feeding bettas people food and fruit

[mornia]

Hey everyone,
I'm absolutely loving having Dexter around. It's crazy how much I've grown attached to him - I mean, who knew you could love a fish this much? So, I've been sticking to the regular betta flakes for his meals, and I also give him a treat once a day - either one dried baby brine shrimp or one dried bloodworm. I was wondering, though, if there's more variety I can add to his diet. Are there fruits or veggies that betta fish are particularly fond of? I've heard things like peas or zucchini, but I'm curious to know if they have a preference for something like citrus fruits or apples. I'd love to mix things up for Dexter and keep his meals interesting. Thanks for any advice!

[bloomi]

I think someone mentioned trying raisins or something similar, but honestly, peas seem to be a hit with them.

[mornia]

Thanks for the tip, I'll give peas a shot, see if Dexter likes them better than his usual stuff.

[femini]

Peas are definitely an option, or maybe even a little bit of cucumber or lettuce - I've also come across something about raisins, but like I said, they have to be plain, no added sugar.

[bronzeo]

I've found that my betta, Admiflake, goes crazy for tiny pieces of boiled chicken - we're talking about the size of a quarter of a pea. I discovered this by accident when I was boiling some for my snail and they were tankmates at the time; Admiflake just gobbled it right up before the snail even had a chance.

The only issue was that he ate way too much of it and then refused to eat anything else for a day or so. I'm not sure if it's good for him, and I'm definitely not willing to risk his health, so I won't be making it a regular thing.

If you really want to make your betta happy, though, I'd recommend going for some high-quality frozen or freeze-dried foods like bloodworms or daphnia. Even better, grab some live black worms, rinse them thoroughly, and dangle one in the water - it's like giving him the betta equivalent of an ice cream sundae.

[dunlop]

I've heard some folks warn against feeding oranges to fish, the acidity in citrus could be trouble, especially in smaller tanks.

My bettas went crazy for freeze-dried grubs - I've never met anyone else who's fed them those, so maybe that wasn't the best idea. But I always made sure to rehydrate them first by soaking them in water. Bloodworms seem to be the go-to treat for most people, and that's what I'm switching to for my new bettas.

As for peas, they're not just a tasty treat, they're also a common fix for constipation - two birds with one stone. Just be sure to shell them and then remove the outer skin, so they're just getting the inside of the pea.

[bronzefox]

As for peas, they're a great treat and also a well-known remedy for constipation - it's like a two-for-one deal. When using them, make sure to remove the outer skin after shelling, just give your betta the inner part.

[femini]

I've heard a few people advise against feeding fish oranges because citrus carries enough acid that it could be damaging in the water, especially in a smaller tank. My betta's always loved freeze-dried grubs, I've never heard of anyone else feeding these to them, so maybe that was a no-no. But I made sure to soak them in water first, in order to rehydrate them. Bloodworms are the treat everybody else seems to feed, and are the one I'm going to switch to for my pending batch of bettas.

As for peas, they're not only a good treat, but the remedy I've heard recommended the most for constipation, so it's a two-in-one. After you shell them, though, make sure you take the outer 'skin' off the pea itself as well - just give them what's inside the skin.

[dunlow]

Foods I've Found Work for My Betta

The Good Stuff:

- Peas: I cook and mash them up, seems to be a hit.
- Cucumber: Blanching it does the trick.
- Lettuce: A 3-second zap in the microwave makes it a breeze to munch on.
- Chicken: No seasonings, just plain. I swear, my betta goes crazy for it - whenever I'm having a chicken salad, I sneak a bit in for them.

The Ones to Avoid:
Citrus and super sugary fruits are a no-go. Trust me, I learned the hard way when I lost half my tank.

The Double-Edged Swords:
- Oranges: They love it, but don't leave it in the tank for more than 30 minutes or you'll regret it.
- Mango: My betta loses its mind for it, but again, 30 minutes max in the tank.
- Melon: Same deal - they love it, but it's a 30-minute limit.

[fizzle]

My betta boy absolutely loves it when I give him small pieces of defrosted sweet corn - it's definitely a favourite of his. One thing to keep in mind, though, is to make sure you remove the skin first, that's really important.