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What To Do If Your Betta Won't Eat
Betta fish can be finicky eaters sometimes. Its not at all unusual for them to refuse food for any number of reasons. Not a lot of people know it, but its OK for a betta to go without eating for as long as a week or more at a time, and its actually a good idea to not feed them at least one day a week.
So if you're going on a short to medium-length vacation, don't worry about feeding your betta - he'll be fine. And if you keep your betta at the office or at school, don't get too worried about him not eating over the weekends. These short fasts are similar to what a betta would experience in the wild when they couldn't find food for a few days. A day's break from food will also help keep your betta from overeating (or, more correctly, you from overfeeding him). Almost all betta owners overfeed their bettas from time to time, and that causes way more problems than a betta being a little hungry.
Still having your betta not eat is a bit suspicious, and its certainly a sign that something is amiss. So here are the most common causes of a betta refusing to eat and what to do about them:
1) They're bored with their food
Are you feeding your betta the same old flake food day after day after day? If they're stopped eating, it may be because they're just sick of their food - especially if its flake food. Get yourself some freeze-dried brine shrimp or some freeze-dried blood worms and see if a little change of the menu won't peak your betta's interest. It might also be a good idea to wait a day after your betta has refused food to try these new choices, just so he'll have worked up a bit of an appetite. Bettas, ever finicky, might refuse food simply because its new - just like how it took your mother 3 years of offering you a hot dog when you were little before you conceded to try it and then discovered it was delicious. If you want to really get his attention, try feeding live brine shrimp. Most pet stores sell them, and you'll have a fun time watching him chase them around.
2) They're cold
There are a lot of chilly bettas around. If they get chilly enough, one of the first signs of distress is not eating. If your betta also tends to spend a lot of time lying on the bottom of his bowl, or he moves around sluggishly, then get yourself a thermometer and find out how warm that water is. If its less than 76 degrees, your betta's not eating is probably because he's cold. You'll need to get a little heater to keep him warm. Adjust the heater's temperature until the water in his bowl is between 78 and 82 degrees (80 is perfect) and see if he doesn't start eating again.
3) They're overfed
A betta's stomach is just a bit larger than his eye. So don't feed him any amount of food larger than his eye at any time, and don't feed him more than once a day. A lot of us overfeed our bettas, and that's understandable - for many people, giving food is a kind of love, but you're not loving your betta when you overfeed him. Wait a day to let his belly clear out, then offer him just a wee nibble of food and see how is does.
4) They're sick
If your betta is sluggish, or his color is fading a bit, he may be sick. If he has any white, grey or tan growths on him, he is definitely sick. Do an 80% water change using water the same temperature that's in his bowl, using tap water
that's been treated with a good water conditioner. When you're getting rid
of the old water be sure to stir up the gravel and rinse or scrub (no soap or cleaning products used, please) any decorations. If you're using a filter in his
tank or bowl, clean that out according to its instructions, too.
Next, get a heater and make sure his water temperature stays very close to
80 degrees. Depending on his symptoms, you'll want to begin treatment for
whatever he's got.
5) They're stressed somehow
This can be from a broad spectrum of causes, including a sudden temperature drop, an overcrowded tank, a recently cleaned tank, the tank getting bumped,
or your betta being in direct sunlight (which they really don't like). As with all
the other causes, try to fix whatever seems like the likely cause, wait a day,
then try feeding just a bit.
6) They're constipated
Its a little amusing, but yes, your betta can get constipated. 95% of the time
this is caused by overfeeding. Constipation in bettas is not a big deal - wait a
day or two (remember, its totally OK for your fish to not eat for a day or two, or three, or four) and try feeding him again. If he's not having any "movements" during this time, that's prime evidence he's backup. Try feeding him a bit of
pea (the vegetable), preferably cooked. Less than a quarter of one pea is plenty.
He may refuse the pea until he's very hungry, but if you can get him to eat it,
it will probably solve the problem. Going forward, don't feed him so much, and feed him les frequently.
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