First Beta, anything i should know?

[onah]

I bought a beta to keep the snails company in a 10g, I really like him he was the first one I have seen in the color he is. Is there anything speacial I should know, I gave him a flake but he didnt eat it, so is it safe to assume he dosent like flake or am I an idiot? I also gave him some bloodworms and he had a couple of those i think, there not there right now so i guesshe found them, but yeah any suggestions?

[rich311k]

Congrats. Very pretty fish!!!

[Alshain]

1. What you should know: Do not put another Beta in the tank with him... ever.

2. No your not an idiot, fish under the stress of move often will not eat right away. (keep in mind they go for weeks in the wild without eating so a day or two isn't going to hurt him if he refuses).

3. Even fish that don't want to eat tend to be unable to resist bloodworms, but don't spoil him, he needs a good staple diet.

4. You are quite the photographer, thats a beautiful picture of a beautiful fish.

[onah]

also will i have to worry about him pecking at the snails? or is he just being curious and it will stop?(he is a male by the by)

[lyquidphyre]

You can buy food specifically for bettas, maybe that will help. Mine never ate flakes, just his betta food.

He might stop pecking at the snails once he gets used to his tank

He looks very much like mine that recently passed away, he is very pretty!

[JohnPaul]

It's common for lots of tropical fish to not eat when they are first brought home and/or put in a new tank; and bettas in particular have a reputation for this, so don't let it worry you too much if he doesn't eat right away.

My betta eventually learned to eat flake food, but would much more readily eat the specialized betta food (looks like small round pellets). Frozen foods (bloodworms, glassworms, etc.) they enjoy, and of course anything live (bloodworms, brine shrimp) they just gobble up. But for nutritional purposes, you want to get them eating either a flake or a betta pellet food eventually.

Bettas tend to have really different personalities, maybe his pecking at the snails will stop, maybe it won't. Only time will tell.

I'm sure he's gonna love his new home. A 10g tank will make him feel like a king!

[sarah5775]

My betta is very fussy. He wouldn't touch standard flake food. He will eat freeze-dried bloodworms grudgingly. He does, however, seem to like the special bettabites food. I feed him that as a staple diet. He seems to be doing fine.