Am I feeding my bettas too much?

[Laser]

I have two male bettas that I feed each about 6-8 NLS betta pellets 3 times a day. Every other day I substitute one of those feedings with several pieces of hand fed frozen bloodworm. Well, I used to feed it with my hand but it made my hands go numb... I must be allergic to it. Now I just hold it in front of the them with a chopstick.

Anyway, I've read a lot of different things concerning how much to feed a betta. I've seen so many different opinions that I really don't know what to believe.

 

[Calypso77]

Yes, you should only be giving like 6 pellets a day at most and fast them 1 day a week. Your giving way too much.

 

[Alyxx]

A betta's stomach is about the size of their eye. You shouldn't feed them any more than what looks like it should fit on their eye - usually one or two pellets or a piece of bloodworm. Feed about that much once or twice a day. Over feeding can lead to lots of health problems like bloating and obesity.

 

[Bettafanatic]

WAAAAY to much for a betta! They'll get obese on that diet. IMO, they should only be fed every other day. That's how often I feed mine and they are great and not fat.

 

[Laser]

What should I do? Should I drop it down to every other day? Or just feed them once a day?

 

[Calypso77]

Up to yourself my pellets are very tiny and I have always given 6 per day perfectly fine.

 

[Laser]

These NLS pellets are pretty small. Maybe I'll try 3 pellets twice a day. I'm definitely open to suggestions.

 

[Calypso77]

These NLS pellets are pretty small. Maybe I'll try 3 pellets twice a day. I'm definitely open to suggestions.

That would work.

 

[shellieca]

I feed my Bettas 2-3 pellets at a feeding (Top Fin Betta Bits), 2 days a week they will get frozen food (Blood Worms or Brine Shrimp) instead of pellets & I fast them 1-2 days a week. Usually the day after they've had the frozen food I won't feed them because they gorge themselves. They really don't have a full button so you have to be really careful with them.

 

[Laser]

I feed my Bettas 2-3 pellets at a feeding (Top Fin Betta Bits), 2 days a week they will get frozen food (Blood Worms or Brine Shrimp) instead of pellets & I fast them 1-2 days a week. Usually the day after they've had the frozen food I won't feed them because they gorge themselves. They really don't have a full button so you have to be really careful with them.

Yeah, I guess not. I figured they'd stop eating if they didn't need it. I guess they just eat whatever they can because they never know when their next meal would be otherwise.

 

[Bbarb27]

These NLS pellets are pretty small. Maybe I'll try 3 pellets twice a day. I'm definitely open to suggestions.

I feed my betta the hikari bio-gold bites and they are very small. I feed 2-3 pellets twice per day, fast them on Sundays, and my bettas aren't fat or unhealthy (so far)

 

[Laser]

Thanks for all the help guys. I'm never sure how much to feed my fish.

 

[Bettafanatic]

+1 to all suggestions. 2-3 pellets twice a day would work, but fast them once a week.

 

[Andy91]

I feed my betta every other day, he's actually grown a lot in the past few months. I feed him about 8 or so pellets by then he just stops eating and swims around... when I know he's full

 

[shellieca]

Thanks for all the help guys. I'm never sure how much to feed my fish.

You're not alone. I drop one pellet at a time, when it's eaten I drop another. My 3 females are in the same tank so I have to target feed them to make sure each one is eating & how much. Sometimes they'll stop eating but RARELY so I max them out at 4 depending on which Betta it is. Two of my females can only have 2, one female & a male gets 3, while my other male will get 4. You just have to learn your fish. They will always look at you as if they are starving so be strong!