# Picky Betta



## Sagittarius-Aquarius (Oct 30, 2009)

All right, so I got a beautiful black rosetail betta a few weeks ago. He's settling in pretty well, my only issue is that he will only eat freeze-dried bloodworms. Right now, he is being treated with maracyn for fin rot (water parameter problems, they've been adjusted accordingly). Does anyone have a strategy for making him eat something different? I know he can survive on bloodworms, but it's not really an ideal situation I wouldn't think.

I saw on Yahoo answers that someone suggested to starve him for 2 days or so, then feed him something else. Would this work, and is it a good idea if he's already ill? 
Thanks.


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## Steeners (Mar 28, 2010)

Just a thought but how about using Garlic Guard from Sea Chem? I had the same issue with my Boesemani rainbows where they would only eat blood worms and daphnia. Their diet is supposed to be 75% veggie and 25% protein.
I got them adjusted to their proper feeding. It did take some time though.


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## fishclubgirl (Mar 4, 2010)

My suggestion would be to try some NLS or Betta Pro food. My bettas love it. My other suggestion would be to put him beside a betta that is eating well. Good luck and let us know how it goes!!


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## Sagittarius-Aquarius (Oct 30, 2009)

Well, right now he lives beside my red and white betta, Nimoy (he's probably got tank envy-- Nimoy lives in a 5.5 gallon!). I'll try the garlic guard. I'll do some research now. I'll keep everyone posted.


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

Just keep up the new foods, try the garlic guard for sure or even soak with some crushed garlic. They are just as you say, picky.. Don't worry if he doesn't take the food for a couple of days, he'll start trying the pellets eventually


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## Sagittarius-Aquarius (Oct 30, 2009)

Tried pellets and flakes again, what a bum! He took both, but spat them out and swam back to the top expectantly. I'm going to soak them with garlic and try again. Thanks for the advice, everyone.

Also, as for the water conditions, I bought a corner filter, filled it with cotton and some of his gravel, and tied off the air line so that the flow is fairly low. He seems okay with this, I'll upgrade him to a better filter gradually.

It was $2. I can't really go wrong with that.


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## TBemba (Jan 11, 2010)

Filter should be good. I would not worry too much about the betta eating he will learn to accept all types of food. I like pellets NLS 1mm never had an issue with any fish not liking them. Make sure you are only feeding like 2 or 3 tiny pellets a day at most. If he is hungry he will look for the food. Once settled in I find betta's to be pigs. 

How often are you changing the water and how much each time?


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## Sagittarius-Aquarius (Oct 30, 2009)

Well, he's been here for about two weeks now, and I tried garlic with no luck. As for water changes, I change it every day, 30-50% depending on the state of water. 
It feels more like he needs to be trained to eat other types of foods. He didn't like the garlic pellets, or the garlic flakes, but of course ate garlic blood worms. Oh well... maybe starving him for a day or so is the way to go.


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## Sagittarius-Aquarius (Oct 30, 2009)

I think I'll just have to feed him frozen bloodworms. He doesn't seem interested in eating anything else, and he's far too beautiful to kill through starvation by mistake! Any other advice?


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

He wont starve to death in a day or two. Fish can last much longer than that so don't stress too badly.

What you can try is yes, move to frozen bloodworm for now. Its much better than the FD stuff.

Try offering bloodworm but with pellets.. then slowly change over to 100% pellets if you can. Try to even soak the pellets in with bloodworms and he should eventually take them.

In my eyes, there isn't much wrong with frozen bloodworm anyways. I would feed it more myself if I wasn't so allergic to it D:

Keep it up!


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## Sagittarius-Aquarius (Oct 30, 2009)

You're allergic? That's awful! I'll try to make that transition. Pellets are much cheaper. I think.


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

Yea... over exposure from when I used to breed. Didn't start out allergic but I used to feed them all the time to condition betta.

You wont need to feed many at a time, hope the transition goes smoothly!


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## Joeee (Apr 3, 2010)

Note to self:
Put bloodworms in Ciddian's coffee in the morning.

LOL Just kidding.


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

*Reads this as she sips her coffee* O_O LOL


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## Sagittarius-Aquarius (Oct 30, 2009)

Oh dear, I'm sorry you're allergic! And I hope the coffee turned out to be clean after all. 
I'm going to try the bloodworm-soaked food today. Here's hoping!


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