# Help! New Betta spits out food/won't eat!



## SwimmR (Dec 8, 2011)

So, I've had Starburst (HM betta) for almost a week now, and he just won't eat. He looks and acts fine, and he's extremely active! I know his conditions are good (fresh water 1gal bowl heated) because my other two eat like little pigs. But this guy just sucks the food in his mouth & spits it out, repeatedly until it hits the bottom of the bowl and he ignores it. I've tried pellets (whole, crushed, and softened), bloodworms, and pea pieces. All the same results. How long can he survive without eating? How can I get him to eat?


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

Good looking guy there you have..

Continue to offer the pellets- he will take to them at some point. 

Are you using water conditioner? If that is his home, he may not feel secure in there with only one small plant, as they tend to love multiple plants and a cave of sorts for hiding. If constantly on alert/edge/stressed, he won't eat properly.. Each betta is different, and some will take a long time to calm down and adjust, while others will be eating right away.

Continue offering the food, and give him a little more security (and mental stimulation) and that may help him adjust easier to his new home. 

They can go a few weeks without food, if the betta was healthy to start with. And they tend not to starve themselves to death as they are little piggies. 

Some people have luck with the garlic trick- crush up a few garlic cloves and add a tiny bit of water with the garlic mush- soak a couple pellets in it for about 10 seconds then try feeding them to him. It doesn't always work, but sometimes it does and it may be worth a try if you feel it is necessary.

Good luck and keep us updated.


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## mjoy79 (Jul 13, 2011)

First of all, welcome to the forum! And your betta is gorgeous! He looks like what my Jack would look like if he would let his tail grow out!
Usually at first upon bringing a new guy or girl home from the pet shop, they may be a little picky about their food. From what I understand, they're fed every 3 or so days at the stores and not sure what brand. I know when switching brands, it can be tricky at first. I wouldn't worry unless he goes another week without eating. (i've heard they can go at least 2 weeks without food)


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## Rosso1011 (Nov 13, 2011)

It can be a couple of weeks before he eats. My post apparently came in around the same time as the others... the recipe for garlic juice should help. May I ask what brand of pellets you are using?


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## SwimmR (Dec 8, 2011)

Thanks for the welcome and the advice. I've been lurking for a few weeks, and I had no idea about all the new varieties that have been developed since I last had Bettas as a kid! I will try the garlic trick tomorrow morning (Starburst is pretty quiet after the sun goes down). I'm currently using Top Fin Color Enhancing Betta Bits. Also tried freeze-dried bloodworms. I saw someone else recommend "New Life Spectrum", so maybe I'll try those, too.


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## Rosso1011 (Nov 13, 2011)

Mind you, this story does reflect personal experience, but I tried Top Fin with Rosso, and he did not like them. New Life Spectrum (NLS) is the preference around here, unfortunately though, none of my local pet shops (LPS) offer NLS. I heard you can order NLS online.

Have you tried other pellets?


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## thejapanesezombie (Nov 30, 2011)

When I got my boy he was picky like that too the first week. He'll settle down. When they're hungry they'll eat believe me. If your little guy is stressed and still adjusting he may not want to take the food. At least that's my experience with it. Good luck with your fish 

EDIT: Have you tried Omega One betta bites? Aldo seems to love those a lot. Maybe you should try them out too?


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## Rosso1011 (Nov 13, 2011)

Let me just agree with japanesezombie. New Life Spectrum isn't available in my area so I got him Omega One Betta Buffet pellets. I've heard some bettas like the Omega One Betta flakes, but overall flakes aren't usually welcomed by bettas. There are exceptions to the rule though.


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## thejapanesezombie (Nov 30, 2011)

Rosso1011 said:


> Let me just agree with japanesezombie. New Life Spectrum isn't available in my area so I got him Omega One Betta Buffet pellets. I've heard some bettas like the Omega One Betta flakes, but overall flakes aren't usually welcomed by bettas. There are exceptions to the rule though.


Thanks  

And yeah, the Omega one pellets are pretty good. I find my boy wont spit those out as often unless he's stressed out. My tank is currently cycling fish in, so I make it a point not to feed him after my daily water change otherwise he'll just spit them out and leave :S 

They can be picky eaters, but if they're truly hungry, they really do eat. I find they'll eat better if you fast them one day a week to give their digestive systems a break too.


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## Mart2289 (Dec 7, 2011)

My fish was so small when I got him so when I fed him he would just spit out the pellets because they where too big....I gave him the smallest I could find in the box... He eats them now... And He LOVES bloodworms!


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## SwimmR (Dec 8, 2011)

Thanks, everyone, for your $.02 worth! I tried the garlic trick - no luck. I tried the New Life Spectrum (fortunately, our Petco carries it) - boy does that stuff stink! He does the same thing, spitting it out 3X until it hits the bottom. But when I soaked it, at least it looked like what he spit out was a little smaller than what went in, so maybe he's getting a little something. The NLS pellets are very small, too, so that should eliminate any question of pellets being too big. I just can't believe he's survived a whole week with practically no food. He seems very interested in it, going for anything as soon as it's dropped in, but this spitting out thing is baffling.


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## thejapanesezombie (Nov 30, 2011)

SwimmR said:


> Thanks, everyone, for your $.02 worth! I tried the garlic trick - no luck. I tried the New Life Spectrum (fortunately, our Petco carries it) - boy does that stuff stink! He does the same thing, spitting it out 3X until it hits the bottom. But when I soaked it, at least it looked like what he spit out was a little smaller than what went in, so maybe he's getting a little something. The NLS pellets are very small, too, so that should eliminate any question of pellets being too big. I just can't believe he's survived a whole week with practically no food. He seems very interested in it, going for anything as soon as it's dropped in, but this spitting out thing is baffling.


You tried the omega pellets too?


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## Rosso1011 (Nov 13, 2011)

SwimmR said:


> Thanks, everyone, for your $.02 worth! I tried the garlic trick - no luck. I tried the New Life Spectrum (fortunately, our Petco carries it) - boy does that stuff stink! He does the same thing, spitting it out 3X until it hits the bottom. But when I soaked it, at least it looked like what he spit out was a little smaller than what went in, so maybe he's getting a little something. The NLS pellets are very small, too, so that should eliminate any question of pellets being too big. I just can't believe he's survived a whole week with practically no food. He seems very interested in it, going for anything as soon as it's dropped in, but this spitting out thing is baffling.


If you bought the NLS pellets, I would stick with it. Those are supposed to be top of the line betta pellets. He'll eventually get to the point where he eats a lot better. At least he's taking some food out of it. My guy used to spit out his pellets that I was originally feeding him, but he was doing it so that he could chew the bigger pellets up, I think. Then I learned that he needed a better pellet and it took me a bit before I found the right one. Give him some time to get used to the pellets and he'll be fine.


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## NoahG (Oct 24, 2011)

Are you using NLS's betta formula? I'm curious because that sounds, more or less, just like what my girls did with those pellets, even the smallest ones I could find for them. I went and picked them up some NLS for small fish and they're able to gobble them right up.

If it is the betta formula maybe they're _just_ big enough to be a little too big for him? If they're the small fish formula though...I don't know.


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## Rosso1011 (Nov 13, 2011)

I have not used NLS due to the lack of availability in my area and also due to the fact that when I tried Omega One Betta Buffet Pellets, he took to them really fast. I've heard NLS betta formula is supposed to be really small. I have no clue about the small fish formula.


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## SwimmR (Dec 8, 2011)

No, I haven't tried the Omegas because I just bought the NLS today, and I'm trying to avoid buying every single type of fish food on the market! I did try a pinch of regular fish flakes just to see what he'd do with them - nothing was the answer.

The NLS pellets are really tiny (about 1/4 size (or less) of the Top Fin that my others eat), so I really can't imagine the size being the problem. He seems a little more interested in them softened, so I'll keep trying that.

The other reason y'all need to stop suggesting more things to buy is that I came out of Petco with two new beauties today. Apparently I have no willpower. At least one of them is a gift (for a friend who wants one - I asked her - and will take good care of it).


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## NoahG (Oct 24, 2011)

I'm not sure off the top of my head how the NLS betta formula pellets compare to Top Fin pellets...I haven't taken a look at the latter in a while. If he has an easier time with them softened then that's another good option to pursue, and you could even try breaking them up a bit at that point as well. Or see if you can crush them/cut them without obliterating them to the point where they look like dust (like I managed to do) and if he has an easier time then.

I just figured I would throw out my suggestion because I know, for me at least, it was easier to drive back to Petco and get the small fish formula to feed my girls opposed to messing with the pellets I had on hand. But I can certainly understand the willpower issue -- that's how I ended up with my two girls when I didn't really intend to have any until I could set up a sorority, heh...

Rosso, the betta formula is fairly small -- or so I thought. The small fish formula pellets, however, make me feel like I'm dealing with grains of sand...the betta pellets no longer seem so small.


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## PinoyPooPow (Dec 14, 2011)

Yeah some Bettas wont eat for a week or so because their getting use to the new environment. I used to always feed my betta flakes but i heard that it is better to feed them a variety. When i first bought him pellets he would do the same but i found that it was too hard for him. So i got one of those small measuring cups and i put 2 pellets and let them drown in tank water for 10 minutes to get them soft. Now he eats his pellets  I got to get a new brand though because the pellets are huge for his mouth..


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## SwimmR (Dec 8, 2011)

Hooray! Starburst is eating now! After 8 days, he's finally eating the New Life Spectrum pellets. He seems to like the tiny size, and judging by the horrific smell, they must taste good too. I don't know if it was coincidence, but I also took the advice of lowering stimulation by putting some aquarium backing on the front of his bowl so he can't see the activity in the room. He successfully ate about 4-5 pellets today, only letting one drop to the bottom. I'm SO relieved - he's just too pretty to lose.


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## thejapanesezombie (Nov 30, 2011)

Yay :d


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## Rosso1011 (Nov 13, 2011)

Glad he's eating. Looks like stress was playing a big role this time. Always hard to determine the exact cause of a betta not eating. They can't really tell us "This is gross! ><" or "Hey! I'm stressed out here. Do something. Help me." Happy to hear he is eating his food.


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## SwimmR (Dec 8, 2011)

*Jinxed myself!!!*

Well, it looks like I jinxed myself by proudly announcing that Starburst was eating. Since then, he's back to eat/spit out/repeat. He's a stubborn/picky little guy. But I think he must be eating some of it, because it's been over a week now, and he's still one of the most active bettas I've ever seen! I've still got his bowl front covered to reduce startling, but he peeks around the side when he sees me, as if begging for food (which he then spits out). Oh, well, I guess I'll just keep doing frequent water changes (for the uneaten food at the bottom) and assuming he's eating something. It's just such a contrast to my other 4 little piggy bettas


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## kfryman (Nov 7, 2011)

Is there a lot of cover, or at least some sort of cave or plants he can hide behind? He might not feel secure, maybe he just ate because he was hungry. Try adding some more plants


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## SwimmR (Dec 8, 2011)

*Things are looking up! (And so is the fish)*

Well, clearly Starburst (or "Bursty" as my 6 y.o. named him) is eating once in a while. He still spits out sometimes, but he's keeping some in. Not a lot, but better than the nothing he ate for the first week. I like the suggestion of adding more live plants, just haven't had time to go back to the pet store, but I'll do that. For now I'm still keeping the front of the bowl covered, that seems to help. I also bumped the water temp up, hopefully that will help him relax & be more comfortable. Thanks, everyone, for your support and suggestions.


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## fishyfriend123 (Oct 9, 2013)

*Archie*

Yes Archie is my fishes name he is a male betta crown tale when i fist got him i spoiled him with blood worms He would go for a week Wanting to just eat blood worms. He Will eat Flakes now. And every time i try to feed him pellets he spits them out and to lets it fall to the bottom i prefer feeding him pellets as i read the flakes can give him swim bladder disease. Don't keep changing his diet yes it can confuse him a little. Just give Him the same fish food until he eat them... And give him blood worms once every 2 weeks.


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