feeding betta pellets

[fineman]

Deciding on a pellet for my Betta's daily feed. The Cobalt one I found floats, which is a must. I'd love to hear from you experienced Betta keepers about the ingredients. So far, I've been giving my 12-day-old Betta flakes, freeze-dried bloodworms, and the occasional frozen brine shrimp. I also have some freeze-dried daphnia on hand.

Here's the ingredient list for Cobalt's Ultra Betta Pellets:

Cobalt Ultra Betta Pellets are made with 100% all-natural ingredients and have pre and probiotics. These floating pellets are supposed to be the best nutrition for my Betta. They're the perfect size and come in a convenient pack.

The ingredients are: sword prawn, spirulina algae, kelp, seaweed, corn, squid meal, anchovy filets, sardine filets, torpedo scad filets, garlic, three spot swimming crab, legumea meal, brewers yeast, wheat germ, vitamins, and some other stuff for immunity and digestion.

Guaranteed Analysis:
- Crude Protein: at least 41%
- Crude Fat: at least 2.4%
- Crude Fiber: no more than 5.0%
- Moisture: no more than 5.0%
- Phosphorus: at least 0.8%
- Total Microorganisms: at least 1,000,000 colony forming units B. subtilis and B. lichenformis

[kingrise]

I think that Cobalt pellet sounds like a great option for your Betta. If you're looking for some additional guidance on feeding, I stumbled upon a really helpful YouTube video called "What I feed my bettas from fry to adult" - the creator shares her entire feeding list from the early stages to adulthood. It might be worth checking out.

[fineman]

One thing I'm wondering about is the size of these pellets - they're 1.3mm each. I'm concerned it might be too big for my young betta. For those with experience with betta pellets, what do you use for young ones or what would you recommend?

[kingrise]

I'd suggest cutting them in half with a sharp, clean knife - that's what I did when I was setting up my baby fin tank.

[fineman]

Cutting those tiny pellets in half does seem like a hassle. I was really hoping to find a smaller pellet that floats, so I wouldn't have to go through that extra step. There are just so many pellets out there that sink too quickly, and I know my betta won't bother chasing after them.

[kingrise]

Don't think I can offer any assistance with that one, sorry.

[fineman]

I went with Northfin betta pellets instead - the ingredient list looked good to me and 45% protein is a great percentage for a betta. I'll still feed my betta bloodworms, freeze dried and frozen brine shrimp, daphnia, and flake from time to time for some variety. Has anyone here had any experience with Northfin betta pellets for their betta?

Northfin Betta Pellets have whole Antarctic krill meal, high omega-3 herring meal, whole sardine meal, wheat flour, kelp, spirulina, garlic, and other stuff that sounds good for my betta.

Here's the ingredient list and guaranteed analysis:

Northfin Betta Pellets
Whole Antarctic Krill Meal, High Omega-3 (DHA) Herring Meal, Whole Sardine Meal, Wheat Flour, Kelp, Spirulina, Garlic, Astaxanthin (Haematococcus Algae), Calcium Montmorillonite Clay, Vitamin A Acetate, L-Ascorby-2-Polyphospate (Source of Vitamin C), D-Activated Animal-Sterol (D3), DL Alphatocopherol (E), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Thiamine, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Biotin, Choline Chloride, Cobalt Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Selenium, Zinc.

Guaranteed Analysis:

Crude Protein (Min) : 45%
Crude Fat (Min): 16%
Crude Fiber (Max): 4%
Moisture (Max): 9%
Ash (Max): 10%

[coltin]

I've taken a closer look at the ingredient lists you provided for both Cobalt Ultra Betta Pellets and Northfin Betta Pellets. The Cobalt pellets seem more geared towards vegetarian fish, with a heavy emphasis on plant and algae-based ingredients. I'm also concerned about the inclusion of grains like whole corn, which fish can't properly digest. Additionally, I'm not convinced that Lactobacillus bacteria are necessary for a fish's intestinal health.

In comparison, the Northfin pellets appear to have a more suitable ingredient list, with a focus on protein-rich foods like krill meal, herring meal, and sardine meal. However, I do have some reservations about the use of wheat flour as a binder, as it provides no nutritional value for fish. Moreover, I'm a bit uneasy about the presence of cobalt in the Northfin pellets, although I'm not entirely sure what the implications of this are.

[fineman]

I came across some info about Cobalt online. Apparently, Cobalt is a key part of Vitamin B12, also called cobalamin.

[sSjey]

I've had a good experience with Northfin betta pellets, they stood out to me due to their impressive ingredient list, which I think is a great fit for my betta. In comparison, my previous choice, Atisons, didn't quite match up - their formula relied on less desirable ingredients like cereal meals and preservatives.