shaylatoby
Gender: 
Tanks: 12g w/ platies & rasboras, 12g w/ cherry barbs, 5g w/ 1 betta
Posts: 27
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« on: November 06, 2009, 02:15:05 PM » |
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I bought a female crowntail bettas last friday. I am having trouble getting her to eat. They told me at the store they fed the bettas on monday. I bought her on friday. All she has eaten since I got her was one bite of a freeze dried bloodworm. About 1/4 of the whole worm. That was on wednesday. On thursday she did put 1 pellet in her mouth and spit it out and swam away. So if she ate at the store, it was 9 days before she ate. I've tried everyday and she isn't interested at all. I've had her now 8 days and she should be starving. I've done research on bettas since this is my first one and they shouldn't be this picky should they? I have decent quality food. I have tried hikari betta pellets, omega one color pellets, omega one color flakes & veggi flakes, omega one freeze dried bloodworms and san francisco bay gum drops frozen food (it's got bloodworms etc in them). She also isn't as active as my other fish. I have platies, cherry barbs and harlequin rasboras in other tanks and they are way more active than she is. I do see her swimming some though. I have her in a 5g eclipse tank that has been running for almost yrs. It's heated (78 degrees) and filtered. The current isn't real strong in there. I tested the water and it's fine. I have some silk plants for her and a tree stump decor w/ lots of holes in it for her to swim through and she can actually fit her whole body in there and hide if she wants to. She's in there alone too. She doesn't seem shy or scared of me either. I don't know what to do. I don't know if I should return her and try another one or wait it out and keep trying. I'm just afraid she is going to starve herself to death. She should eat more than one bite in 9 days right?  |
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Shaner
Gender: 
Tanks: I suffer from MTS.
Posts: 1,035
uh, i broke the box thing
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« Reply #1 on: November 06, 2009, 09:12:54 PM » |
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she should, what are you actually water parameters, in ppm, how often do you change the water in the tank, is there anything else in the tank with her??
they can take a few days to get used to you, but not 9 days.....
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There are some things which possess form but are devoid of sound, as for instance jade and stone.Others have sound, but are without form, such as wind and thunder.Others again have form and sound, such as men and animals, lastly there is a class devoid of both, namly devils and spirits. ~Han Dynasty
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gomezaddams
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Posts: 4,978
Mysterious and spooky
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« Reply #2 on: November 06, 2009, 11:33:29 PM » |
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Bettas can be real picky and they can live for weeks without food.But without more info cant rule out something stressing it.
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Waiting will fill
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Belinda
Gender:
Tanks: 75 gallon New Guinea community,55 gallon West African community..and a few others as well..
Posts: 1,346
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« Reply #3 on: November 06, 2009, 11:36:09 PM » |
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9 days some seem like an unusually long time to me as well ...
as Shaner said.... check the water parameters ...
give us the test results....
Is this a new set up ????
Maybe a water change ....
one thing I would change ... UP the temp to 80-82 for Bettas....
they are from very warm water and really become active at those temps...
they are a little slower than the fish you are used to.. and she may not even know how to swim that well yet....
Is her belly swollen or anything????
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It took 7 days for God to create this world...
So how long will it take for me to create the perfect tank???
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shaylatoby
Gender:
Tanks: 12g w/ platies & rasboras, 12g w/ cherry barbs, 5g w/ 1 betta
Posts: 27
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« Reply #4 on: November 07, 2009, 08:00:45 PM » |
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I tested the water yesterday and it all checks out fine. I use the api brand freshwater master test kit. I have turned up the heater so the thermometer now reads 79 degrees. I will turn it up again tommorrow, I want to do it slow incase it all of a sudden gets too warm in there since its only 5g. She seems to swim fine just choses not to. I did a water change today since I hadn't done a water change since I got her (8 days). There was uneaten food on the bottom and I wanted to get that out. The tank has been up and running for the last 4 1/2 yrs. Before putting her in there I had a small tiger platy in there for a few weeks cuz I didn't want to add her to my other tank and stress her out since she was so small. I moved her and did a small water change and 2 days later got the betta. I've tried everything I can think of to get her to eat. I don't think she is stressed cuz I go by the tank and she doesn't dart away and hide but she does seem to hover alot towards the back of the tank. Her belly doesn't look swollen or extended. I've looked at videos on youtube of female bettas to see how active they are and how they swim and such, even checked out male bettas and they all seem wayyyy more active than this one. I just don't know what to do.. wait it out and keep trying or return her and try a different one. I've been reading some books on bettas and they all say bettas have a big appetite so I confused I tried again today and she still won't eat. |
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Shaner
Gender:
Tanks: I suffer from MTS.
Posts: 1,035
uh, i broke the box thing
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« Reply #5 on: November 07, 2009, 08:17:35 PM » |
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hate to ask this but what is fine? for your tests. solid tanks should read Am0, No2 0, N03 10-20 all in ppm. What happend to the Platy? These are all clues that we can try to figure out what is going on.
Fish can go many days without eating, we actually reccomend when people go on weeks vacation not to feed them for the 7 or so days they are gone. So it is not uncomon for fish to not have food available not to eat, it is kinda weird that she is not eating at all when provided the oppourtunity to do so. Something is not quite right here, we need some more info from you
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There are some things which possess form but are devoid of sound, as for instance jade and stone.Others have sound, but are without form, such as wind and thunder.Others again have form and sound, such as men and animals, lastly there is a class devoid of both, namly devils and spirits. ~Han Dynasty
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shaylatoby
Gender:
Tanks: 12g w/ platies & rasboras, 12g w/ cherry barbs, 5g w/ 1 betta
Posts: 27
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« Reply #6 on: November 07, 2009, 08:29:50 PM » |
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The platy is fine. I just had her in the 5g because I didn't want to stress her when I bought her by putting her in a tank with my big platies and have them chase her since she is so small. Once she seemed more confident, then I moved her into the bigger tank and she's doing great. The test results I got were:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5.0
Ph: not quite 7.2
So, according to my understanding that is all good results right?
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Shaner
Gender:
Tanks: I suffer from MTS.
Posts: 1,035
uh, i broke the box thing
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« Reply #7 on: November 07, 2009, 08:36:28 PM » |
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yeah they are fine, nothing wrong with them. Next question where did you get her from? was she in one of the cups you see in the stores, or did she actually come from a tank with other with her?
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There are some things which possess form but are devoid of sound, as for instance jade and stone.Others have sound, but are without form, such as wind and thunder.Others again have form and sound, such as men and animals, lastly there is a class devoid of both, namly devils and spirits. ~Han Dynasty
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shaylatoby
Gender:
Tanks: 12g w/ platies & rasboras, 12g w/ cherry barbs, 5g w/ 1 betta
Posts: 27
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« Reply #8 on: November 07, 2009, 08:49:13 PM » |
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I bought her at petco. She was in a cup. I actually just called the store to verify their return policy and talked to a guy there that seems to give decent advice and he said that in the past he has had a couple of females that didn't take so well to a bigger tank. He said it was like it shocked the fish to be out of the cups and into a tank and they wouldn't eat or anything and he said both of his died. I don't know if that's true but it does seem like my betta doesn't like her tank. She swims up once in a while to take a breath of air at the surface but spends most of her time closer to the bottom in one general area doing alot of hovering. She doesn't hide though in the decorations or plants like a scared fish would.
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Shaner
Gender:
Tanks: I suffer from MTS.
Posts: 1,035
uh, i broke the box thing
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« Reply #9 on: November 07, 2009, 08:57:06 PM » |
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bettas in a cup can take some time to get use to "Swim" in their tanks, they have spent their lives up to this point in a cup of water, so there is merit to that, however the fact that she does not want to eat is of concern. Does she have any other symptoms? spots, wierd growths, tattered fins, white stringy poop, etc......
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There are some things which possess form but are devoid of sound, as for instance jade and stone.Others have sound, but are without form, such as wind and thunder.Others again have form and sound, such as men and animals, lastly there is a class devoid of both, namly devils and spirits. ~Han Dynasty
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shaylatoby
Gender:
Tanks: 12g w/ platies & rasboras, 12g w/ cherry barbs, 5g w/ 1 betta
Posts: 27
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« Reply #10 on: November 07, 2009, 09:02:56 PM » |
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No other symptoms that I can see. She looks fine and her color is good. She swims normally, not tippy of anything. I haven't saw her poop though so I can't say for sure about that. How long can she go without eating? When I bought her I asked when they had fed the bettas and according to that she hasn't eaten in 12 days... except of course this past wednesday when she ate 1 bite of a freeze dried bloodworm.
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Shaner
Gender:
Tanks: I suffer from MTS.
Posts: 1,035
uh, i broke the box thing
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« Reply #11 on: November 07, 2009, 09:06:56 PM » |
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fish in general can go for awhile, heck we have a MOD on here that has a Pacu that did not eat for i think it was 19 days, he was huge though. If she is swimming fine, and there are no visual signs of any thing, she still might be getting use to the tank. what are you using for a water treatment / dechlorinator?
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There are some things which possess form but are devoid of sound, as for instance jade and stone.Others have sound, but are without form, such as wind and thunder.Others again have form and sound, such as men and animals, lastly there is a class devoid of both, namly devils and spirits. ~Han Dynasty
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shaylatoby
Gender:
Tanks: 12g w/ platies & rasboras, 12g w/ cherry barbs, 5g w/ 1 betta
Posts: 27
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« Reply #12 on: November 07, 2009, 09:10:43 PM » |
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api brand drops. I also have stresscoat but I read that stresscoat isn't good to use with bettas so I just use the dechlorinater drops.
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Shaner
Gender:
Tanks: I suffer from MTS.
Posts: 1,035
uh, i broke the box thing
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« Reply #13 on: November 07, 2009, 09:19:41 PM » |
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API Tap Water Conditioner ? have you tired a shelled pea, it sounds weird but they are used like a laxitive for a fish. just a normal pea and take the shell off.
I really dont know. I hate to say that, but your water checks out, you are using a water treatment, (and stay away from all of the "Magic Potion" stuff) this to me sounds just like a bad stock fish, which does happen especcially in the cups from the box stores. Two things are going to happen, she will start to eat and soon, or she will start laying on the bottom and pass on. As long as you dont see suffering hang in there, if you start to see suffering then you will need to euthinize. Sorry to say that.
there is nothing else I can think of that would be out of the ordinary, my 5 star betta (male) is in a 5.5 with the heater at 80, and a small Azoo Palm filter running at 5 gallons per hour. he has an appetite of a horse, he is about 3.5 inches long. I have had him since this last May.
I dont know what else to tell you......nothing fell in the tank, no one use a cleaner around it, hairspray etc......
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There are some things which possess form but are devoid of sound, as for instance jade and stone.Others have sound, but are without form, such as wind and thunder.Others again have form and sound, such as men and animals, lastly there is a class devoid of both, namly devils and spirits. ~Han Dynasty
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shaylatoby
Gender:
Tanks: 12g w/ platies & rasboras, 12g w/ cherry barbs, 5g w/ 1 betta
Posts: 27
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« Reply #14 on: November 07, 2009, 09:27:24 PM » |
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I'll give the pea a shot. I've fed them to my platies before. No, nothings gotten in the tank. The top fits very tightly and the tank is in the corner of the living room where nothing like that is used. The tank isn't even in a high traffic area. Thanks for the help though, I'll just wait it out and see.
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Shaner
Gender:
Tanks: I suffer from MTS.
Posts: 1,035
uh, i broke the box thing
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« Reply #15 on: November 07, 2009, 09:31:06 PM » |
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good luck I hope she makes it for you, remember this though, fresh water fish love fresh water, dont be afraid to change water daily, it wont hurt and if there is something in the tank it might get flushed out, best cure for sick fish is fresh water. Wish we could help more, give us updates and let us know.
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There are some things which possess form but are devoid of sound, as for instance jade and stone.Others have sound, but are without form, such as wind and thunder.Others again have form and sound, such as men and animals, lastly there is a class devoid of both, namly devils and spirits. ~Han Dynasty
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shaylatoby
Gender:
Tanks: 12g w/ platies & rasboras, 12g w/ cherry barbs, 5g w/ 1 betta
Posts: 27
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« Reply #16 on: November 07, 2009, 09:36:40 PM » |
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Shaner
Gender:
Tanks: I suffer from MTS.
Posts: 1,035
uh, i broke the box thing
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« Reply #17 on: November 07, 2009, 09:40:30 PM » |
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her fins are out, that is a great sign, what types of food have you tried, is it old and dated, or is it fairly fresh? have you tried differant types? Brands? flake, pellet, one thing that my guy likes is blood worms, they are in frozen cubes, cut one into 1/8ths and try that.
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There are some things which possess form but are devoid of sound, as for instance jade and stone.Others have sound, but are without form, such as wind and thunder.Others again have form and sound, such as men and animals, lastly there is a class devoid of both, namly devils and spirits. ~Han Dynasty
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shaylatoby
Gender:
Tanks: 12g w/ platies & rasboras, 12g w/ cherry barbs, 5g w/ 1 betta
Posts: 27
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« Reply #18 on: November 07, 2009, 09:44:20 PM » |
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All the food I have tried was bought within the last 2 months. I have tried:
Omega one: color flakes, veggi flakes, color pellets, freeze dried bloodworms.
Hikari brand: betta pellets.
San francisco bay brand: "gum drops" frozen food. On the package it says bloodworms and shrimp as some of the ingredients.
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Shaner
Gender:
Tanks: I suffer from MTS.
Posts: 1,035
uh, i broke the box thing
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« Reply #19 on: November 07, 2009, 09:52:46 PM » |
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do you have a good local fish store, besides the box stores? The really good stores have live black worms, they are a meal that even the most picky fish can not pass up.
keep in mind that they fish food you typically buy in the box stores have been sitting for ahwile, some can even be over a year old. what was the store feeding her before you bought her?
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There are some things which possess form but are devoid of sound, as for instance jade and stone.Others have sound, but are without form, such as wind and thunder.Others again have form and sound, such as men and animals, lastly there is a class devoid of both, namly devils and spirits. ~Han Dynasty
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tonbrencat
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Posts: 161
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« Reply #20 on: November 08, 2009, 01:20:08 PM » |
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I think she just needs some time to adapt, I would also make 25% water change every day for the next 4-5 days, Bettas will respond to clean fresh water, you can try adding some fresh garlic juice to her food as well to help stimulate her appetite, be careful feeding too much freeze dried bloodworms as they can cause bloat in most Bettas, they are great treats fed 2-3 times a week along with a good staple diet. You can also try putting the food on the end of a tooth pick and move it around to simulate live food and hunting instinct.
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Brenda
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shaylatoby
Gender:
Tanks: 12g w/ platies & rasboras, 12g w/ cherry barbs, 5g w/ 1 betta
Posts: 27
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« Reply #21 on: November 08, 2009, 05:04:59 PM » |
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The only local fish store here sucks. They don't know much about fish and their fish look awful and are greatly overpriced. I know not to feed freeze dried food all the time but that was the one thing she took a bite of in the last 9 days that I've had her so I have been trying to get her to eat with those along w/ the other food everyday and she just has no interest in it. A couple times in the last 9 days she acknowledged the food by swimming close to it but then swam away. Yesterday and today now I have saw her out and about in the tank very little. Instead of getting more comfortable after 9 days it seems like she hiding more. Nothing is scaring her either cuz I don't go real close to the tank except to try feeding her and then I go super slow and stay back away from the tank so I don't look like this huge giant staring at her. She is in a corner so we aren't constantly walking by and it's fairly quiet in my house. I have a feeling that something is just not right with her. I did do a weekly water change yesterday and I don't want to do them more often cuz that may scare her. As I've stated before in my posts, I test my water often and the numbers check out so I'm confidant that the water quality is good.
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Shaner
Gender:
Tanks: I suffer from MTS.
Posts: 1,035
uh, i broke the box thing
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« Reply #22 on: November 08, 2009, 05:36:48 PM » |
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even thou tests are good, I would still keep changing water, fresh water is the best medicine, dont be afraid, keep trying
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There are some things which possess form but are devoid of sound, as for instance jade and stone.Others have sound, but are without form, such as wind and thunder.Others again have form and sound, such as men and animals, lastly there is a class devoid of both, namly devils and spirits. ~Han Dynasty
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shaylatoby
Gender:
Tanks: 12g w/ platies & rasboras, 12g w/ cherry barbs, 5g w/ 1 betta
Posts: 27
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« Reply #23 on: November 08, 2009, 07:32:34 PM » |
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My usual routine is 20-25% water change once a week w/ gravel vac. I had alittle success tonight  . I tried the pea. I used a cooked frozen pea and popped it out of the shell and mushed it up into bite size bits. I put one bit in at a time and she ate at least 3 mouth size bites. She would only eat them when the were falling though. It seemed like once they hit the bottom she wasn't interested anymore. Is that what bettas do? I know I've read like tend to like to eat on the top the best so I was just curious if they will eat off the bottom too. She still wasn't very excited about the food though but maybe there's hope. |
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starbaby
Posts: 7
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« Reply #24 on: November 09, 2009, 09:06:27 PM » |
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I'm not an expert, but I've had two bettas (in different tanks of course) for almost a year. My male will eat anything and everything. My female is extremely picky. She won't eat if she doesn't like what she's given. Period. She won't eat any of the betta specific foods - hates the pellets. Have you tried some daphnia? They're really small and were a good intro food when I moved her to her 10 gallon tank. Both my bettas love it. Good luck - I hope she comes around.
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