# Through Smell or Sight?



## Kaoru (Jul 28, 2011)

So I've been wondering since I've gotten my new betta. What sensory organ do they use to find food primarily? I know a lot of my other fish can smell the food immediately and search but I dont know if hes just new or something but there would be times where the food will just sit there and no reaction whatsoever. I'm assuming sight, but anyone else know differently? Thanks!


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## HatsuneMiku (Jul 29, 2011)

betta's are picky eaters

they use sight to find food .. they are very smart fishies .. once they are comfortable with you they will know when you are going to feed them

if they are not happy or if it's a new environment .. or if they are scared .. they won't eat .. but most likely if you betta is not eating .. and he seems healthy otherwise .. it's cus he doesn't like what your feeding him .. 

happy betta's eat like pigs ^_^


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## masshiimarro (Apr 16, 2011)

lololol does he eat those dang pellets? bettas in the wild get their prey when they fall into the water, so it would make sense for them to see it instead of smell it. their eyes are very good, ive read somewhere before that they can recognize their owners (feeders XD) from .... 10 ft away maybe?


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## Kaoru (Jul 28, 2011)

Hmm thats interesting to know, no wonder he was like "hurr~" when it was dropped right behind him XD. I'll make sure to see if I can feed him with it in front. 

And yes @ marro, he does eat them. I'm really surprised he does considering they looked so low quality or maybe just old? I dont know, I'm gonna buy new food for him, cichild pellets will do wonders. Or he can help me finish all those live worms I bought the other day for my eel haha XD But feeding live food tends to increase aggressiveness in fish so I'm gonna try and avoid that.


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## fishcurl (Jul 14, 2011)

I'm going to go with sight. Unless I drop it right in front of him, Flambé doesn't see it. Strangely, pointing at it and screaming "It's right there!!!!" doesn't work. Huh, go figger XD


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## MaggieLynn (Jun 24, 2011)

fishcurl said:


> I'm going to go with sight. Unless I drop it right in front of him, Flambé doesn't see it. Strangely, pointing at it and screaming "It's right there!!!!" doesn't work. Huh, go figger XD


oh this made me giggle so much my mom gave me a strange look. I tend to point to but usually when they see my finger they know it means food.

That is cool about the recognizing from a distance if its true. I know my sorority get are wiggly when i walk in my room vs me being in there for a bit


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## HatsuneMiku (Jul 29, 2011)

all of my betta's do the wiggle dance when they see me get their feeding spoon out


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## nel3 (May 29, 2011)

mine wiggles every time he sees me regardless of feeding time. though i do find that sometimes their eyesight is in a limited range. i coax it into the small glass it sits in during water changes with a toothpick. i feed it with toothpick ie brineshrimp, blood worms. he just doesnt see it 30-45 degrees off his nose too much. though his eyesight seems to be in good condition, its probably their adaptation for visual range.


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## undercutter (Aug 1, 2011)

definitely by sight, they can smell when the food is in the tank and get excited but they can't find it by smell alone


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