Betta fish, also known as Siamese Fighters, are these small marine animals with spectacular colors, large fins like fans and very popular with fish enthusiasts who have home aquariums. It happens with bettas, as well as with many other fish, which are very sensitive and have quite particular care needs, which if not taken into account, are directly reflected in the diet. This means that they can eat less or stop eating and, therefore, affect their he alth to the point of putting their lives at risk.
If you have a betta fish and find yourself worried that it is not eating, continue reading this article on our site, where we have investigated the main reasons for your question why? your betta fish not eating?
He doesn't like the food
Who wants to eat when they don't like the food? Your betta fish may have stopped eating because it simply doesn't like the food you put out. It seems like an obvious reason but it is not. Perhaps those pellets or flakes you have chosen are the cheapest product, with few nutrients, that have less flavor, and that is why your fish is rejecting it.
Some foods are better than others, try a better quality brand with more protein. Remember that the betta fish is a carnivorous animalYou can give him live or dried s alted shrimp based foods that he loves. For more information, do not miss our article in which we detail what the betta fish diet consists of.
Stress in the environment
Betta fish get stressed for many reasons. If your fish is not eating it could be an indicator that it is going through a stress phase and this could be due to the environment where your aquarium is placed. If you're stressed you won't feel like eating.
For example, a new tank, no matter how big and cute it may be, will cause your betta anxiety simply because it is an unfamiliar space. Give it time to get used to it. Fish rarely get sick unless they are under stress. So if you can reduce stress as much as possible, it will be the best option. That is, try not to constantly change the aquarium, choose one that is suitable for your fish, from day one.
It also happens that even though he is inside the tank, he still gets stress from movement in his environment: your house. A good solution is to bring a bit of darkness and calm to the aquarium. Cover it with a blanket so the betta fish doesn't have to witness and attract all the movement that happens outside of your home. Never hit the glass of the tank and teach the children who come to your house not to do it. The darkness will help him adapt faster to his own environment. However, don't leave it in the dark all the time, most fish feed during the day and need light to be more active and therefore want to eat.
He can't fit that much food
A betta fish's stomach is about the size of its eyeball…very small. It is understandable that he does not get much food and, therefore, does not eat as much as we might think. So think that it will be enough to place a very small amount of food to feed your fish and that, many times, it will eat when you are not exactly observing it. Do not overfeed a betta fish, they have very common digestion problems that later translate into other diseases. Remember that to prevent your betta fish from eating, the formula is: little food but good quality.
Aquarium conditions
If you're still wondering why your betta isn't eating, you should know that bettas are cold-blooded fish whose metabolism slows down. It is directly related to the temperature of the water in the place where they live. They require that it be stable between 24 °C and 26 °C. As the water is somewhat warmer, they metabolize their food faster, needing to eat more to maintain their own body temperature and energy. Despite being cold-blooded, when bettas are kept in cooler water, their metabolism slows down and the urge to eat will be less. Also, make sure the water parameters are in order: reasonable nitrates and very low ammonia and nitrite. To do this, consult our article in which we explain the basic care of betta fish.
Expression of some disease
Last but not least, the possible presence of any disease in the body of the betta fish must be ruled out, since the lack of hunger is one of the most common symptoms. If you have tried to correct the above reasons and still do not know why your betta fish does not eat, you should pay attention to a general picture of alternating symptoms such as: lethargy and heaviness, loss of color, fins stuck instead of open, swelling in its stomach, torn and bloody fins, parasites and fungi. If any of these symptoms occur, it is best to go to the vet urgently It may be endangering not only the he alth of your fish, but also its own life.
