# Bloodworms as everyday food?



## NotMicrowaveSafe (Sep 23, 2009)

Hey guys! I'm new here, but used this forum a lot while I was looking for fish/tanks/etc, and was hoping you could help me with a question.

I got a male betta (named Gilligan) over the weekend. When I got him I noticed there were several uneaten pellets in the bottom of his container, but just attributed it to being overfed by the petstore employees. I transitioned him into a cycled 2.5 gallon tank with a few plants, a bridge, etc., and he's been doing pretty well. Unfortunately, he won't eat any pellets. I gave him a few days to get adjusted, thinking it was just shock, but today's the fifth day. The closest he's come was taking a pellet into his mouth a couple times yesterday, then spitting it out. I went back to the petstore today to ask them about it, and they recommended I try freeze-dried bloodworms. Gilligan ate them up, but when I tried to sneak a pellet in in-between he wouldn't eat it.

So it looks like I just have a really picky fish, not one who's in major shock or has stomach problems. However, I was wondering if it's ok to feed him the bloodworms as regular food, because on the package they're listed as being a "treat" and not really an everday sort of thing, and I don't want to cause any problems. Any thoughts you all have would be really appreciated! Thanks!

Toodles,
Jen and Gilligan


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## doggyhog (Apr 30, 2009)

Just keep trying the pellets 'til he eats. He will eventually eat. I had one that wouldn't eat for two weeks!!!! They can go a while, so don't worry if he isn't eating. Bloodworms are a twice a week treat with my clan.


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## kelly528 (Aug 31, 2009)

_Nothing _should be fed as an every day food-- variation is the key. All my bettas were stubborn with pellets too but they will eat them after a while. Since the bloodworms are freeze-dried, only feed them as treats: the freeze-drying process tends to suck the nutrients out of them, and they are also notorious for causing constipation. Here are some other things you can spice his diet up with:

-Different brands of Betta Pellets
-Sinking Granules for Tropical Fish
-Frozen Bloodworms
-Frozen Brine Shrimp
-Frozen Pea (their favorite







but only as a treat.)

Pellets make a good staple since they are so convenient.


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## Jupiter (Aug 30, 2009)

I thought you couldn't feed Bettas peas?

He will eventually eat...sometimes it only takes a few days, sometimes it can take a week or two. You can also try another brand of pellets, Hikari is really good.


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## NotMicrowaveSafe (Sep 23, 2009)

Thanks for all the help, guys! I was just confused because the girl working at the pet store said that her betta eats freeze-dried bloodworms exclusively, and the package didn't seem to be labeled for that, so I thought I'd ask people who mostly work with bettas. And I've heard conflicting things on the peas, so I think I'm just going to stay away from them. I'll keep feeding him the pellets, or maybe try another brand, so that he gets the clue that he has to actually eat them.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Peas aren't natural for them since they are carnivorous. Daphnia is a better alternative.


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## doggyhog (Apr 30, 2009)

peas can actually damage their digestive tract.


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

doggyhog said:


> peas can actually damage their digestive tract.


 You might want to further explain this because this does not give further enlightenment why exactly peas damage the digestive tract. Please include references as well.

Kelly528 is correct. Variation is in fact the key. Please bear in mind bloodworms are loaded with too much proteins. Proteins are terribly difficult to digest in vast amounts. They become prone to bloat as a result as they cannot utilize the excess protein to body development.

I am not a fan of freeze-dried foods either. They just don't appear any more beneficial to me than live and frozen ones. Besides that, they include air so when a fish attempts to ingest freeze-dried foods, they also absorb air in the process thus they are more than likely to suffer buoyancy issues.

Don't let the fish get too used on meatier foods. Bettas are just one of the many finicky eaters. Once they become too used to bloodworms especially frozen ones when you feed them too frequently, they certainly will hesitate trying other foods. When this happens, you could simply try adding garlic on the food to coax the fish to eat. The food can be soaked with multivitamins or get some multivitamin tablets such as Centrum and mix them with the food which your fish will obediently eat. This is a good way to get him to utilize the various nutrients he needed for proper body development.


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## kelly528 (Aug 31, 2009)

Jupiter said:


> I thought you couldn't feed Bettas peas?
> 
> He will eventually eat...sometimes it only takes a few days, sometimes it can take a week or two. You can also try another brand of pellets, Hikari is really good.


Well not as a staple... I'm sure their nutritional value is nil, but they're good fibre and bettas love them, therefore every week I break down and feed my guys a pea. I'm sure you don't even need to feed them on a weekly basis (if you're feeding your betta tummy-friendly foods) but they love them as much as bloodworms! 



dramaqueen said:


> Peas aren't natural for them since they are carnivorous. Daphnia is a better alternative.


Very true. I think they're both equally effective. Peas may not be necessary, but I consider them natural because wild bettas can obtain small amounts of veggies from the stomach contents of their prey, while domestic fish cannot.



doggyhog said:


> peas can actually damage their digestive tract.


 I have read nothing about negative effects of an occasional pea, but I'd imagine so if you fed them every day, since clearly betta's are not then natural enemy of the pea.


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## NotMicrowaveSafe (Sep 23, 2009)

Wow, thank you guys so much for all of you information! The garlic thing is really interesting, Lupin, I'd never heard anything about that. Gilligan actually ate one of the two pellets I gave him this evening, and I also found a small bubble nest going behind the filter, so I'm taking that all as good signs.

I really appreciate all of the help and encouragement with this. My mom's had an aquarium for about 10 years, but I'd never seen one of her fish not eat, so it's been really reassuring to know that it's not uncommon in bettas. You guys are awesome!


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## ChloesMom (Jul 30, 2009)

mine wont eat the pellets but will eat the flakes, she also gets bloodworms 2x a week and i also fast her once a week to make sure everything runs through her system


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## Eolith (Aug 4, 2009)

Whoa. I guess I've been lucky. My little boy has always been eager to snap up as many pellets as I'll give him. I've been feeding him the same brand (Hikari) daily since getting him.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Here is some info on feeding peas. It was posted by BettaBaby, who is/was a member of FishForum and she is an aquatics specialist/nutritionist.
"With all that said, I also have to mention one more thing before I go. The deal with constipation has arisen again, as I read a suggestion to feed your betta peas to relieve it. *Please* don't do this! Bettas are carinvores, which means they eat meat. Their pellet foods are made of primarily meaty ingredients to ensure they have good nutrition. The digestive tract of a betta is not designed to handle heavy vegetable matter, such as peas. While the fish may eat the peas, that does not make it good for him. Babies eat candy, that doesn't make it healthy. I don't know who started the whole idea of feeding a betta peas to relieve constipation, but I strongly warn everyone against it. Peas act as a laxative. Imagine making castor oil a regular part of your child's diet... or running for it everytime your child fails to poop on schedule. All that does is mess up the stomach and digestive tract, and the end result is an early and very painful death in the fish."


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

Now I remembered that info. I do not think however overfeeding of peas is involved here. Kelly has emphasized that this is one time the peas are put into use than as frequent treats. As it is an occasional treat, damage is minimal whether it can actually occur or not. A one-time remedy will not harm a fish compared to reckless overuse.


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## indiandi (Aug 19, 2009)

I'm glad I stumbled across this thread. I was getting in the habit of feeding Diego the bloodworms daily because he seemed to like them much more than the flacks. Well, I changed that and went back to flakes. The first meal he skipped all together. I think he was holding out for the bloodworms. However, the nighttime meal, he changed his mind and was back to eating the flakes. I think I'll pick up some pellets too and see if he'll go for those.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I've known people who will give a betta a bite of pea as a last resort if they can't find daphnia.


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## kelly528 (Aug 31, 2009)

indiandi said:


> I'm glad I stumbled across this thread. I was getting in the habit of feeding Diego the bloodworms daily because he seemed to like them much more than the flacks. Well, I changed that and went back to flakes. The first meal he skipped all together. I think he was holding out for the bloodworms. However, the nighttime meal, he changed his mind and was back to eating the flakes. I think I'll pick up some pellets too and see if he'll go for those.


Hee hee I gave my betta heaps of bloodworms when he was getting over an injury a few months ago... man was it hard to get him to eat pellets again!:roll:


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