Is my betta rejecting bloodworms as a food source

[zenia]

I've been using omega one freeze dried blood worms, soaking them in water before offering them to my betta, but he just won't take to them. I tried dangling them in front of him, even mushed one into a ball thinking he'd mistake it for his favorite pellets. He did take it into his mouth, but then immediately spat it out. Is he just not a fan of freeze dried or should I give the frozen ones a shot? Maybe I'm just not presenting them in a way that appeals to him.

[coltin]

Hi and welcome to the forum. I've found that freeze-dried foods work best when left to float on the surface - my betta seems to prefer it that way. Some fish just don't take to freeze-dried, but they might love frozen, defrosted ones. If you've got a good filter going, you could try feeding your betta frozen, defrosted bloodworms or brine shrimp. They also go for aphids, mosquito larvae, small flies, and even adult mosquitoes - just make sure those insects are chemical-free, no bug sprays.

[earthie_9]

My betta's not a fan of bloodworms either, doesn't matter if they're freeze-dried or frozen and thawed. To be honest, I've kinda given up on them. What does work for all my fish, though, is frozen brine shrimp - they just can't get enough of those.

[coltin]

You lot have some peculiar fish, I've got to say. Mine aren't fussy at all - they'd eat just about anything, I've even caught them nibbling on the hairs on my arm. If they were bigger, I'm pretty sure they'd have a go at taking my arm off too.

I think the key is to offer a varied diet and give them a little bit of each food every day. Fish, like all animals, have taste buds, so it's no surprise that they can be a bit hesitant to try new things at first. Sometimes it takes them a while to get used to a new food, but with patience, they'll usually come around.

If your betta is being particularly finicky and won't touch frozen bloodworms, you might want to try giving them some raw prawn or shrimp instead. I've found that most fish love raw prawn, especially if it's cut up into nice, bite-sized pieces.

[pawsome]

Freeze dried blood worms just aren't the same as frozen ones, they lack the nutrients and flavor your betta craves. It's like you're offering a snack when it's really craving a feast. I mean, who wants dried out jerky when you could have a juicy burger, right?

[zenia]

I'll give the frozen ones a shot, see if he likes those better.

[goldminer]

Always soak freeze dried foods in tank water for at least 20 minutes before feeding to your betta, this way they'll rehydrate and be more appealing to them.