Betta fish can eat tropical flakes, but these aren’t the ideal diet for them. Instead, feed your betta a varied diet consisting of pellets, frozen foods and live food.
Betta pellets and live food, unlike tropical flakes, contain specifically formulated micronutrients for bettas. Furthermore, these foods have a higher crude protein content than flake foods.
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They’re not made for Bettas
Bettas are not typically tropical fish and won’t eat tropical flakes. Instead, they prefer a diet that mirrors their natural environment in the wild – usually meat.
To feed your betta effectively, you need to find a flake or pellet specifically made for them. These foods typically have high protein levels and are often fortified with essential vitamins and minerals.
Some of these flakes are even fortified with nutrients that bettas don’t naturally get, like omega-3 fatty acids. These nutrients benefit their skin, gills and bones.
They’re also an excellent source of vitamin C. However, they contain too much salt and sulphur which can lead to health issues. To ensure your betta’s wellbeing, always mix different fish foods together; ideally flakes and pellets alongside live food for best results. Frozen food can also be used but be sure it’s defrosted carefully beforehand so as not to lose any valuable nutritional content.
They’re too big
If your betta fish won’t eat flakes, it could be due to being too large to swallow properly. This can occur if your betta has digestive issues, is bloated, or has a parasite.
You can avoid tropical flakes by offering live foods like mosquito larvae, brine shrimp and bloodworms to your betta fish. These are high protein sources that will stimulate their predatory instincts.
Another option is freeze-dried food, which can be a tasty treat. Just remember to defrost it before feeding your betta. Feeding too much dried food can lead to obesity in bettas, so only give them small amounts at a time and feed twice daily instead of one large meal; this allows their bodies time to break down food before it sinks to the bottom and pollutes the water.
They’re not nutritious
Bettas are carnivores and should be fed meat-based foods that provide them with protein to stay healthy. This could include pellets, frozen or live bloodworms, daphnia and brine shrimp.
Unfortunately, many flakes contain plant-based ingredients which are unnutritive for bettas. These low-grade flakes may lead to digestive problems in your fish.
Bettas specifically benefit from high-quality proteins and additional nutrients like algae and natural pigments for coloration. Plus, these flakes float on the surface so your fish can see them, plus they include freeze-dried bloodworms which many bettas enjoy.
Bettas should be fed a variety of nutritious foods to prevent them from becoming bored and stressed out. Tropical flakes are great when other options run out, but make sure they also get other types of nutritious fish food too.
They spit out
If your betta fish is feeling unwell, they may attempt to spit out their food. This usually indicates that they don’t like what you’ve given them or perhaps are simply trying to soften the pellets so they are easier to digest.
If your betta is spitting out food, this could be indicative of constipation. Constipation is a common issue among bettas, so ensure they get enough nutrition to keep their digestive system functioning optimally.
Constipated Bettas have difficulty defecating due to a lack of space in their stomach, leading to bloating and pressing on the swim bladder – making it harder for them to swim and balance.
