or at least almost all.....yet we call them herbivores or carnivores or piscavores...most all carnvores eat fish or animals that are more herbivores..that is how they get the veggies they need...

don't be sorry...you are doing fine..just keep researching...and like EMC said...don't worry too much about the ingredients...look at the guaranteed analysis....


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## dolifisis

Thanks for posting this. I have a new betta that refuses to eat pellets. My plan was to feed that as his staple and give something richer as his treat. I've had him 10 days now and he has only eaten 1 pellet, 1 time. I finally broke down and give him some blood worms before he killed himself  I'm going to read through this to picking a good daily alternative in hopes he likes it. If anyone has suggestions please give your thoughts.


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## hXcChic22

If you can find live brine shrimp, I've found bettas go nuts for them, as a treat. They enjoy the hunt 

We usually stick with tetra foods. We recently got some wafer flake (it's little discs). They are a lot easier to regulate the amount fed because they're bigger, and our betta likes to "stalk" them from underneath then come up and grab them.


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## lohachata

i stopped using live foods years ago..for a number of reason...one being just to costly to feed a couple thousand fish...but mainly because if they get too used to live foods it is hard to get them to take other foods..same thing with frozen foods...
i condition my fish to eat whatever i feed them..but everything i feed is of high quality and nutritionally beneficial to them... i am not currently keeping any bettas...but their dietary requirements aren't any different than many of the species that i do keep..

doli......don't worry...your betta will not kill himself...or starve himself to death...quit feeding him for 3 or 4 days...then offer flakes or pelletsif he doesn't eat them , wait another couple of days and try it again...


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## dolifisis

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack this thread. He's already gone way over 3-4 days without eating & I was starting to feel like a bad parent. I have a feeling the seller I bought him from conditioned him w/high protein/richer foods to enhance his colors or prepare for shipping and now the little bugger is spoiled and testing me! I bought flakes today. He did eat a few and spit a few out so at least I had better luck w/those than I did pellets. I tried to add a pic of him to my sig but it's not letting me


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## lohachata

doli...PM me your shipping address and i will send you a sample of Betta Blasts....see how he takes to it..


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## adamxatomic

This thread has a lot of good info.
I keep my bettas on a "strict" diet. Pellets every Mon, Weds, and Fri. Frozen baby brine shrimp every Tues, and Sat. And freeze dried blood worms every Thurs. Fast on Sunday.

Since freeze dried blood worms can cause constipation, I don't usually give them a lot. While frozen baby brine shrimp act as a natural laxative which helps to keep them from getting constipated>bloated> dropsy. One day a week I'll fast them to let their digestive system rest. As far as pellets, I'm not too picky and neither are they.
Every once in a while when I'm not looking they will snatch up a ghost shrimp and swim around with a guilty look on their face afterwords.

I don't recommend putting ghost shrimp in with Bettas until they (Bettas) are a good size. They can choke on a ghost shrimp and end up drowning. (Had it happen to one of my CTs)

I'd be interested in trying a sample of some of your Betta blast lohachata.


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## emc7

I've been reading about cat foods lately. They say that some of the expensive brands that use "whole chicken and whole fish" actually have less protein the the one that use fish meal and dried, ground up chicken parts. The whole chicken has a lot of water and bone that, if subtracted, would cause the chicken to fall down the ingredient list. So the whole "Meat is the first ingredient" thing is just marketing hype. Salty fish meal is a concern for cats with kidney problems, but no so much for fish. 

I like to see vitamins on the list, but they are the least stable ingredients and you can supplement a food right before feeding it. Hikari has a good rep, I wouldn't put it below Topfin. Yeast and Krill are very nutritious. Red 40 is food coloring, I don't why you'd color your fish food unless you were trying to get red fish. And tetra only says 'artificial colors'. I think the extra color is for you, not the fish. But stuff used in human food is well-tested and very safe. Krill and shrimp also make fish red. Oil is good for fish, but can end up floating on the water. Consider switching foods if the water gets slimey. Garlic is good for getting fish to eat it. Fish like garlic, lol. I agree that 'fish meal' is kind of vague. 

I would've said the worst food for betta is something like 4 year old goldfish food. Or rabbit chow or puffed rice or some of the other stupid things people feed fish. Some of those foods are better than others, but I bet they've all been tested enough to not kill betta during the test period.

Picking a food isn't easy, makers will bash each other with true, but potentially misleading statements.
Objective, 3rd party research is hard to find. Don't fall for hype, look up every claim.


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## Cthulhu

lohachata said:


> when a dried fish food is made ; it is made with dried fish that is ground into a powder....
> a word of caution my friend...when researching ask pertinent questions...especially when that somebody talking is not a real professional...i have heard a lot of people bash others foods because they think it is too costly or too hard to find or they just can't get a good deal on it.......
> i sell Plecocaine...it is the name i gave a very high quality food...it is great for all fish...but i never tell people that it is a good staple food...to me ; there really is no such animal as the "perfect staple"....Plecocaine is great for bettas...but not as a staple...it is designed as a food for fast growth of young fish and for priming females for breeding..it is also great to feed 3-4 times a week along with a variety of other foods..
> when looking for what to feed your fish you really need to study that species food chain...
> all fish are omnivores..or at least almost all.....yet we call them herbivores or carnivores or piscavores...most all carnvores eat fish or animals that are more herbivores..that is how they get the veggies they need...
> 
> don't be sorry...you are doing fine..just keep researching...and like EMC said...don't worry too much about the ingredients...look at the guaranteed analysis....


*sigh* okay first of all apologies for bumping up an old thread, but I feel that there is some important misconceptions that should be addressed. 

@lohachata 
There is clear scientific evidence to support that specific ingredients are bad for the fish. Remember, betas are not humans, what is considered good for us may not be for them. I shall start with the fact that bettas are classified as CARNIVORES (or more specifically, INSECTIVORES), they have a short digestive tract and lack the enzymes to efficiently break down plant materials. This is why fillers such as corn, wheat, and soy provide no nutritional value to them and even encourages bloating. While I do agree with you that high quality fish food can be made up of “meals”, the processing they undergo will denature a lot of the protein and kill the nutrients. 
(I also did some research on the fish meal and whole fish meal. It seams that fish meal can be composed of fish cuttings but whole fish meal is composed of the whole fish, they both go through processing.)

The perfect food is what the fish has been hard wired to eat through thousands of years of evolution. The secret ingredient is raw, living bugs of all shape and sizes (most notably bloodworms, mosquitoes, mosquito larvae, krill, ect.). But obviously not everyone can get their hands on those gourmet ingredients these days, so you are half correct when you said that there is no “perfect staple”. However, we can still try to give out little companions the best food out there we can find, the ones foods which mimics their natural diet the best. 


PS If the aquarium industry is trying to sell you 0.5 gallon tanks, what makes you think they won’t sell low quality food for your fish? Please do some scientific research next time.


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## Guest

Cthulhu said:


> *sigh* okay first of all apologies for bumping up an old thread, but I feel that there is some important misconceptions that should be addressed.
> 
> @lohachata
> There is clear scientific evidence to support that specific ingredients are bad for the fish. Remember, betas are not humans, what is considered good for us may not be for them. I shall start with the fact that bettas are classified as CARNIVORES (or more specifically, INSECTIVORES), they have a short digestive tract and lack the enzymes to efficiently break down plant materials. This is why fillers such as corn, wheat, and soy provide no nutritional value to them and even encourages bloating. While I do agree with you that high quality fish food can be made up of “meals”, the processing they undergo will denature a lot of the protein and kill the nutrients.
> (I also did some research on the fish meal and whole fish meal. It seams that fish meal can be composed of fish cuttings but whole fish meal is composed of the whole fish, they both go through processing.)
> 
> The perfect food is what the fish has been hard wired to eat through thousands of years of evolution. The secret ingredient is raw, living bugs of all shape and sizes (most notably bloodworms, mosquitoes, mosquito larvae, krill, ect.). But obviously not everyone can get their hands on those gourmet ingredients these days, so you are half correct when you said that there is no “perfect staple”. However, we can still try to give out little companions the best food out there we can find, the ones foods which mimics their natural diet the best.
> 
> 
> PS If the aquarium industry is trying to sell you 0.5 gallon tanks, what makes you think they won’t sell low quality food for your fish? Please do some scientific research next time.


Fish need a variety in their diet. Yes many foods that are sold in stores are not nutritious enough as a staple. Lohachatas food is very good for fish, and it does keep them healthy. I have had the opportunity to feed his food to my fish and they were nice and healthy. If everyone provides a variety for their fish, then the fish would be more healthy. Mimicking a fishes natural habitat is very hard to do, let alone their diet from the wild. Also lohachata is very aware that bettas are insectivores, but they do need their nutrients. All fish need their nutrients, so a varied diet is the best for them, not just one or two foods. Also lohachata is fully right, there is absolutely no "perfect staple" food. Variety is the key to having very healthy fish and taking care of any illnesses when you first notice them.


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## lohachata

i do not know of any company or even human being for that matter that can actually truly replicate the diet of a fish that it gets in nature...what the fish eats in nature is it's diet..a betta may eat 100 different insects..just like i suggest to hobbyists to feed their fish a varied diet..a piranha is classified as a carnivore , yet it is not solely a carnivore..it also needs vegetable matter in it's diet...

cthulhu ; i take it that you are an aquatic nutritional biologist since you seen to need to condemn foods that you know little to nothing about..

i am not addressing elitist wealthy fishkeepers here..99% of the people that keep fish really cannot afford to feed some of those exclusive foods....and i am not a store trying to sell people a .5 gallon tank or some food made in china..
but i am glad you are here ; it is always nice to have a member of the scientific community around to steer people straight..


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## Cthulhu

I think you misunderstood my post lohachata, but it's good that we are on the same page here. 

First of I did not say that you are selling people bad products (or 0.5g tanks for that matter), my point was to illustrate most big-chain company's only want your money. If Aqueon is willing to advertise tanks hazardous to a betta's health, what is stopping them from selling low quality food? 

But back to the topic; no, I am not telling people to feed their fish live krill and mosquitoes every day (like you have said, it's simply unrealistic). You were sceptical about Flare's post and it's relativity to science, so I am giving you the evidence to back up his post. 

You first need to understand how a betta's anatomy work and what they are evolved to eat in order to grasp Flare's post, for example: A betta's short digestive tract makes them inefficient at digesting plant/carbs, THEREFORE food manufactured by Aqueon is not a desirable staple food for a betta. 

or

On the other hand food such as NLS are low in carbs and high in protein making it more nutritious for the fish, THEREFORE NLS will be considered higher quality than Aqueon. 

I know your post was mostly targeted at the "meals", but Flare's post is highly scientific (more so than Top Fin or Aqueon for sure). While there is no perfect food, there is definitely a fine line between quality and crap.


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## Cthulhu

Angelclown said:


> Fish need a variety in their diet. Yes many foods that are sold in stores are not nutritious enough as a staple. Lohachatas food is very good for fish, and it does keep them healthy. I have had the opportunity to feed his food to my fish and they were nice and healthy. If everyone provides a variety for their fish, then the fish would be more healthy. Mimicking a fishes natural habitat is very hard to do, let alone their diet from the wild. Also lohachata is very aware that bettas are insectivores, but they do need their nutrients. All fish need their nutrients, so a varied diet is the best for them, not just one or two foods. Also lohachata is fully right, there is absolutely no "perfect staple" food. Variety is the key to having very healthy fish and taking care of any illnesses when you first notice them.


Again, that is not what my post is about. I have nothing against lohachata's food; in fact, depending on the ingredients I might even try some of it on my fish. 

My post on the Betta's anatomy is to explain why certain foods are better for a betta and why foods like Aqueon (which is full of starch) is not ideal. For a normal hobbyist there is no "perfect staple" yes, but there are still many great options one can choose over Aqueon.


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## emc7

Aqueon isn't horrible. It is very well tested and meets minimum standards, so at least you know what's in it. But they are part of a big company and, of course, are trying to minimize cost and maximize price while making it shelf stable. While "you get what you pay for" isn't strictly true, its best to avoid the cheapest stuff on the shelf (wardley)

I recently had a sample of blackworm flake and my fish went nuts. This is the kind of thing I'd include in a varied diet. Varied diets do seem kind of nuts to have 10 cans for 1 fish.


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## Cthulhu

emc7 said:


> Aqueon isn't horrible. It is very well tested and meets minimum standards, so at least you know what's in it. But they are part of a big company and, of course, are trying to minimize cost and maximize price while making it shelf stable. While "you get what you pay for" isn't strictly true, its best to avoid the cheapest stuff on the shelf (wardley)
> 
> I recently had a sample of blackworm flake and my fish went nuts. This is the kind of thing I'd include in a varied diet. Varied diets do seem kind of nuts to have 10 cans for 1 fish.




First of all kudos to you for giving your fish such a varied diet! Some people might call it overkill, but I think fish food lasts for a long time and are relatively cheep compared to quality cat/dog food. (Unless you are a breeder)

I am a firm believer in quality over quantity, "Less cans with better ingredients over more cans with cheaper ingredient", and while I do agree with you that Aqueon is not the worst food out there, I would never feed it to my own fish. I target Aqueon because it is one of the most heavily advertised company in my area, almost like the Purina equivalence of the aquarium industry. Not only are they notorious for false advertisement, they also mask their blatant lies with the word "education". Just like feeding Pedigree to your dog probably won't kill it, a fish can probably survive (not thrive) on Aqueon, but that doesn't make it good food. When compared to other brands such as NLS or Omega-1, Aqueon's ingredients are clearly inferior. While I am heavily biased on this topic, I do have solid scientific evidence to back up my claims. 


Now, to my last few points:
-I can think of many companies that are more transparent than Aqueon. 
-They are self-tested
-If you look at the ingredients when buying fish food, you can know what exactly is going into everything can 
-Most, if not all fish pellets are shelf stable (but you know something is wrong when something is TOO shelf stable)

Good job on your fish food collection, and if you ever want to add another can, I would highly recommend Northfin Betta Bits<--- This is the best betta food I have seen on the current market.


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## emc7

I think the Purina analogy is a good one. There are better foods and someone with only one fish can afford to pick a good one.


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## Jeane09

I feed my bettas 9 different kinds of food, but I have other fishes too so it's not just for them. One betta lives in a community tank so he gets the widest range of food, I just can't separate that out. The other betta is pretty much solo so he gets the foods made specifically for bettas. I give them betta flakes, betta bits, two diff brands of tropical fish flakes, dried bloodworms (soaked in garlic), fruit flies or gnats caught in my kitchen, shrimp pellets (crumbled up), spirulina wafers, and pea or zucchini once a week (after fasting for a day). If I could rule out all other variables, I wonder if my betta on the protein based diet would outlive the one who also gets veggies- because of the diet? 

I switched most of my prepared foods to Omega One brand after reading all the labels and finding that a lot of stuff I used to have contained fillers like corn or wheat. Fish meal I thought was poor quality too but emc7 you've made me rethink that.

Cthulhu, where did you find blackworm flake? I've never seen that.


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## emc7

I got a sample of blackworm flake at a club meeting. I'll think I'll buy more. I lied. I have lots more than 1 fish. I don't buy aqueon, its comes in too small of a container. But I don't hesitate to feed samples and raffle winnings and they are good supporter of some groups such as ACA. The fish eat it, but not like plecocaine or xtreme.


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## Jeane09

Never been to a club meeting. Wish I could. There don't seem to be any near me at all.


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## emc7

What do you consider near? There are a fair number on the east coast, http://www.pvas.com/, capital cichlid, NEC http://northeastcouncil.org/NewNEC/ http://www.chesapeakekillifish.org/index.php
Baltimore, Raleigh

More events up there anyway, than down here in the south. 

But I am spoiled by one only 45 min. away.

Join the nearest club and haunt their forum or facebook even if you never can make a meeting because of the drive, likely there are at least a few more aquarists near year. We have people from 4 states come to Atl for our events. People often hook up for carpools on our forum.

Don't be afraid to check out a specialty club even if you don't have killies or cichlids, most of us have more than one obsession and many dry goods are pretty species independent


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## Jeane09

I know there's one in Richmond and maybe another in Shenandoah? but both are a couple hours drive for me. I wouldn't be going for samples, lol. Just to meet fishy folks. And fine if they're enthusiasts on other species- cichlids and killies are both fish I admire and thought once of having someday.


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## lohachata

i have been using and selling blackworm flakes for several months now..our fish do love them..but then again , our fish are fed so many different foods that they will most likely eat anything...

we are most fortunate living here in Cleveland Ohio..Ohio abounds with fish groups..there are at least 6 clubs that meet within a 1 hour drive from our home..and probably 4 within 30 minutes...clubs are great..


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