Betta won't eat fish food! :(

[Freshie In Disguise]

I recently bought an attractive male betta from a pet store I like. He's got a dull blue body and pink fins with dark pink spots and a super thin blue outer trim on every fin. I put him in my 10gL with 2 small snails and 5 ghost shrimp. I've tried feeding him 4 different types of food at different times of the day, trying each food at each time of day (he was only getting fed once daily, but different foods at different times) and 2 weeks later, he has not eaten a single scrap of food... However, yesterday, he did take a liking to my ghost shrimp... And ate all of them before I knew he was doing it. I haven't a clue how to obtain suitable live foods in my area, and he won't eat anything else. I don't know what to do with him. What should I do?

 

[absolutangel04]

What sorts of food did you try? Are you sure he didn't eat while you weren't looking?

 

[dancersmama79]

have u tried brine shrimp

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Check his water conditions. Poor conditions can make a fish go off food.

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

If he is eating live, then he is definitely going to eat and five ghost shrimp is a lot for one betta! I feed two to my pearl fighter about once a month and he is full for a few days.

Do you know what he was being fed at the store you bought him from? That would be the best place to start, just give them a call and a quick question.

Some bettas will get tired of new foods and he could have gone after the ghost shrimp originally as a territorial deal and then decided to eat him. My best guess is he is new and stressed. I would take out the snails for the time being and let him relax. Only try feeding him at one point (your routine time) so that he will get trained to only look for food at a particular time. If you try repeatedly throughout the day, he will get used to food being available whenever and be less inclined to go after food when you offer.

But, frozen foods are a great option and New Life Spectrum is pretty attractive (at least to mine). Also, you can try garlic with the food.

 

[Freshie In Disguise]

I tried the common round betta pellets, betta-specific flakes, tropical fish flakes, and freeze-dried bloodworms... That's all I can get locally without ordering something special. At the pet store, they feed them the round floating pellets, but he had only been in the store overnight. They restock their fish on Wednesday and I went in Thursday morning, so I can't say what he ate last.

I haven't a clue where to get brine shrimp, but if I can find them, I will try them.

Ammonia 0 ppm, Nitrites 0 ppm, Nitrates 20 ppm - could be off significantly, I use a walmart strip test kit (for now).

I'm going to look for the New Life Spectrum. He's a neat looking fish and I don't want to get rid of him.
The only other tank I have here is my 20gL, which is still cycling, but loaded with plants... Will the snails be okay in there?

 

[Freshie In Disguise]

I am doing a 25% PWC in both tanks right now, will test afterwards.

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

Well, you are going to get a liquid test kit, right? That would be the most accurate. Water quality could be the issue.

How long have you had him? If he is brand new from shipment, he is definitely stunned. The way that bettas are shipped (in many cases) are not very great and can cause the fish a long recovery time.

 

[Freshie In Disguise]

Yes, I am going to get a liquid kit, but they cost $40 here and I just don't make enough money to spend that much all at once.

I've only had him for 2 weeks, and he was new when I bought him, so he's definitely experienced shipping shock, but I would have thought he would be over it after 2 weeks.

 

[Freshie In Disguise]

He ate two flakes of tropical fish food this morning... And apparently he didn't eat all of my ghost shrimp after all. I found one left alive in the tank this morning, and he was chasing it around, but it was way too fast for him and clearly well aware that he has it in for him. It's kind of fun watching him jump around and evade him like a kung-fu ninja. I don't think he will be able to catch this one, but I'm going to move it into my 20G anyway, just incase. The ammonia levels have been low in it, but it is still cycling.