# Brand/ Type of Food you use?



## Gerty7408 (Apr 4, 2011)

Hello everyone!

After Gertrude (my female betta) passed away :-( I went out and got a male betta. He's sort of pinkish almost with a red/purple tail. Really pretty!

Anyways since I've been feeding him, I noticed that the pellets I have seem to be too hard for him to chew and he spits them out. I was hoping they'd soak in the water for a few, but then they just fall.


I'm going out today to get a few things and I was just curious what everyone uses for their food? Brands and types?

Thanks!


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## windfire (May 25, 2010)

i use tetra flakes either the one for tropical fish or the one specially made for bettas


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## ollief9 (Mar 16, 2011)

I use Nutrafin Max Colour Enhancing flakes.


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## russalka (Mar 23, 2011)

Frozen glassworms (thawed), frozen shrimp, new life spectrum pellets.


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## Lion Mom (Jun 14, 2010)

I feed New Life Spectrum Growth Formula on Mon., Tues., Thurs. & Friday. Golden Pearls on Wed. & Sat. Fast on Sunday. 

Been doing this for almost a year and all's good!


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## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

my boy enjoys his bettamin flakes, however most on the forums seem to recommend pellts over flakes
From what I've gathered you want his food to have about 50% protein


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## Lion Mom (Jun 14, 2010)

Silverfang said:


> my boy enjoys his bettamin flakes, however most on the forums seem to recommend pellts over flakes
> From what I've gathered you want his food to have about 50% protein


Which is why I went with the NLS Growth formula - 50% protein & 9% fat. More protein than their Betta Formula. PLUS the pellets are TINY so there is no problem with even the smallest fish eating them - heck, even my guppy fry can eat them!!!! :-D


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## LolaQuigs (Mar 28, 2010)

I feed omega one betta pellets.


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## fishman12 (Sep 1, 2010)

Aqueonbetta pellets


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## Canuck Fins (Oct 5, 2010)

My betta did spit out flakes while eating. He hasn't spit anything out since I changed to Topfin pellets. I find the pellets are easier to consistently feed the same amount and Ninja has been far more active since I made the change. I feed him pellets twice a day for 5 days, fast for one day and feed bloodworms once a week.

Some fish will spit out food while they are getting used to a new tank. It's not necessarily a good issue.


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## briser (Feb 7, 2011)

fishman12 said:


> Aqueonbetta pellets


These! All my bettas love them and beg for more.


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## Canuck Fins (Oct 5, 2010)

Canuck Fins said:


> My betta did spit out flakes while eating. He hasn't spit anything out since I changed to Topfin pellets. I find the pellets are easier to consistently feed the same amount and Ninja has been far more active since I made the change. I feed him pellets twice a day for 5 days, fast for one day and feed bloodworms once a week.
> 
> Some fish will spit out food while they are getting used to a new tank. It's not necessarily a good issue.


It's not necessarily a FOOD issue. Nice typo there I can not edit. Argh!


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## Landon21 (Mar 27, 2011)

Hikari pellets and bloodworms frozen and freeze dried.


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## TonyK (Apr 4, 2011)

I've been using the HBH Betta Bites.


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## Arashi Takamine (Mar 3, 2011)

I use Aqua Culture betta pellets and Bettamin flakes together as his daily meal. The pellets are a little too big for him so I do hope to switch him to New Life Spectrum soon or TetraBetta mini pellets. He spits them out of there's too many pellets offered at the same time. I give him one at a time wait for him to eat then drop two small pinches of flake (after he eats one I put in another.) He seems to like it but my mom and I agree that we want to add brine shrimp to his diet soon and give him smaller pellets. He seems to like them and he knows whenever I'm close to the food container that he's likely to get fed or he knows it's feeding time.


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## alixhero (Apr 11, 2011)

Bettas betta food ... Thats the name , and two 1mm sized cooked chicken meat 3times a week ~~


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## denaliwind (Feb 27, 2011)

I only feed frozen/live, I've never fed flakes or pellets or freeze dried. Their food includes mysis shrimp, daphnia, bloodworms, brine shrimp, wingless fruit flies and occasionally ants. XP


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

I use TetraColor and bloodworms.


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## BlackberryBetta (Feb 6, 2011)

briser said:


> These! All my bettas love them and beg for more.


Yeah! My bettas L-O-V-E those!


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## roadrunner (Apr 3, 2010)

my boys love hikari micro wafers! once in a while I switch them with blood worms or daphnia.


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## alixhero (Apr 11, 2011)

Erm .... is cooked chicken OK with them ??


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## Lion Mom (Jun 14, 2010)

alixhero said:


> Erm .... is cooked chicken OK with them ??


Personally, I wouldn't feed it to them, but to each their own I guess! :-?


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## alixhero (Apr 11, 2011)

Lion Mom said:


> Personally, I wouldn't feed it to them, but to each their own I guess! :-?


:|But ALL article , guides and discussion says that feeding meat to Betta 3 times a week is the minimum requirement to prevent their digestive system go haywire :|

Because Betta are a natural CARNIVORES (eats meat) living thing .....

;-)And feeding meat to them is also a diet full of protein for them to recover from injuries , replenishing colors , brighter colors , healthier respiration system and maintaining amout of acid in stomach ... :roll:


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## luluo (Apr 6, 2011)

Omega One Betta Buffet flakes
Frozen bloodworms
Frozen brine shrimp
Frozen fewshwater multipack


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## alixhero (Apr 11, 2011)

excuse me , I've fed my fish 7 paletes today
but he keep searching food on the gravel , what should I do ??
and I fed him him 3 pieces of 1mm volume size cooked port yesterday ..


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## CyerRyn (Apr 8, 2011)

When I first got my Betta he wouldn't eat what I offered him. I started off with BettaMin flakes and he did not like them one bit. They stayed floating at the top all day until slowly sinking to their demise. I tried Wardley Shrimp pellets after that but they seemed to be too large and heavy for the poor fella (I forget where it was suggested to feed that to him but that was a very poor suggestion. Their so heavy they floated to the bottom.) I tried Tetra Blood Worms -freeze dried- after and he still wouldn't eat. I finally picked up a bottle of Tetra Betta floating mini pellets. He LOVES them!! If anyone has a suggestion for a better quality mini pellet feel free to message me.


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## fleetfish (Jun 29, 2010)

*long list, always getting longer *

New Life Spectrum Grow and Betta pellets( CyerRyn ~The NLS Grow formula is very high in protein [50%] and is tiny. It's an excellent brand.)
Omega One pellets and flake 
Frozen bloodworms
Frozen brine shrimp
Frozen glass worms
Frozen daphnia
Live blackworms if I can find them
Shelled cooked peas
Occasionally (once every month or so) cooked chicken and shrimp meat


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## alixhero (Apr 11, 2011)

alixhero said:


> excuse me , I've fed my fish 7 paletes today
> but he keep searching food on the gravel , what should I do ??
> and I fed him him 3 pieces of 1mm volume size cooked port yesterday ..


eXCUSE ME ~~


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## margotandfishy (Mar 26, 2011)

alixhero said:


> excuse me , I've fed my fish 7 paletes today
> but he keep searching food on the gravel , what should I do ??
> and I fed him him 3 pieces of 1mm volume size cooked port yesterday ..


7 pellets seems like a lot. my fish always are looking around for some extra food hidden. betta will eat any food that you give them and pretty much all of it. 4-5 pellets should be fine and fast him every once and awhile too. i feed my guys 3 pellets a day(they're kinda big) and fast them a few days a month.


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## LolaQuigs (Mar 28, 2010)

Don't let them trick you; they always act hungry! You definitely don't want him to get bloated, so I'd cut down to 4-6. 

As far as meat goes, bettas don't naturally eat land animals, so I wouldn't feed it to them; I don't know if it would really do any harm, but it's not biologically appropriate. You could get some frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp or daphnia though. Frozen fish foods are great for them, and they really love it!


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## alixhero (Apr 11, 2011)

margotandfishy said:


> 7 pellets seems like a lot. my fish always are looking around for some extra food hidden. betta will eat any food that you give them and pretty much all of it. 4-5 pellets should be fine and fast him every once and awhile too. i feed my guys 3 pellets a day(they're kinda big) and fast them a few days a month.


I'm sorry .. what do u mean by ... Fast ~ ??


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## LolaQuigs (Mar 28, 2010)

alixhero said:


> I'm sorry .. what do u mean by ... Fast ~ ??


Fast means you don't feed him. A lot of people (myself included) like to fast their bettas one day a week; it gives their digestive systems a break and helps prevent bloat.


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## alixhero (Apr 11, 2011)

LolaQuigs said:


> Fast means you don't feed him. A lot of people (myself included) like to fast their bettas one day a week; it gives their digestive systems a break and helps prevent bloat.


owh ... then i think i'll give him a fast today ~ :-D
I wonder what does slow mean in the other way ....


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

I'm pretty sure they're using fast in a different definition. Thx for this thread! Would a pellet and a bloodworm in the morning and a pellet in the evening be okay? Thx!


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## LolaQuigs (Mar 28, 2010)

You're talking about freeze dried blood worms, right? I wouldn't feed them every day, just once a week or so, as a treat.


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

Can I feed two pellets in the morn and one in the evening? Then on Sunday just one pellet? To give his digestive tract a break. Thx


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## LolaQuigs (Mar 28, 2010)

Is he full-grown? I feed my adult male 2 in the morning and 2 at night; you might want to try that and if he seems to bloat cut back to three a day. You want to avoid bloat, but you also want to make sure he is well-fed. Finding the right feeding amount/schedule is really about trial and error. I fast mine completely, feeding them nothing every Thursday (ah thanks for reminding me, I will fast them today!), but I suppose you could feed just one pellet one day a week. Not everyone fasts their fish, but it's a good idea.


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## Blaze54 (Apr 14, 2011)

I feed mine TetraBetta mini pellets with color enhancer. He loves 'em!!!! Whenever I drop one in he immediately shoots to the top! He spits it out a couple of times and then it sinks but most of the time he goes after it!


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

He is 1 in long, not full grown. Four a day seems a bit much. Hmmm...


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## carzz (Mar 8, 2011)

Keep a nice stash of food. Pellets, flakes, worms, shrimp... I know I don't wanna eat the same thing every darn day. Hahaha if they spit it out, let them eat something new!


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## pdxBetta (Mar 15, 2011)

I feed primarily Hikari frozen brine shrimp, frozen bloodworms about every third day, and live food such as daphnia, mosquito larvae and black worms when I can get them. They got black worms today. I've never bought a Betta pellet, and probably never will.


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## LolaQuigs (Mar 28, 2010)

Neil D said:


> He is 1 in long, not full grown. Four a day seems a bit much. Hmmm...


 
Oh yeah, if he's still young, then you'll want to feed him less. My young female bloats if I give her anything more than three pellets a day. It all just depends on your fish, his size, his metabolism, etc.


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## artes (Apr 14, 2011)

I use Tetra Betta flakes. That's the food my bettas like - I've tried NutraFin and Hikari, and my bettas like the Tetra flake stuff so much more. They also occasionally get Tetra Cichlid flakes, but that's just when I misplace the betta food. >_>


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

LolaQuigs said:


> Oh yeah, if he's still young, then you'll want to feed him less. My young female bloats if I give her anything more than three pellets a day. It all just depends on your fish, his size, his metabolism, etc.


Thx! I love my betta! I want the absolute best for him.(don't we all?) His name is Josh. I feed my guy Tetra Color sinking pellets. And a blood worm every two days.;-)


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## jackals (Jul 20, 2010)

oh no i think i've been feeding my betta way too much 

I've had him since June 2010 and my girlfriend brought him home from walmart - I heard they are typically 6+ months there... so he is 1 yr +

I do like the idea of a fast day.. so 1 day a week he won't eat... but we like to feed him morning and night.. he really seems to like the hikari pellets.. I am going to switch to the new life spectrum brand after as i heard they are better...

what kind do you recommend in the NLS brand? the betta formula or I saw people say the grow formula or something that has more protein thats better?

Also like I said we like to feed him 2 times a day for 6 days a week..


should i give 2 pellets morning and 3 pellets night? or 2 and 2? or is it better to give the extra pellet in the morning so 3 in the am and 2 at night?


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

*Food*



jackals said:


> oh no i think i've been feeding my betta way too much
> 
> I've had him since June 2010 and my girlfriend brought him home from walmart - I heard they are typically 6+ months there... so he is 1 yr +
> 
> ...


People tend to agree that 5 a day is too much. Maybe 2 in the morn and 1 in the eve for a full grown. Treat him with a bloodworm twice a week. Remember I got this info from elsewhere on this site;-).


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

Neil D said:


> Thx! I love my betta! I want the absolute best for him.(don't we all?) His name is Josh. I feed my guy Tetra Color sinking pellets. And a blood worm every two days.;-)


Just wanted to let you know that if it is freeze dried bloodworms they should only be fed weekly.


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

Okay. Thx!


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## jackals (Jul 20, 2010)

i heard the new life spectrum betta pellets are better than the hikari bio gold.. hes eaten the hikari bio gold since we brought him home and loves them.. won't really eat flakes and prefers the pellets.

Should I switch to the new life spectrum pellets or keep using the hikari bio gold?


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

jackals said:


> i heard the new life spectrum betta pellets are better than the hikari bio gold.. hes eaten the hikari bio gold since we brought him home and loves them.. won't really eat flakes and prefers the pellets.
> 
> Should I switch to the new life spectrum pellets or keep using the hikari bio gold?


Definitely switch, the hikari is not good for bettas any more. They changed the formula.


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## Lion Mom (Jun 14, 2010)

"what kind do you recommend in the NLS brand? the betta formula or I saw people say the grow formula or something that has more protein thats better?"

I personally use the Growth Formula because it has higher protein and the pellets are tiny, but I think the Betta Formula would work well also.


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## Fermin (Apr 18, 2010)

My betta would rank his food options as follows:
1. Aqueon betta pellets (his absolute fav)
2. Freshwater Frenzy (frozen mix of daphnia, shrimp, bloodworms, cyclops...)
3. Freezedried bloodworms
4. Hikari betta pellets (not his fav)


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## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

I'm curious if anyone knows why freeze dried is best for a treat only, is it high fat/calories?


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

Because with live foods, there is a risk of disease. Freeze dried has not parasites


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## Tisia (Mar 15, 2011)

I think it loses most of the nutrients during the freeze drying process


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

Neil D said:


> Because with live foods, there is a risk of disease. Freeze dried has not parasites


I think he meant why is it bad to feed too often, not why it is good lol.

Freeze dried have very little nutrients. A good comparison would be potato chips. 

Real food is always better, with any animal.


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## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

ahh, was just curious and wondered why they were best left as a snack, thanks


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## LeroyTheBetta (Dec 18, 2010)

Silverfang said:


> ahh, was just curious and wondered why they were best left as a snack, thanks


Wondered the same thing, too.


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

turtle10 said:


> I think he meant why is it bad to feed too often, not why it is good lol.
> 
> Freeze dried have very little nutrients. A good comparison would be potato chips.
> 
> Real food is always better, with any animal.


I thought it was because there is too much protien, which might block them up.


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## lovebug009 (Mar 24, 2011)

I am no expert , but I read labels all the time for my food and my dogs, so I did the same for betta food. I was shocked to find one( sorry and I don't remember the name now)had soy meal as the first ingredient, I bought one with real fish as the first ingredient. I just seemed to be better to me


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

Neil D said:


> I thought it was because there is too much protien, which might block them up.


It is because they aren't very nutritious and the block/bloat because they are freeze dried. There is a lot of air in them.


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

okay thx


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## LeroyTheBetta (Dec 18, 2010)

Lion Mom said:


> I personally use the Growth Formula because it has higher protein and the pellets are tiny, but I think the Betta Formula would work well also.


I recently switched to NLS and I have the small fish formula (0.5mm pellets), just the right size for my neons.... and the Thera A regular (1mm pellets) for everyone else. The small fish formula is pretty high in protein at 45% min, and the Thera A regular is 38% min. I've been giving Leroy the small fish type and he's actually just started eating it yesterday. Didn't seem interested at all before that, now he seems to like it.


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## SnowySurface (Apr 25, 2011)

My bettas eat Hikari Betta Bio-Gold pellets.


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## akjadestar (Mar 19, 2010)

I use Aqueon Betta food, which is really nutritious and tasty to bettas. There's just one problem... the pellets don't float :/


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## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

My boy is now willing to munch flakes, pellets, freeze dried (only once a week) or frozen bloodworms. With occasional plant roots until he actually tastes them.


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

I use TetraColor. Josh and my tetras eat them.


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## TSchulz (Apr 26, 2011)

I like to use the dried shrimp... he don't like those flakes or pellets at all. He is very picky. I give him that brine shrimp too but it is stinky. I usually feed him dried baby shrimp. He loves the stuff.


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

SnowySurface said:


> My bettas eat Hikari Betta Bio-Gold pellets.


When you run out of it, buy a different brand. Hikari contains a lot of wheat and low quality protein, so it isn't best for fish.


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## strictlyninja (Apr 24, 2011)

I use to feed my bettas Hikari Betta Bio Gold thinking it was good for them. But now I am reading they changed the formula. It seems like I will have to go shopping for a new brand of betta food now.


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## SnowySurface (Apr 25, 2011)

Thanks for the warning. I didn't realize the formula had changed. It used to be really good when I got Luigi nearly 2 years ago. He's going to have to adjust to new food all over again.


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## DarkMoon17 (Apr 16, 2011)

I feed attison's betta pro or the normal attison's betta pellets. I've never had a betta turn them down


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## Blazer23 (Apr 21, 2011)

I use Hikari Betta Bio-Gold


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## Blazer23 (Apr 21, 2011)

Oh when I go to fish store Ill buy new food thanks for the advice


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

I use TetraColor with supplements of freeze dried blood worms weekly.


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## strictlyninja (Apr 24, 2011)

Have any of you guys ever bought fish food from http://www.almostnaturalfishfood.us/store/ ??


I did some research on them and in other forums it seems like some people highly recommend the Betta food that they sell. 

I think I might give them a chance and buy some Betta pellets from them and see how my Betta likes them.


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## bettafish15 (Oct 3, 2010)

I'm now using Betta Bites  Tiny, and my bettas love them. They come with treats too.


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## Lion Mom (Jun 14, 2010)

strictlyninja said:


> Have any of you guys ever bought fish food from http://www.almostnaturalfishfood.us/store/ ??
> 
> 
> I did some research on them and in other forums it seems like some people highly recommend the Betta food that they sell.
> ...


I have. I found the betta pellets are too large for my liking and my African cichlids absolutely would NOT eat the cichlid pellets. Go figure.:-?

I am a BIG believer in New Life Spectrum products and am using that for EVERYBODY now. :-D


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

The one's akjadestar recommended really good ones,the New Life Specrum good too they also don't float sinking really fast to the bottom but my bettas eat them really fast before they sink though.

All mine bettas also love TOPFIN Betta Bits. They kind of bigger than other but mine love them and they don't sink fast and i love the ingredients too. It a lot of vitamins and garlic powder.

I also feed them with HIKARI BIO-PURE 100% Pure Freeze Dried Food with Bio-Encapsulated Multi-vitamins.


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