Betta fish often refuse pellet food due to various factors. Below are the most common causes and corresponding solutions:
1. Poor Palatability of Feed
Cause: Betta fish have a strong preference for live food (such as bloodworms and brine shrimp) and generally have low acceptance of dry pellets.
Solutions:
Choose small-pelleted, floating betta-specific feeds (brands like BIOZYM or Hikari are good options).
Improve palatability by crushing the pellets or soaking them to soften before feeding.
Transition gradually: Start with live food, mix in a small amount of pellets, and slowly increase the proportion of pellets over time.
2. Environmental Discomfort
Cause: Stress from new environments (e.g., newly introduced to the tank), water changes, or habitat adjustments can cause bettas to refuse food.
Solutions:
Keep the environment quiet and dark to let the fish acclimate for 2–3 days.
Avoid frequent disturbances, reduce water changes, and refrain from moving the tank unnecessarily.
3. Issues with Water Temperature or Quality
Cause: Low water temperature (<24℃) or poor water quality (elevated ammonia/nitrite levels) significantly reduces a betta’s appetite.
Solutions:
Use a heater to maintain the water temperature between 24–28℃.
Change 1/3 of the tank water weekly to keep it clean (ideal pH: 6.5–7.2).
Test water parameters to ensure ammonia and nitrite levels are 0, and nitrate levels are below 20ppm.
4. Health Problems
Cause: Diseases like enteritis, ich (white spot disease), or parasites can lead to appetite loss in bettas.
Solutions:
Observe for symptoms: Watch for white feces, bloating, rubbing against the tank, or white spots on the body.
Treat accordingly:
Enteritis: Stop feeding for 1–2 days, and administer a medicated bath with oxytetracycline (1 tablet per 10 liters of water) for 3 days.
Ich: Raise the water temperature to 30℃ and add a salt bath (1 gram of salt per liter of water).
For severe cases, consult experienced betta keepers or a veterinarian.
5. Improper Feeding Practices
Cause: Overfeeding, sudden feed changes, or irregular feeding times can cause bettas to refuse pellets.
Solutions:
Feed once a day, with 2–3 pellets each time, and ensure the food is eaten within 5 minutes.
Avoid abrupt feed switches; mix old and new pellets for a 3–5 day transition period.
Feed at a fixed time daily to help the fish form a routine.
Summary
If your betta persistently refuses food, follow these steps:
First, try live food (e.g., bloodworms) to check if the refusal is simply due to pickiness.
Inspect water quality and temperature to ensure a stable environment.
Look for signs of illness and treat promptly if abnormalities are found.
Be patient with feed adjustments to gradually acclimate the fish to pellets.
If the problem remains unresolved, consult experienced betta keepers or an aquarium store.