# My betta is eating Omega One Veggie Rounds?!?!?



## asquirrel (Jan 5, 2015)

Hi Folks,

Last week I got my betta some dapnhia and beef heart treats to complement his diet of betta pellets and blood worms. Well, this morning I dropped in an Omega One Veggie round for my cory cats and my rubber lipped pleco. The betta followed the veggie round to the bottom and he's freaking eating it. He's not taste testing it, he really is eating it. He's gone back for second and thirds. 

What the heck? I thought bettas didn't eat algae wafers. It's not like the guy is starving. Just this morning he started off the day with one betta pellet and one freeze dried blood worm. Then a few hours alter I gave him a pinch of beef heart treats and daphnia. So do betta normally eat algae wafers or is it because the Omega One Veggie Rounds are high quality and betta's like them? Maybe because he's constipated and he needs his fiber? Man, I don't know. If someone could give me input here I'd really appreciate it!


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## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

Some just eat stuff because it's there.


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## Lilypad (Oct 15, 2014)

Mine does it too. One day, his belly was so full from it that I was worried. I switched to zucchini for my snails because he ignores that.


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## VivianKJean (Aug 20, 2013)

please do not let your fish eat the algae rounds. Bettas are carnivores and cannot digest plant protein like algae. It can lead to severe bloating. 

if this continues, you may have to cup your betta while you feed your cories and pleco


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## Lilypad (Oct 15, 2014)

Just looked up the ingredients of Omega One Veggie Rounds and figured out why they may be eating it...not very "veggie."



> Whole Kelp, Spirulina, Whole Salmon, Halibut, Seafood Mix (Including Krill, Whole Herring, & Shrimp), Wheat flour, Wheat Gluten, Lecithin, Astaxanthin, 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).


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## VivianKJean (Aug 20, 2013)

first ingredient is "whole kelp" second is Spirulina. 

those are plant products. 

Bettas cannot digest plant products, they are carnivores.


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## Lilypad (Oct 15, 2014)

I understand that. My point is that they probably pick at and try to eat it because of ingredients 3, 4 and 5. Not sure why they're adding so much fish to something labeled "veggie rounds." As I said, I switched to zucchini after seeing my fish gorge himself on a veggie round.


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## VivianKJean (Aug 20, 2013)

actually no, bettas will basically eat anything you put in the tank.


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## Lilypad (Oct 15, 2014)

Ok thanks


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## Mo (Mar 15, 2012)

Those veggie surprised me with all of those ingredients lol. I'm pretty sure your fishy will be fine, it's not like they never ever consume plant matter in the wild, it's crazy to think that they won't occasionally/accidentally do that, it's also crazy to think they'll eat anything in their tank lol, I wish my boy would do that, right now all he's eating is frozen Brine Shrimp and not anything else I've offered him, if your fish does eat everything Vivian, please share with me your secret.


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## MikeG14 (May 31, 2014)

The problem is that you are feeding your pleco at the wrong time of the day. They are nocturnal and most active at night, so it's best to drop the pellets about a 1/2 hour after lights out. This will keep the other fish away from the pellets. If I drop a piece of zucchini at noon, my clown pleco won't go near it. Drop it after lights out and she'll devour it by morning. You just need to take the Loricariid's natural cycle into account. Make sure you have driftwood in the tank for the pleco, it helps them with digestion.

As for the Corydoras, they are most active during the day and will do well on a good sinking community pellet that is somewhat high in vegetable matter. Shrimp pellets are also very good for cory cats. They really don't need a specialized herbivore diet like a pleco.

I don't think you will do any harm your if betta eats the veggies rounds.

Most people on the forum feed their bettas New Life Spectrum Betta Formula. Take a look at the ingredients...

Ingredients: Whole Antarctic Krill Meal, Whole Herring Meal, Whole Wheat Flour, Algae Meal, Beta Carotene, Spirulina, Garlic, Vegetable and Fruit Extract (Spinach, Red and Green Cabbage, Pea,Broccoli, Red Pepper, Zucchini, Tomato, Kiwi, Apricot, Pear, Mango, Apple, Papaya, Peach), Vitamin A Acetate, DL Alphatocophero (E), D-Activated Animal-Sterol (D3) Vitamin B-12 Suplement, Niacin, Folic Acid, Biotin, Thiamine, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxin Hydrochloride, Calcium Pantothenate, L-Ascorby-2-Polyphosphate (Stable C), Choline Chloride, Copper Proteinate, Ethylenediamine Dihydroiodide, Cobalt Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate.

Spirulina algae is actually a good thing, it helps boost a bettas immune system. Logisticsguy, a breeder on the forum feeds his giants spirulina infused brine shrimp along with a probiotic to strengthen their immune systems. 

Bettas do eat plant matter in the wild in the form of gut loaded vegetation from the insects they consume.


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## asquirrel (Jan 5, 2015)

Bluefin my betta died today. He got sucked into a pump intake and drowned because he couldn't escape. I had a grill over it but he got pulled through anyway because he was just small enough and curious enough to go right up next to it, and get pulled through a hole. I'm feeling really horrible right now because this is something I could have prevented. I'm going to tape the grill so that there's just enough space for detritus to get sucked in but not fish. My corys have no problems with it but they are strong swimmers and have no curious spirit like Bluefin did. 

I just wanted to tell you guys this since you've been helping me with him since I got him last December.


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

I am so sorry for your loss.


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

Oh, and I did want to note that the females that I have rotated through my community tank regularly nibble on algae wafers with no ill effect. In fact, they grow large and healthy - almost comically large. I have to rotate which girl is in there due to them getting "chunky" as well, but that seems to be due to gorging on molly fry. There are a couple of good producers in there.


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## MikeG14 (May 31, 2014)

Aw man, that's horrible.

SIP Bluefin


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## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

I'm sorry for your loss.


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## asquirrel (Jan 5, 2015)

Thanks folks. I feel so horrible about what happened. I'll never forget seeing him dead inside the pump. I've put a screen over it now which is a much finer mesh so the worst that will happen is that a fish would get stuck to it but nothing else. 

Bluefin was such an amazing fish. He was really smart and incredibly curious. Every time he had a problem (minor to major scrapes, to an inexplicable bump) I'd come on here and with your advice I'd get him back to health. But through my stupidity and his curiosity I sealed his fate. 

I know I can't dwell on it but just learn from my mistakes. I hope Bluefin goes to Heaven and I'll see him again someday.


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

If you have not, you may wish to read the sticky in the betta memorial section. It might make you cry, but you may feel better after.


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## asquirrel (Jan 5, 2015)

Thanks hrutan. I will check that section out. ;-)


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