Betta fish feeding schedule

[ScaleMaster]

What's the best feeding schedule for a betta? I've heard everything from twice a day to once every other day. Mine's in a 5 gallon with a sponge filter, and I've been doing pellets in the morning and bloodworms at night. Is that too much?

[Avalon]

Twice a day is fine, but keep portions small. Bettas have tiny stomachs, about the size of their eye. Overfeeding can cause bloating or swim bladder issues. I feed mine 2-3 pellets in the AM and a small piece of frozen food at night, skipping one day a week.

[Hampuk]

Avalon's spot on. I'd cut the bloodworms to 2-3 times a week though. They're rich and can mess with their digestion if overdone. My guy's in a 10 gallon with sand substrate, and I rotate between daphnia, brine shrimp, and pellets to keep it varied.

[brooklynx]

Avalon's spot on. I'd cut the bloodworms to 2-3 times a week though. They're rich and can mess with their digestion if overdone. My guy's in a 10 gallon with sand substrate, and I rotate between daphnia, brine shrimp, and pellets to keep it varied.

Yep, bloodworms are like junk food for them. I fast mine every Sunday to let their system reset. Also, if your tank's heated (should be!), their metabolism's faster, so regular small meals work better than big ones.

[leanmax]

Gonna piggyback on the fasting day advice. My betta's in a 7.5 gallon with live plants, and skipping a day keeps him from getting picky. He's way more active after a light fast, too. Just watch for begging—they're drama queens when they think they're starving.

[inkline]

How do you guys handle vacations? I'm gone for 3 days next week and don't wanna overfeed with an auto feeder. My tank's a 6 gallon with a betta and two nerites.

[Avalon]

Healthy adults can go 3 days without food, no problem. If you're worried, feed lightly the day before leaving and do a small water change. Auto feeders often dump too much and foul the water. Nerites will clean up algae, so no stress there.

[ScaleMaster]

Thanks for the tips, everyone. Gonna cut back the bloodworms and try that fasting day. He's already giving me the side-eye when I walk by the tank, so this'll be fun.

[sclaydr]

Lol, they're such little con artists. Mine flares at the snail when he's 'starving'. Pro tip: if you're fasting, turn off the tank light during normal feeding time. Out of sight, out of mind... kinda.

[Fablex9]

For younger bettas or fry, I'd stick to daily feeding though. Their growth needs more consistent nutrients. My spawn gets baby brine shrimp 3x a day in a bare-bottom 20 long, but adults can chill with less.