Are there daphnia in my tank?

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fishdish
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Joined: Wed Oct 09, 2024 8:34 pm

Are there daphnia in my tank?

Post by fishdish »

I've had my female koi betta for a bit now, and she's thriving. I've set up a 20 gallon long with some bladder snails and a bunch of live plants - I'll attach a picture below. The tank's got plenty to explore, so I'm hoping that's enough enrichment for her. She's always on the move, swimming and poking around, but I do catch her glass surfing sometimes. I want to make sure she's got enough to keep her occupied.

I've got a couple tunnels and some hoops that I'll start using for training once she's more comfortable with me. As for food, I feed her twice a day - usually one bug bite and a couple daphnia. I also give her a few bloodworms once a week.

I was thinking of leaving some daphnia in the tank for her to chase, but I'm worried she might overeat. Does anyone think that's a good idea, or will she just gorge on the daphnia?
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jade
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Re: Are there daphnia in my tank?

Post by jade »

You're really thinking about your betta's well-being, and I love that. She's one lucky fish. I think the glass surfing might just be a settling-in thing, so it could resolve itself over time.

I do know that bettas are prone to obesity, so it's great that you're being mindful of her food intake. As for leaving daphnia in the tank, I'm not entirely sure. Maybe try it out for a bit and keep a close eye on her eating habits? See how she responds and adjust from there.
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WildFins
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Re: Are there daphnia in my tank?

Post by WildFins »

Limiting feedings is key. A betta will eat as much as it can, whenever it can. In an enclosed space like your tank, there's no guarantee she won't catch all the daphnia quickly. You already have her in a spacious tank for a betta, with plenty of live plants and decor to explore. Plus, she gets live food to chase, which provides enrichment. This doesn't need to be constant. She's already getting a lot of enrichment with her current setup.
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fishdish
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Re: Are there daphnia in my tank?

Post by fishdish »

jade wrote: Mon Mar 31, 2025 11:45 pm You're really thinking about your betta's well-being, and I love that. She's one lucky fish. I think the glass surfing might just be a settling-in thing, so it could resolve itself over time.

I do know that bettas are prone to obesity, so it's great that you're being mindful of her food intake. As for leaving daphnia in the tank, I'm not entirely sure. Maybe try it out for a bit and keep a close eye on her eating habits? See how she responds and adjust from there.
I'm really stoked with how her setup is turning out so far, thanks for the feedback.
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fishdish
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Re: Are there daphnia in my tank?

Post by fishdish »

WildFins wrote: Tue Apr 01, 2025 1:27 am Limiting feedings is key. A betta will eat as much as it can, whenever it can. In an enclosed space like your tank, there's no guarantee she won't catch all the daphnia quickly. You already have her in a spacious tank for a betta, with plenty of live plants and decor to explore. Plus, she gets live food to chase, which provides enrichment. This doesn't need to be constant. She's already getting a lot of enrichment with her current setup.
Thanks for the feedback. She's definitely exploring the tank and finding food on her own, which is great. I'll stick to only offering daphnia during feeding times to keep things balanced.
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