# How to Feed KING Betta Fish?



## H20Gardner (Nov 11, 2009)

How much food - pellets and bloodworms - should I feed a king betta? They seem to eat a lot more than regular bettas. Until last Thursday, I had a king betta from Petco (he died when he jumped into my tank's filter tray. I'm getting a new tank w/o one.). I only had him since June 1, 2011. 

I'd had regular sized bettas before. I fed him what I though was normal. He gulped in one bite what my regular sized ones ate in a few minutes. He then begged for more food. 

When he died he was fat, but I didn't notice because he would hide if I turned on the light to get a good look at him. If I didn't feed him or fed him less, he foraged on the bottom for food. I never did figure out how much to feed him.

How many betta pellets should I feed the new one I will get? How many bloodworms? I asked Petco, but I don't trust their answers. 

Thanks!

Terri


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## GreenTea (Jan 31, 2011)

I feed mine about 9 - 14 pellets throughout the day. They are new life spectrum pellets which are small and my giant is 4.25 inches long.


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## Creat (Dec 6, 2010)

They say a betta's stomach is the size of his eye you can always up the pellet number he is getting by one each week up until the number GreenTea suggested and you should be fine as long as he doesnt bloat and stay bloated I see no reason not to.


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## H20Gardner (Nov 11, 2009)

Thank you. Are these New Life pellets tiny like the Hikari (the ones I use) or large like the AquaCulture ones at Walmart? Where do you buy the New life pellets?


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## SnowySurface (Apr 25, 2011)

It depends. I use the New Life Spectrum pellets for small fish. Those pellets are 1/3 the size of the Hikari pellets. If you can find the New Life Spectrum formula for Bettas, then the pellets will be about the size of Hikari pellets. I went with the small fish formula because I couldn't find the type made just for bettas and the pellets for medium sized fish is a little larger than Hikari pellets. Maybe a good sized King betta could eat the medium fish pellets, but I didn't want to try with regular sized betta. 

Since the NLS pellets are less than half the size of the HIkari pellets, I give them 6 pellets twice a day. I've been watching them for bloating and checking the sand for uneaten food to make sure I'm not over feeding them. So far it looks like they eat all the food and aren't bloating, but I do see more poop. Since I'm wondering if I should cut back to 5 NLS pellets twice a day, I wouldn't give a King betta more than 10 pellets twice a day. 

I couldn't find any in a store, so I order it on line from Petco. I woudn't bother checking Walmart or any other general store. You would have better luck at a local pet store with a good fish section. If you do have as much trouble as I did finding NLS, here's a link to the page I brought my food from.


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## Bresn (Sep 1, 2011)

I just find out they are rare:shock:http://www.bettafishbubble.com/king-betta/


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## Kytkattin (May 15, 2011)

You will be able to answer your own question the best. That is, observe the stomach region. When it gets full there will be a slight bulge. Mind you don't let that bulge get too big!


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## GreenTea (Jan 31, 2011)

King Bettas are not that rare anymore because petco has started selling them. Many just have the "wild betta" coloring but I found a beautiful salamander giant there  

To be specific, I have the new life spectrum betta pellets, not ones for other fish. They are sold at petco, and probably other petstores and online. I got mine at petco.


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## H20Gardner (Nov 11, 2009)

Thank y'all! I now have a better feel for it. I just read that bettas can eat way tow much food in five minutes and will keep eating as long as you feed them, so the general guidelines don't apply. 

I thought he was eating way too much!

I was going to put him on a diet had he not jumped in the filter tray.

I can't wait until i get a new set up for my next one.

My king betta was a gorgeous red, purple, and blue mix but I like the wild color as well. I chose him for his responsive personality.


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