I've been doing some research about good and bad brands of food for bettas, so I thought I would post what I have found, and information about whether all of the popular brands of food are really good for bettas or not.
First of all some Definitions
Fish Meal - "Fish meal is the clean, dried, ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish or fish cuttings, either or both, with or without the extraction of part of the oil."
Basically meal is ground up, dried out parts of the animal that are not considered human grade. They are higher in salt but lower in protein and nutrients then whole meats would be.
Foods that contain just "fish meal" are not good, foods that contain more specific items like "Antarctic Krill Meal" or "Herring Meal" while still not as good as whole fish, are a much better option then those that contain just "fish meal"
Foods that contain whole meats and not too many fillers are going to be much better for your bettas then foods that contain meal and lots of fillers.
Now I'll post some popular brands of betta food, and their ingredients. And put the title in Red if the food is low quality or bad, Purple for neutral and Green if the food is a good choice to feed to your fishie!
Atison's Betta Pro
Description:
Ocean Nutritions Atison Betta Pro is highly regarded among Betta splendens keepers. In the aquatic food business of today, aquarists are spoiled for choice. Out of the multitude of generic feeds, many have been specially tailored for specific fauna, and the Betta Pro is one of them.
Ingredients
Pure brine shrimp embryos | wheat flour | vitamins (stabilized ascorbic acid, vitamin E supplement, niacin | thiamine mononitrate | folic acid | calcium pantothenate | riboflavin | menadione sodium bisulfate complex | Vitamin A acetate | pyridoxine HCL | Vitamin B12 supplement | Vitamin D3 supplement, biotin) and preservatives (calcium propionate, ethoxyquin).
New Life Spectrum Betta Pellets
Description:
New Life Spectrum Thera-A Regular Formula is a hormone-free, color enhancing formula. The non-medicated anti-parasitic formula helps fend off parasites. An excellent diet for newly acquired fish and brood stock. Formulated for all types of omnivore, herbivore and carnivore tropical fish. Spectrum food is made with high-quality easily digestible krill and herring protein with all-natural color-enhancing ingredients for a balanced diet that boosts immune system function and enhances the full spectrum of your fish's color.
With the belief that all fish require a complete and fully balanced varied diet, New Life also contains algae meal, that consists of seaweed, kelp, and haematococcus pluvialis (a micro algae), a premium grade of natural spirulina, as well as a fruit and vegetable extract that consists of spinach, red and green cabbage, peas, broccoli, red pepper, zucchini, tomato, kiwi, apricot, pear, mango, apple, papaya, and peach.
Our premium line of fish food is made in the USA, in an FDA approved state-of-the-art facility. All of the ingredients used in New Life Spectrum premium fish foods are thoroughly analyzed and certified, ensuring only the highest grade of quality and purity in each and every container of our food.
Ingredients:
Whole Antarctic krill meal, whole herring meal, whole wheat flour, algae meal, garlic, soybean isolate, beta carotene, spirulina, vegetable and fruit extract (spinach, red and green cabbage, pea, broccoli, zucchini, tomato, red bell pepper, kiwi, apricot, pear, mango, apple, papaya, peach), vitamin a acetate, DL alphatocophero (E), d-activated animal sterol (D3), vitamin B12 supplement, thiamine, riboflavin supplement, pyridoxine hydro-chloride, calcium pantothenate, L-ascorby-2-polyphosphate (stable C), choline chloride, copper proteinate, ethylenediamine dihydroiodide, cobalt sulfate, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate.
Omega One Betta Buffet Pellets
Description:
The fresh seafood ingredients in Omega One are particularly attractive to Bettas, since they thrive on higher protein foods. The cold water marine proteins and fresh omega fats in Betta Buffet micro pellets make it a nutritional must for all Bettas. With natural pigments in salmon skins for vibrant colors. Additionally, the protein binder in Omega One, which is not water soluble, results in a much cleaner environment, especially in a small tank. Never clouds water!
Ingredients:
Whole Salmon, Halibut, Shrimp, Wheat Flour, Wheat Gluten, Fresh Kelp, Astaxanthin, Lecithin, L-Ascorbyl-2-Phosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Natural and Artificial Colors, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Folic Acid, Biotin, Inositol, Tocopherol (Preservative), Ethoxyquin (Preservative).
NutraFin Max Color Enhancing Betta Flake Food
Description:
A highly nutritional formula that contains freeze-dried blood worms for maximum palatability and natural sources of pigments to enhance brilliant betta fish colors.
Ingredients:
Krill, fish meal, fish protein concentrate, wheat flour, corn meal, squid meal, oatmeal, wheat gluten meal, dried seaweed meal, soybean flour, oatmeal, wheat gluten meal, dried seaweed meal, soybean flour, soy protein concentrate, fish liver meal, dried yeast, salmon oil (ethoxyquin used as preservative), cochineal extract, squid liver meal, shrimp meal, vitamins (cholecalciferol, biotin, d-calcium pantothenate, folic acid, inositol, niacin supplement, riboflavin-5-phosphate, calcium inositol, L-ascorbyl-2-monophosphate, vitamin A acetate, thiamine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin E supplement, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K activity), yeast extract, fructooligosaccharide, lecithin.
*Contains whole krill and not just meal which is good. But it's a flake food and it can be more difficult to get bettas to eat flakes instead of pellets
Top Fin Color Enhancing Betta Bites
Description
A unique floating betta formula with added natural color-boosting ingredients to help brighten the color and enhance the beauty of your betta fish. Betta Color Enhancing Bits are fortified with vitamins and minerals for complete nutrition. This unique floating pellet simulates natural feeding behavior and contains natural color enhancers, including red algae and spirulina. Feed as a supplement to standard Betta Bits or feed exclusively for maximum color enhancement.
Ingredients:
Fish meal, shrimp meal, soybean meal, wheat flour, corn gluten meal, fish oil, squid meal, yeast, calcium propionate, rice bran, proteinase enzyme, garlic, brine shrimp, astaxanthin, spirulina, red algae, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate, vitamin a acetate, choline chloride, a -tocopheryl acetate, niacin, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin, thimain mononitrate, biotin, pyridoxine HCl, folic acid, d-activated animal sterol, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin K3 supplement, inositol, calcium iodate, dicalcium phsophate, copper sulfate, sodium selenite, cobalt chloride, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, magnesium sulfate, manganese sulfate.
HBH Betta Bites
Description
Nutrient-packed, color-enhancing fish food for Bettas. The micro-pellet diet improves Betta health, growth, and coloration.
Ingredients:
Fish meal, wheat flour, soy flour, fish oil, brewers dried yeast, squid meal, soy lecithin, krill meal, l-ascorbic acid phosphate (source of vitamin C), choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, niacin supplement, astaxanthin, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, thiamine mononitrate, biotin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, manganese sulfate, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, copper sulfate, sodium selenite, potassium iodate, ethoxyquin (preservative), propionic acid (preservative), red 40.