# My Betta Only Eats Bloodworms



## JennaLee (Aug 2, 2013)

I got a Betta fish 2 days ago, and he just WONT eat the regular fishfood. I've had betta fish before when I was younger, but none of them ever had any issues with pellets. I bought both pellets & flakes just in case if my fish had a preference between the two but I tried both and he just watched the food for a while, swam around it and then completely ignored it. On a whim I decided to give hims some freeze-dried bloodworms that I had bought a while ago when I was raising a tadpole/frog. My fish immediately ate it very enthusiastically and he still refuses to eat anything else. I read somewhere that bloodworms are like Junkfood for bettas and don't contain any nutrients at all. Is this true? If so, are there any other food options for my beta that he might like more than pellets or flakes? I really want to make sure my Betta gets everything it needs to be healthy and happy, so I'd appreciate any tips you may have, especially pertaining to diet and food.


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## BittyB (Jun 19, 2013)

What brand of pellets and flakes is it? Perhaps something with a higher meat base content will entice him to eat those forms of food.


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

It happens a lot to a new betta ,especially if he already tried blood worms. I bought a lot of bettas because i used to rescue them and find home for them . And it happened to many bettas. It was easier for me to teach them to eat regular betta food because i had them at work on my work table so i offer and try to feed them like a 100 times a day. So just try and try and remove uneaten food so it don't contaminate the water. And be ready sometimes it can take long time. One betta was so difficult that it took me 3-4 wks. I did tried to trick him. I even fast him. I chipped the pellets, i tried flakes just keep doing and eventually he should start eating. freeze-dried bloodworms really not enough for bettas , it not enough nutrients for healthy life. So try and try....
The best betta food that has less grains New Life Spectrum and Omega One betta pellets. The pellets with too much grains can be constipating in the future. The same with flakes it not better choice for bettas.



Good luck.


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## sainthogan (Sep 27, 2012)

Sometimes, you have to fast them for a while before they will eat anything else. You probably know that freezedried bloodworms are like candy, so if he's only ever eaten them, he wont' want to eat anything else.

Here's things that have worked for others:
High quality pellets/flakes (very few fillers)
Soaking the pellets in garlic juice
Fasting until the fish will eat the pellets (this could take a week or more - be patient) this has been the most successful - eventually the fish will get so hungry, they'll eat other things being offered.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

If you gave a kid a choice between delicious cake, and broccoli, they will surely go for the cake.

Bloodworms are very much like "cake". Bad for them, should only be a treat, and can cause problems in the near (and far) future. Try dipping pellets in garlic juice (can use from a jar of minced garlic). *Do not give in to giving bloodworms.* You basically have to "break the habit". It took my own Betta 3 weeks to eat what I gave. I offered what he should be eating, every day. I would take out the uneaten (all of it...) food, and make sure to do water changes and all on time. Eventually he gave up.


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

Sorry guys didn't see all replies , i always late 


Also when he start eating pellets buy him frozen blood worms or frozen daphnia. It has more protein and very good for the immune system. Keep them in the freezer. Just cut frozen a piece or shave a piece from those frozen blocks. Put it on the plate and let it just thaw for a few minutes. Take a tweezers and feed one at the time. I don't like when they sink to the bottom. I usually feed them with frozen food the day when i will do full water change. But if you will feed one at the time , hopefully it not going to sink to the bottom.
Do you need any tips on the water changes?


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## jeano (Jul 1, 2013)

ANHEL123, do you use metal tweezers to feed the bloodworms? The way my guys go after the bloodworms I am afraid they will hurt themselves on the semi-sharp metal. If you don't use metal, what kind do you use?


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## snowflake311 (Jun 19, 2013)

Bloodworms are high In protein I would not call them junk. It would be like feeding red meat only. They don't get everything this need from it but its not bad for them. 
Try other stuff my betta like food I feed my shrimps. If you have other types of fish food around try it. 

Yeah just wait if he is starving he will learn to eat it.


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

I know i was afraid to do it at the beginning. Yes it is metal, but my tweezers not that sharp and the way i hold it they can't reach the tweezers. I hold the one end of the worm and i dangled another end in the water. The end that i hold i try to hold it above the water surface so they don't reach it. I was afraid to do it at the beginning, but on another hand you can not put it in the water because it will sink to the bottom. You try and you will find your way to do it. I personally can not touch those worms with my hands , i afraid of them. But if you can touch them then you can even feed him from hand. Just rinse your hands with just a water before you do that.


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

just found the thread someone said that you can feed bw with the eyedropper. Also i just read that some people can have allergic reaction to the frozen bw. So make sure you don't , or you can use gloves. Just rinse your hand while it in the glove.


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## jeano (Jul 1, 2013)

ANHEL123, I do use an eyedropper to feed bw, brine shrimp and daphnia. But I soak the bw in vitachem with one feeding a week and think that using the eyedropper for this would give them too large a dose of the vitachem, since it would be with the liquids in eyedropper with the bw. 

Should I even worry about that? Or should I just continue to feed them with the eyedropper that has a more concentrated dose of vitachem with the bw? :dunno:


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

Vitachem i heard about that many people recommending it,never used for my bettas. I just tried to google it and i think its one drop per gallon? I would just use it as directed, just put one drop per gall in to the water instead of giving them with a bw. I would think it might be too much of it. Why you soaking frozen food. It is retain a lot of moisture. I don't think you need to soak it


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## jeano (Jul 1, 2013)

The recommended dose is 1 drop per gallon and several drops in food 5 times a week. So when I remember or have time(usually 2 or three times a week) I soak pellets or blood worms in a few drops.


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

Thank you for information it good to know , then i guess you doing right thing


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