Best Food for Siamese Fighting Fish

To understand what to feed your betta fish, we need to consider their natural habitat and what they eat in the wild. Betta fish have specific nutritional needs for their best care, health and longevity. Choosing the right diet can be staggering, especially for beginners, due to the many options available. Questions like when and how much to feed can add to the confusion and be more perplexing for newbies. This guide covers every aspect of feeding your betta fish, with the most researched and tested options, from the most favored food to the less budgeted one, to ensure their health and happiness.

Understanding the Betta’s Preferences

The golden rule to understand is that not every betta is the same; food choices can be different for different types of betta fish. If you have been with betta for years, you may have noticed they have different food choices. Some bettas may prefer brine shrimps or blood worms, while others may spit these and favor pellets or flakes. So, before getting any food for your betta, try to understand his behavior and food choices. The best betta fish food is the one which is more likely preferred by your betta.

Betta’s Wild Nutritional Diet

In the wild, bettas prey on crustaceans, which are invertebrate animals such as small shrimp, earthworms, grasshoppers, crayfish, and pill bugs. These examples prove that bettas are natural carnivores and insectivores which prefer protein-rich foods. Young bettas favor bloodworms, daphnia, and microworms. At the same time, other options, such as mosquito larvae and brine shrimp found in the wild, are also good sources of protein and primarily serve as a source of meat for bettas.

It’s now clear that what you feed your betta, protein would be his first choice. But remember, don’t ignore other ingredients like fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and fibers that are also beneficial for betta’s wellness and play a vital role in ensuring a balanced diet.

We have come across many options for betta fish food, which we will discuss individually, along with reputable sources where you can obtain high-quality food.

High-Quality Pellets for Your Betta

Pellets are the first recommended food for betta fish for several reasons. First, they are found in bite-sized packing, which makes feeding quite easy for beginners who find it hard to know how much to feed exactly. The beginners also lack knowledge of tank maintenance and hygiene, so pellets are best for them to feed their bettas as they are cleaner and do not pollute the water if they remain un-eaten or choked down by betta.

If you are an experienced betta keeper, it prevents you from overfeeding when you are in a hurry, as you can count it easily and quickly. If you are allergic to live or frozen food or your betta does not eat them, pellets are your next best option.

How to Feed Pellets

Most betta owners suggest pre-soaking pellets in water, influenced by the myth that they can cause swim bladder or bloat in your stomach as they expand with water. However, our experience with feeding pellets does not agree with this claim. Betta fish have copious enzymes and gastric acid in their stomach that can turn the pellet bites into mash. Pre-soaking pellets water before even introducing it to the betta stomach can cause leaching out water-soluble minerals and vitamins that will not ensure a balanced diet.

The stomach bloating is due to the presence of indigestible ingredients or high plant matter in the food. The only way to be on the safer side from associated health risks is to start feeding from less amount and then gradually increasing it. If you notice the bloating for a certain amount of pellets, reduce it.

How Much Pellets to Feed Your Betta

Use only 3-4 pellets twice a day if your betta is old and mature, and for a young betta, 1-2 pellets are sufficient. The dosage may differ from betta to betta, depending upon the size of the betta, his appetite, or overall desire for food. Besides all, the size of the pellets matters a lot.

To avoid overfeeding and underfeeding, you can measure the right amount to feed your betta by trial and error and examining the exact amount he adjusted with it. If your betta eats all the pellets in 3-4 minutes, with no leftovers, it indicates the right dosage.

Sometimes, your betta might not eat pellets at first, possibly due to larger size bites or some other reason, so in that case, switch between two to three different brands and not stick to one brand. It is also preferable if your betta eats pellets in the normal routine because different brands of pellets ensure a variety of food.

Top 3 Betta Pellets Brands

Some of my favorite pellet brands are listed below, which I have been using to feed my betta fish.

Betta Fish Flakes

Feed your betta specially formulated flakes that are rich in protein. Be cautious with the ingredients, as most flakes contain a high amount of fibers or plant matter that are not good for bettas. Like pellets, flakes can also cause health issues, such as a swim bladder, if not soaked properly.

We recommend flakes only if your betta does not eat any of the pellets because health risks are higher in flakes than in pellets. It is due to their comparatively bigger size and large surface area, and your betta can inhale air when swallowing them. Because of their relatively greater surface area, they can release water-soluble nutrients easily. It also makes measuring the exact amount of flake dosage difficult due to air getting inside it.

Another reason that can prevent you from choosing flakes is that they are full of fillers, which are less nutritious at all. If you have to feed them in case, break them into pieces to ensure smooth swallowing by your betta.

Top 3 Betta Flakes Brands

Live and Frozen Food for Betta

As stated above, bettas are insectivorous that feed on insects in their natural habitats, which are high in protein. The best foods are those which closely resemble their natural diet in the wild. The live food completely replicates the natural foods of the wild. These live foods also come in frozen and dried freeze forms but they are not nutritional like live food. They are only recommended if the live food can be at cost for you or may not be available at the spot. Here are some of the most recommended options by pet experts.

Mosquito Larvae

In the wild, bettas hunt on mosquito larvae, where they fall on the surface of the water, and betta confirms by ripples of water that there’s something to eat. They are high in protein and an excellent food source for your betta. Mosquito larvae are usually found in water-abundant areas, as it acts their breeding site.

Feeding wild larvae to your domestic betta can bring diseases to your aquarium, so ensure the following steps are taken to prepare them well to feed your betta fish.

• Use a net or strainer to collect mosquito larvae from the water bin.
• Rinse the larvae under tap water, removing any debris. You can disinfect them using diluted antibacterial medicines. However, it’s not always preferred.
• Now, place the larvae in a covered container in the refrigerator or water-filled compartments of an ice tray to freeze.
• When ready to feed, thaw a portion of the frozen larvae for your fish.

Brine Shrimp

If you’ve left over with a small tank of size 1-gallon or so, it is better to culture brine shrimp in it, as they require low maintenance and are super easy to take care of. The good thing is that they can live for a long time; the one I have for more than two years in my 2.5-gallon tank. They hatch and reproduce easily but take a long time to grow sufficiently to be fed to betta fish.

Brine shrimp are found in the saline water of lakes or on sea coasts. If they survive in your home town, grab them in a net, rinse thoroughly in fresh-dechlorinated water, and then put them in the tank.

Local fish stores also have frozen brine shrimp, which are a good substitute for live shrimp. For proper feeding, take one cube of it, cut it into smaller pieces, and pass through the process of thawing before feeding it to your betta fish. Throw the leftovers, and never reuse them, as they can spoil due to the growth of bacteria after thawing.

Freeze-dried brine shrimp can benefit your betta if you mix them with other nutrients, as sole ones can lead to fish constipation because they rehydrate in the gut. Here is the freeze-dried brine shrimp cubes on Amazon that has proven to be most effective one.

Mysis Shrimp

They are the next best shrimp option for your betta fish. They are rich in protein and fibers, so they can be digested easily without causing constipation. Mysis shrimp are exceptionally best for fin regeneration. Rehydrate them for 5-10 minutes before feeding to your betta. Pass them through the same process of treating them as bloodworms. You can also find frozen mysis shrimp if you find it hard to feed live ones. You can get the top rated freeze-dried mysis shrimp on Amazon.

Daphnia

Daphnia are freshwater planktonic crustaceans found in pools and lakes. Live daphnia are highly nutritious, rich in vitamins (A, B, and D3), and easily digestible, which is best for treating constipation. Being a freshwater organism, it would not rot in your tank if it remained uneaten.

If live daphnia is unavailable, you may feed your betta-frozen dried daphnia as an alternative. As discussed above, preparing before feeding is the same as for other frozen foods, such as brine shrimp or mosquito larvae. But remember, dried ones lack calcium and vitamins.

Bloodworms

Bloodworms should be considered occasional treats for betta fish because they have low nutritional value, containing only 6-8% protein and a high amount of fat. It is recommended to feed 2-3 bloodworms to your betta only once a week. In their natural habitat, bettas attack bloodworms and try to consume as many as possible in one bite before they escape because they are uncertain about their next diet.

To feed worms to your betta:

1. Use tweezers to hold the worm by its sharp tips in front of the betta on the water surface.
2. Wait for the betta to notice the worm. Once it goes in for the bite, it will quickly learn to recognize the food, making feeding easier in the future.
3. Store the remaining bloodworms in a covered jar in the freezer.
4. When feeding your betta, thaw a cube or a small portion of them in a sealed container to preserve the food.

It’s important to note that if the bloodworms have been frozen and thawed multiple times, they might develop a bad smell. In that case, avoid thawing them repeatedly, and remove any uneaten food.

Remember that bloodworms are not the sole food and should only be used as a treat. If your betta becomes too attached to them, it’s not considered a good practice. In such cases, keep your betta fasting for one or two days, and then it will eat whatever food you provide.

If you can’t find live bloodworms, you can buy them from pet fish stores, but they are less beneficial than live ones.

Earthworms

Like bloodworms, earthworms are high in fat, so they should be only fed once a week, though they are comparatively rich in protein and iron. They are usually found in the wet places of your home yard, or you can explore for them after rain. After harvesting worms:

• Put them in the container.
• Wash thoroughly so they become crystal clear.
• Keep them in the freezer until they get frozen.

Now, you can feed them after cutting them into two pieces so that your betta finds them easy to swallow.

Freeze Dried Food for Betta

Freeze-dried foods can be used to feed your betta fish occasionally or when live or frozen foods are unavailable. These foods are often considered to be of low quality because important nutrients are released during the drying process and long-term storage. It’s best to rehydrate the freeze-dried foods by soaking them before feeding them to your betta.

To make up for the nutritional deficiencies of freeze-dried foods, it’s recommended to soak them in a vitamin or mineral solution to restore their lost dietary value. Brands like Hikari offer freeze-dried food with vitamins like E, C, B1, B2, B6, and B12. Omega One also includes Vitamin E in its products, and brands like Azoo and San Francisco Bay use actual bloodworms in their freeze-dried foods.

Above all, Hikari’s freeze-dried foods are a good option as they add back essential vitamins lost during the freeze-drying process. This makes them a nutritious alternative, particularly if you have only one betta and want to avoid the hassle of preparing frozen foods. However, it’s essential to feed freeze-dried foods in moderation—just one or two pieces, and not every day, to avoid overfeeding, which is a common mistake with all types of fish food.

Top 3 Hikari Freeze-dried Foods

Other Brands of Freeze-dried Foods

If your betta is not suited to Hikari’s food, you can shift to other brands.

My Feeding Routine

• Monday, Thursday = Pellets or flakes in the morning and daphnia at night before bed.
• Saturday and Sunday = Mysis shrimp in the morning and mosquito larvae in the evening
• Tuesday = Brine Shrimp
• Wednesday = Keep on fasting
• Bloodworms 1-2 times a week on any day

I don’t feed freeze-dried food to my betta because I have live and frozen food available, and my betta always accepts them.

How to Feed Your Betta Fish?

In the wild, bettas eat from the surface, justified by their upturned mouths. This is because their food source typically comes from the water surface, not from the substrate or bottom of the tank. As a result, bettas often struggle to find food among the substrate or rocks. It becomes more challenging when you have betta in community tanks where all the bottom dwellers compete for food.

Therefore, it’s recommended to keep the food on the water surface for a while to grab your betta’s attention while feeding. If he snatches it, great; otherwise, allow it to sink to the bottom. If your betta finds it there, fine; if not, remove the uneaten food from the tank.

How Much to Feed

There is no rule for feeding your betta fish the exact amount. It differs from betta to betta, as well as the conditions and the type of food you provide. The golden rule is to start with a protein-rich diet and continue with nutrients like vitamins, fats, carbohydrates, and salts.

Observe your betta’s behavior throughout the feeding process to determine what he prefers the most and how much he eats. You can determine the exact proportion for the next feeding by noting how much food he leaves uneaten and reducing the amount accordingly. It may take several trials, switching between different foods, to find the accurate feeding amount and best routine. Be extremely careful not to overfeed your betta, as this can cause several health issues and may eventually lead to death.

Color Enhancing Betta Food

The suggested food for betta’s color enhancement is krill, which is high in astaxanthin, a potent carotenoid that improves red, pink, and orange color in fish. Spirulina is another ingredient that enhances the color vibrancy in betta. However, aside from specific nutrition, the variety in food, good tank size, well-maintained parameters, black color substrate, decorations and plants are all factors that contribute to color enhancement in betta. The Aqueon color enhancing foods on Amazon are top recommended products that has a high concentration of color vibrating ingredients such as spirulina, marigold powder, chili powder.

Human Food to be Used as Betta Food

For a betta fish owner seeking human food for his pet, a small amount of cooked egg yolk can work temporarily until he gets proper betta food. However, the best option would be any frozen seafood. Avoid feeding vegetables, as bettas are carnivores and cannot digest them; doing so can make them sick. Stick to protein sources like seafood, which resembles what bettas naturally eat, and avoid mammalian meat. Chicken is also preferred as it is rich in protein.

Betta Fish Food for Vacation

If you are going on a vacation, it’s better to do some pre-managements so that your betta is all well when you return. Most betta owners use automatic feeders even when going for 3-4 days of vacation. However, I’m not a big fan of automatic feeders. They can jam, resulting in food blockage and leaving your fish hungry. Or they might dump too much, turning the tank into a mess and potentially harming your betta. Feeder blocks are even worse – continuously releasing particles into the water, which can disrupt the tank balance.

When I have to go out for up to 3 to 4 days, I feed my betta a bit extra the day before, perform a water change, and keep him on a fast. Even for 8-10 days, I don’t use an automatic feeder; instead, I feed him relatively a little more extra and then keep the tank alone. A healthy betta can live up to 14 days without eating any food. However, for more extended periods, I reluctantly use an automatic feeder.

The one I have personally experienced and which is the top pick on Amazon is the Fish Mate F14 Automatic Fish Feeder for Aquarium. I have used this feeder several times, and it has worked great. While a few pellets occasionally got stuck in some sections due to condensation, it’s still better than overfeeding or not feeding at all. The pin system was confusing to figure out at first, but a video tutorial helps with that.

What If Your Betta Won’t Eat?

On several occasions, I have observed my bettas refusing to eat food. If it’s just for a day or two, I don’t take any action, as bettas can fast for a short period. However, if this continues, it could indicate a serious issue that needs attention. As a betta lover, you might also encounter this situation, which can be frustrating. There are various underlying reasons for this behavior that need to be addressed.

• Your betta might be stressed due to a recent water change, tank upgrade, or temperature drop.
• He may prefer something other than the food you are providing.
• The betta could be suffering from illness, which reduces his overall appetite.

If your betta is not eating for any of the above-mentioned reasons, address the issues immediately. Otherwise, change the size and type of food, adjust the feeding schedule, or arrange a new setup for your betta.