# Betta not able to eat her pellets?



## piperandremy (Feb 22, 2009)

My betta can't eat her pellets! I've watched her, and she attempts to eat it but kind of spits it out, but she's definitely trying to eat it but just can't. She tried eating one about four times, and still hasn't. She's been at it for the last hour, still unsuccessful. I put in a few flakes, but she didn't bother with those. 

Thanks


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## molly1231 (Feb 23, 2009)

you should not give a betta pellets you should only give them flakes but she might have a digestive problem


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Bettas can eat flake food or pellets. Was she able to eat them before now?Maybe crush soe up and see if that helps.Maybe smaller pieces would be easier for her to eat.


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## ThalesthePearsei (Jan 27, 2009)

When I first got my betta, he would not eat pellets. He would try to eat them but spit them out. I fed him flakes and would put a pellet in every once in a while to see if he would eat it. One day he did, and has eaten pellets ever since. I think its just that fish have to get used to eating pellets. If I get a new cichlid that has never eaten pellets, he will do the same thing, but catches on how to eat them quick. It will just take a little time.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I've had a couple bettas that had trouble with pellets but Ithink they just wouldn't stay in his mouth rather than that he was spitting them out.He would try to chew it and it would just pop out of his mouth.


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## Livelifelaughlove (Jan 11, 2009)

My older betta hates flakes, so he gets the pellets, he will also spit it out, and then move to another pellet, but in about 5 minutes from suceeding at the first pellet, they will all be gone...
Try crushing them. I heard that usually helps.

and yes bettas CAN be fed pellets. many actually won't eat flakes, and i tend to lean away from the flakes since they seem to make the tank more of a mess (or i just add to many at a time )


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I've heard that flakes are made up of mostly vegetable matter and bettas are meat eaters.


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## Livelifelaughlove (Jan 11, 2009)

They are omnivorous. They will eat both plant and pellet. but my flakes have alot of worms and stuff ground up in them * lol i read they back* about as much as my pellets


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

What brand of flakes do you use? I feed my fish Hikari bio gold pellets, freeze dried daphnia, brine shrimp and bloodworms.


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## Livelifelaughlove (Jan 11, 2009)

*shrug* something in a yellow container they had at petco. and the pellets are something in a blue container


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## piperandremy (Feb 22, 2009)

haha thanks for the advice. i've begun crushing up the pellets, and usually she is able to eat a few, although a lot of the time she still spits them out. the flake brand is "bettamin", but she doesn't even try to eat those.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I don't feed mine flakes. I prefer pellets. They DID eat some one time when I gave them some that someone gave me.Kim feeds hers Betta Min flakes and they do very well with it.


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## Blaxicanlatino (Jan 28, 2008)

it could also be that your betta is being picky. My betta, when it got tired of the same pellets, he would bite down on them then spit them out then do this repeatedly. I fasted him for 4 days then tried the pellets again and I never had that problem again  I also noticed that fish tend to go for moving food. so i put the pellets in the filter flow so the current pushes the food around to get its attention. If its just floating there then they tend to just ignore it


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Yeah, the fasting is a good idea to try. Bettas do tend to be picky and you may need to change brands of pellets.


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## Kim (Apr 30, 2008)

With flakes you have to make sure that it is made for bettas and does not contain a high percentage of vegetable matter as this can cause improper nutrition and constipation in bettas which are carnivorous. I do feed mine bettamin flakes just because I have several that won't eat pellets and since the others are not opposed to eating flakes I think it just makes life easier. I also supplement with frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp, and daphnia.

Crushing up the pellet is a good idea if your betta is small because sometimes they actually can't eat them if they are too big to swallow.


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## piperandremy (Feb 22, 2009)

she eats her pellets now


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Good! I guess it just took her some time to decide she likes them.


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## Livelifelaughlove (Jan 11, 2009)

I thought bettas were Omnivores?


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Nope, they're carnivorous.


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## Livelifelaughlove (Jan 11, 2009)

hmmm thats food for though 

I learned something i learned something!


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Yep, they eat different kinds of worms, daphnia and brine shrimp. All meat.


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## Kim (Apr 30, 2008)

That's how the pea works  They can't digest most of it being carnivores, so it just "goes right through them" literately, and cleans them out at the same time.


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## Livelifelaughlove (Jan 11, 2009)

Lol i guess i should have known that

My flakes have Potatoe in them...! but the pellets have none...

I think i am going to get new flakes. they have both Flakes AND red dye! *i apparently didn't do a good job of reading the back*


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