How to feed your Betta fish?

The proper feeding of your Betta is extremely important to keeping him happy and healthy. As most fish owners know, there is proper food for every species of fish and one of these selective eaters is the Betta fish.

Wild Betta Feeding

In nature, Bettas eat what their perfect environment provides which gives them all the nutrition they need. This food is not flaked in a can nor does it consist of freeze-dried pellets. The best and most nutritious foods are either frozen or fresh which translates into a vibrant, fast-growing adult Betta.

Betta Food Essentials

Bettas in the wild eat many types of food including shrimp, bloodworms, insects, mosquitoes, snails and occasionally small fish. Many of these foods can be purchased frozen such as brine shrimp and bloodworms. These foods will keep your Betta very happy and healthy.

Similar to humans, Bettas cannot make every kind of substance within their bodies they need to achieve optimum health. Essentials, such as amino acids and certain unsaturated fats, need to be supplied to provide adequate nutrition. Certain fatty acids, such as HUFA, for example, are required nutrients, for without them, your fish will fail to grow and die prematurely. Therefore, it is imperative that you add foods rich in this source such as insects, crustaceans, fish liver oil, annelid worm and egg yolk.

Feeding Protocol

Leaving uneaten food in the aquarium can also lead to Betta disease. Once your fish finishes eating, remove all food remnants from the tank. Watch your fish and make sure they eat the food given them immediately. If they don’t, observe where the food drops and remove these morsels after they finish eating. If you fail to eliminate these pieces, they will rot and contaminate your aquarium water.

Lastly, remember that Bettas prefer to eat from the upper part of the water in your tank. They are not bottom feeders. So before you feed them, get their attention by letting them see the food close to the top. Drop a tiny bit and watch them eat. Once that bit of food is gone, drop more into the tank, but always watch the belly of each fish. If your Betta looks the same after he has eaten, you can feed him more, each time making the portion smaller. Once you notice his belly is bigger, do not feed him anymore. Also, make sure you remove any uneaten food from your betta's aquarium.

Betta Fish are a beautiful and majestic species and they should be treated with care and attention to their specific needs.