This made me soo mad.

[Oscar98]

either way if its not torn up it will be living inside the fishes stomach for sometime before dying. i once caught a bass that had three live bullheads in it, those fish live through just about anything but im sure other fish suffer for a few minutes before dying

No it wont. Almost all big cichlids crush the food betwwen there tongue and top of there mouth.

 

[aquandrew]

were not talking about just big cichlids

 

[Fishingforfish]

But tell me, what are the odds of a betta getting eaten by an Oscar..in the wild? That's not accurate at all. Feeder goldfish? They get fed to numerous kinds of fish..yet in the wild, some of those fish don't even eat them. Yeah, it is in their natural instinct to kill what they find as food, but if you're gonna feed them a live product that's not in their food chain, then I find that far from what is natural. Mind you, they are not in their habitat when put in a tank. That's a whole different story. The owner FED the fish, the fish ate it. The betta was placed there, it wasn't in the tank to begin with. And if it was, then the story would be different. But then again, that's why people ask and give advice on what fish is compatible with one another. Specifically saying, I'm not worked up on a fish eating another in the wild, but in fish tanks? Then I find that slightly cruel. The owner should be the one responsible enough to feed what is right, and place the right fish in the tank.
A fish that gets eaten by another in tank is far from a fish eating another in their own habitat.

 

[bettaowner]

The leaf fish is an exception because it rarely eats anything other than live food.

 

[bud29]

The leaf fish is an exception because it rarely eats anything other than live food.

Many wild-caught fish will turn up their nose at prepared food as well - the leaf fish is not alone by any means.

 

[Oscar98]

Many wild-caught fish will turn up their nose at prepared food as well - the leaf fish is not alone by any means.

X2......

 

[Cactuspixie]

Wouldn't they take (thawed) frozen fish though?

 

[bud29]

Wouldn't they take (thawed) frozen fish though?

Sometimes - however their preference is most definitely live. I am thinking of getting some wild pygmy sunfish, they seem to almost exclusively eat live food. That being said, it's not exactly fish that they eat (those fish would have to be tiny) but still. Sometimes though, you can wean wild fish off of live food onto frozen.

 

[bettaowner]

Some wild fish can eventually be weaned on to non living food. The leaf fish feeds mainly on live fish.

 

[AngelFishGirl]

Ugh that video hit me. Hard to watch fish with such bright personalities that would be loved and cared for me by many just thrown to a fish who doesn't even need it..