Betta not eating

[freefour]

Hi everyone . I have a 5 gal octagon style tank for my Betta and I got him 3days ago . The tank has gravle (river rock gravle ,small) a good hideing place for him and 4 silk plants . He won't eat . I have tried baby shrimp and nothing , got some Bettamin (Tetra)and still nothing . He swims around a bit and is active , he fluffs up alot. I guess seeing his reflection in the glass . any help in when he will start to eat ? He seems overal very healthy and active ,just wont eat.

 

[rich311k]

Give him a little time to settle in. You could try red worms any betta I have ever had goes crazy for them. If he is looking good and healthy he likely just needs a little time. That is a nice set up you have.

 

[An t-iasg]

I agree with Rich - just give him some time to get used to his new home and settle in. All my new bettas have been very active, but at the same time, they all took up to 7 days to start eating. Keep offering your betta the food you want him to eat and he will become aware that it is food. My bettas like Hikari Betta Gold pellets and freeze-dried bloodworms and daphnia. The Tetramin betta flakes do have little bits of shrimp mixed in, I think. I'm sure your betta will eat very soon!

 

[Gavin]

I found that mine would turn his nose up at everything for the first few days. Here's what I've learnt of his preferences so far though.

1. He doesn't like overly large particles of food - I feed on micro granules or micro pellets and that's fine. Any larger pellets he cannot fit in his chops. Also he has never even gone near fish flakes.

2. He's picky, doesn't like a change of food once settled, hence they may take a while to adjust to the idea of eating something new

3. Blood worms. He won't eat the dead ones, so frozen's out of the question. However, put live ones in the tank and he goes nuts for them.

Trust me, if yours is hungry enough he'll start to eat once settled. Best just make sure you don't end up with lots of uneaten food lying in the tank.

Good luck

 

[Guest]

my new betta ate right off. He LOVES to eat. My betta I had a few years ago took a while. I had him for a year and a haf. All those times I fed him I always had to show him where the food was. He had both eyes so I don't know what his problem was. I just pointed with my finger where the food was and he found it. Maybe you should try it. Or maybe my betta was just weird!!! LOL

 

[Gavin]

How funny, I did have to do that with mine too.

Point to the food as it goes into the tank and then you see him catch on and off he goes after it. At first I was just putting a few pieces in at time and doing that.

Daft fish!

 

[JodiMartin2003]

I have a betta that goes CRAZY for freeze dried bloodworms. He didnt eat for me for a few days either.

 

[jim532]

don't put any food in the tank for 3 or 4 days, he'll be ok without it, then toss some food in there. Don't put too much, i don't think they eat a whole lot of food.