How Often Do You Feed Betta Fish?

Worried about your beautiful and active betta fish pet’s diet? Don’t fret! Here’s a quick feeding guide for you.

The first thing that you have to remember when taking care of your betta fish is the kind of food that they need. Keep in mind that these pets are carnivores, they cannot just feed on the roots of plants. Despite the common notion that bettas are the easiest pet to keep when you want your aquarium at home, you still need to make sure that they have the right food. Once you miss the important things in their diet, they can easily get sick.

Here are some important notes you should know:

The best nutritional value that your pet betta fish should have is protein, fiber, fat, and vitamins. It is also important for them to take food rich in carbohydrates, calcium, and phosphorus. The feeds or flakes you should give to fish pets vary. Always check the label and monitor the nutritional value they offer.

These fish are known to have a relatively small digestive tract so they cannot easily break down foods like kernels, wheat, and the likes. Be wary of these types of food because they can easily get bloated once fed with this.

Betta fish feeding schedule

It is recommended to feed the betta fish twice per day, or often referred to as the 12-hour feeding schedule. You can feed them once in the morning and then one more in the evening. There are cases when you can feed your bettas once a day. These are usually common for adult bettas. However, you must feed the baby betta fish twice a day since they need more nutrition than the adults. Don’t be mistaken with their good appetite. They might appear always active and happy when you feed them, but this does not mean that you need to feed them all the time. Overfeeding them can also make them sick. On the other hand, bettas are also good with fasting. They can stay up to one or two weeks without food. As such, some betta fish owners consider incorporating a one-day break for their digestive system to process their food intake completely.

Betta fish feeding amount and diet

There are a lot of suitable fish food products that you can choose from. There are fish pellets and fish flakes, which can be the most inexpensive and most accessible food option for your pet. Just make sure that you can maintain the cleanliness of your tank if you opt to choose these. Flake fish food often contains fillers that can easily mess up your water. Additionally, it cannot supply the large amounts of nutrients that your fish need. Pellets, on the other hand, should be soaked for about five to eight minutes before feeding the fish. You can check on the manufacturer’s instructions, as these types are produced to expand.

Your second option is those freeze-dried foods. These are already sterile and usually, they are ready to feed types. They are known for their longer shelf life since pet owners opt to buy this for stock and easy use. There are also frozen fresh foods such as mosquito larvae, bloodworms, certain types of shrimps, and such. They can be kept in your freezer. The only hassle for this is that you need to thaw it to room temperature before feeding. The best option when you prioritize their nutritional needs is live foods such as mosquito larvae, Mysis shrimp, tubifex worms, and bloodworms. The biggest challenge here is finding the best supplier that won’t harm your fish.

Remember, the right food taken at the right time can keep your pet lively and healthy!