Betta Fish?

Question

I'm babysitting my friend's betta fish while she's on vacation. And she gave me a bag of those "betta bites" they're REALLY tiny. she said to feed him one in the morning and one at night, but I put one in a few hours ago and he's still not eating it. What's wrong with him? I will keep updating this question throughout the night, but if you have any info, please let me know. I don't want to be held responsible if he dies! I have absolutely no experience in the betta department. He's living in a small bowl next to out television, the bowl has a light, should I put it on or off? Also, he always sits on the bottom of the bowl and barely moves. Please help!

~Bubbles

He's been in my care since about 12:30 this afternoon, so less than a day.

Answer 1

Dont worry!
Betta are very intelligent fish, I expect he is just being moody and refusing to eat food given to him by a stranger!
I've had this happen to me before, when I went away for a week, and it took my Betta at leat 3 days before he would finally start accepting food from my boyfriend!
He probably misses his owner, and feels that you are a threat to him. Just keep dropping the food in, and he will eventually take it!
With my betta, I always have to drop the food directly above him, so he can see it, and he always eats it!
Make sure that he knows you are there. Maybe spend a little time with him, so he can get to know you.
Many people see fish as stupid animals, with absolutely no intelligence, little more than plants!
That is just NOT the case! They have had millions of years to evolve and many of them are very intelligent creatures, capable of recognising their owners, and very capable of shunning food from other people!
Believe me, he is just being moody! He will eventually eat the food when he gets hungry enough. Just drop it over his head, one bit at a time, and keep doing so untill he eats a piece. He will learn to accept you!
If he just won't accept the food, then I would suggest buying some frozen blood worms from you LFS, Betta's absolutely ADORE blood worms, and would accept them from a mortal enemy!
Good luck!

Answer 2

First off, I suggest you move him away from the television to a stable counter or a table. The bright colours, loud sounds and vibrations from the television could be bothering him.

Secondly, maybe your friend's betta isn't used to eating food from a stranger. Bettas are very visually-stimulated animals and will learn to distinguish people very vaguely (for example, my betta will not eat food that my red-haired friend gives him, and will eat the food that I, black-haired, will give him, because he recognises the difference.)

Don't worry, he is not going to die. I know the Betta Bites you are talking about; are they from HBH? I use the same ones. Anyway, bettas have stomachs the size of their eyes. That gives you any idea of how many of those pellets they need to fill up. Yeah, around two. What's more, bettas have a slow metabolic rate, so they can go up to a week without
food without any harm.

Remove the uneaten pellet. Uneaten food rots in a fish's tank and causes fish disease, pronto. Take the pellet out with a small net (or a cup, if your friend doesn't use a net). Try feeding him again the next day. The basic principle is that bettas will eat whenever they're hungry enough. Take him off a feeding and he'll almost definitely eat tomorrow morning.

Answer 3

Odds are good the TV is bothering him by sound vibrations or possibly the bowl is too cool. Try moving him to a warmer spot in the house and try feeding him again tomorrow.

You don't say how long you have had him in your care, but if it's been over a few days his bowl may be getting dirty and that could kill his appetite. Be sure to remove any uneaten food within about 10 minutes so it doesn't foul his water.

Turn the night off at night and on during the day.

Not to worry too much, a betta can go at least a week with no food without harm.

MM

Answer 4

you dont might desire to purchase yet another tank purely pass to walmart or petsmart and purchase a gold fish bowl and she or he could be chuffed that way she will devour and don't subject approximately gettin attacked! If a woman that wasn’t ripe, or waiting for spawning, could have entered a men tank, it’s a probability that she could’ve been attacked, as non-ripe females are no longer tolerated interior the area of the nest. via no longer fleeing, a woman shows her readiness to spawn. sure, some cases while you're no longer careful while attempting too breed bettas, the male will attack the female and he can injure the female, the ladies are lots smaller than the lads. A Male and a woman: interior the wild, females stay away from men, different than for the duration of mating. while cohabiting in tanks, men might kill females, and are frequently saved aside except (a) they're juvenile siblings, (b) they're breeding, (c) there's a partition, or (d) the tank is great adequate for the female to flee attack. regularly, till now breeding, breeders use this sort of field to permit lady demonstrate without risking injury via the male. 2 or greater females: Bettas are no longer training fish, yet in a great tank with many hiding areas, lady bettas can cohabit. while 2 females share a tank, one frequently bullies the different, although, 4 or greater females will set up a hierarchy permitting non violent co-life, although, females dwelling in community might desire to be monitored for aggressive females.

Answer 5

I've had a few Betta's and they each have different personalities. Sometimes they are active and sometimes they are not. I doubt there's anything wrong with him in regard to his inactivity and not eating yet. They don't eat much. If the owners didn't give you specific instructions about the light it probably doesn't matter much. I used to keep the light on in the day and turn it off at night.

Answer 6

Bettas are VERY lazy fish. My betta often floats to the top of my 10 gallon tank and just sits there! I also had the same problem with betta food. My betta(who is named Abin) does NOT like betta food he will only eat tropical fish food. In my opinion I think they don't like the food because they are hard hard little balls! YUCK! I wouldn't want to eat it. I wouldn't worry about that but I would give him a SMALL pinch of the food instead of just one. Also turn the light off before you go to bed and turn it back on when you wake up. This just keeps the betta on a natural day and night scheduale. Goodluck with your bettasitting!

Answer 7

Relax. Fish aren't like people and can go for days or even weeks without eating. Bettas in particular have a very slow metablolism so they really don't need much food. They are a sedentary fish, and when they are swimming about all frantically, it is because they are stressed or excited, neither of which are good in the long run. Light is fine, but he would probably be more comfortable without it on.

Answer 8

Well i have ony had 2 bette fish.... but i can try and help. DONT keep it by the TV or any thing else it can see its reflection in. It will try and kill its self.... yes bette fish are suisital. LOL. About the food just it one pinch. In the morrning if it doesnt eat change the water in the bowl. If you need help E-mail me. About it not moving.... check and make sure its not under anything. If its not change the water in the bowl. Day two.... if its not fealing better.... call your local pet store and talk to them. If the fish dyes.... i hate to say it but by the way it looks right now it may.... replace it with another fish. They wont get mad if you tell them everything. And get it cremated. Good luck E-mail be if you still need help.... But I will keep rading you updates.

Answer 9

I had a betta that we kept on the refrigirator and it wouldnt move eat all it did was puke up its food one day we got home to it being dead,Dont make the same mistake i made MOVE THE FISH.I would put him...her....IT on a counter top.

Answer 10

thats what idall 16 of mine did b-4 they died u might have a 1 day-1 week sorry hun