# How to fatten up a betta?



## lizcateyes (Oct 22, 2014)

So I went to PetSmart on Sunday to buy more dog food and water conditioner, and just for fun decided to pop by and look at the bettas. 

I ended up seeing this little greenish guy below, he pulled on my heartstrings, and now he's home set up in his own tank. It wasn't too clear from his container, but he's really scrawny. :shock:

I'll admit, maybe my eyes are untrained as to what "healthy" weight on a betta looks like, but the fish I've owned have been happy and lived for years so I don't force anyone on a diet unless it's clear they're really tubby.

I'm including a top photo of one of hrutan's boys (Jack) who is what I think is a "normal" weight for comparison (it's the third/last pic). The new fish just looks very skinny to me, especially when viewed from above, and while he's eating the food I'm offering I'm wondering if there's a faster way to get him up to a healthier size?


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## kittenfish (Dec 1, 2013)

He's fine, some fish just have slimmer bodies. You can slightly increase the number of pellets as long as it's a high quality food.


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## Ayame (Feb 6, 2015)

I'm no expert, but I'm sure he's just fine.

I'd imagine that overfeeding might do more harm than good, just feed him routinely and I'm sure he'll plump up with a regular feeding schedule. Just like in people, I'd imagine it's not good to gain a lot of weight all in a short period of time, nor is it healthy...


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## Greenapp1es (Dec 4, 2014)

He actually does look quite thin to me. Notably, the difference between his head and the remainder of his body.

I believe with emaciation the idea is to start small, then build up. Offer very small meals 2-3 times per day. Then, once he starts eating regularly, up the quantity.


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## lizcateyes (Oct 22, 2014)

Thanks for the advice, everyone! I know some fish are naturally slimmer (one of the rescues from hrutan that I have is much slimmer than his brother, for example), but like Greenapp1es mentioned, his head and his body size were what threw me off and made me think he was emaciated. It's not something I'd ever seen before, and wasn't sure how to go about adding weight to him in a healthy manner. 

He's been eating fine, thankfully I think he must have been so starved that he will eat everything I offer and after only a day actively started swimming around when it's feeding time, poor little guy. 

As Ayame mentioned, I think getting him on a regular feeding schedule might be more important first, and then I can up the amount slowly if it doesn't look like he is getting to a healthy point. 

Thanks again everyone!


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## kenny780 (Jan 14, 2015)

So cute im the same way.In fact,yesterday I went to Petsmart to get more betta food.And I decided just to take a peek at the bettas..Big mystake I ended up buying anouther female bettafish, food,10 gallon tank,heater,and filter,+décor and gravel.This is fish #5!


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## lizcateyes (Oct 22, 2014)

Haha, you've been bitten by the betta bug! I started off with 2, which turned to 3, and now I've got 11 :lol: 

It multiplied so quickly for me because I was starting a sorority tank, and then some of my girls decided to become boys


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## livenatso (Mar 1, 2015)

When I got my fish, Cap, from Petsmart I actually thought he had a body deformity. It turns out his sides were all sunken in because he was extremely underfed. After about two weeks of feeding him the same amount of food my other betta gets (3-4 pellets a day), hes gotten nice and thick. So it doesn't appear that any initial over feeding or under feeding is imperative though starting small and then gradually increasing the amount sounds like a fool proof way to go.


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## lizcateyes (Oct 22, 2014)

livenatso, after a week of feeding he's getting a little thicker. I'm just glad that he's actually eating since refusing to eat is usually the first clue when something is bugging them. I'm glad to hear your betta got better!


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