# Hiding Algae Wafers from Bettas?



## TheCheese909 (Aug 11, 2011)

I have a question about algae wafers in Betta tanks.. How do you keep your Bettas from eating them? A friend of mine has a sorority with a Pleco and of course she every now and again has to drop in an algae wafer an even if she hides it under a decoration her girls very often go in and find it and just eat and eat and eat until they can hardly swim. 

Does anyone else have this problem too and have you been able to fix this without having to take the Pleco out to feed him/her? I ask because I plan on getting Ottos and I don't want to have this issue too, I have hiding places in my aquariums also but I'm not sure I want my Bettas to go hunt them out and have any issues from eating something they aren't supposed to.


----------



## Kithy (Nov 21, 2012)

TheCheese909 said:


> I have a question about algae wafers in Betta tanks.. How do you keep your Bettas from eating them? A friend of mine has a sorority with a Pleco and of course she every now and again has to drop in an algae wafer an even if she hides it under a decoration her girls very often go in and find it and just eat and eat and eat until they can hardly swim.
> 
> Does anyone else have this problem too and have you been able to fix this without having to take the Pleco out to feed him/her? I ask because I plan on getting Ottos and I don't want to have this issue too, I have hiding places in my aquariums also but I'm not sure I want my Bettas to go hunt them out and have any issues from eating something they aren't supposed to.


I have the same problem but with goldfish and pleco. Even if I drop two or three algae wafers in for the goldies on one side of the tank and drop half a wafer where my pleco is.. she won't go for it. So frustrating >_< She's obviously eating something though as she's pooing but gah!


----------



## MSG (May 8, 2012)

You have to break up the algae wafer into bite sized slices/pieces for your BOTTOM feeders & drop it in the tank at least 30 minutes AFTER the lights are OFF.

The bettas should be asleep by 30 mins. If not, try again in 45 or 60 minutes. 

Bottom feeders have barbels/whiskers for a reason, so they can find food in COMPLETE darkness. 

Bettas don't have those tools or night vision.


----------



## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

same problem with a betta and a nerite snail. betta steals algae wafer and gorges himself. a temporary feeding divider may work.


----------



## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

For plecos... feed blanched veggies. I can't use algae wafers in the sorority. They see and smell shrimp pellets, algae wafers, ANYTHING. I've tried partially burying it in the sand, and no luck.

To this day I'm not sure what my corries are eating >.>


----------



## shellieca (Jul 12, 2012)

Happens all of the time with ANYTHING I put into the tank, veggies, algae wafers, EVERYTHING is fair game as far as the girls are concerned!! As a matter of fact last night I thought 2 of my girls were going to explode they're bellies were soo huge. I think what I'm going to start doing is drop the algae wafers once the light in the tank goes off. My CAE's are getting food so that's not a problem, my one knows when it's time & he goes to the spot where the wafer typically lands & then stares at me.


----------



## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

Only one of my 9 girls will bother with nibbling at the blanched veggies.


----------



## shellieca (Jul 12, 2012)

Silverfang said:


> Only one of my 9 girls will bother with nibbling at the blanched veggies.


Not in my tank, some of them are worse than others but all of them have a nibble. The CAE's put up with it & then will scoot them away if they feel the need to do so. Here's a video:

http://youtu.be/HTdGhS-DUeE


----------



## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

they are gorgeous!


----------



## Turtlehead420 (Apr 11, 2012)

I wait until the lights are out then I insert a piece of rigid plastic tubing in the tank and drop a wafer in it, let it sink near the plecos favorite spot, remove tube.


----------



## TheCheese909 (Aug 11, 2011)

I'll tell her to try putting it in at night after the Bettas have gone off to bed. I honestly never thought of that and if I didn't I can guarantee you that she didn't either lol. 

shellieca, i love your video, your girls are so cute and so is your little algae eater  i love watching it munch lol


----------



## shellieca (Jul 12, 2012)

thank you. There's 10 girls & 2 CAE's but the rest were munching on the other cucumber that was in the tank.

I hope she can figure out how to keep the girls from the algae wafers. Let us know cause I haven't found anything that works, my girls smell them out no matter what I've done.


----------

