Last edited - December 8, 2018
Bettas are known to be picky eaters so it can be tough figuring out what kind of food to feed your fish. It is important to feed your betta a nutritious and well-balanced diet in order to keep them healthy and prevent them from getting sick, much like how it is for us humans. Some of a betta's favorite food include blood worms, black worms, krill, daphnia, brine shrimp, tubifex worms and mosquito larvae. They can be found in freeze-dried, frozen or live forms. There are also flakes for bettas.
Freeze-dried foods have a long shelf life, are inexpensive, and convenient for the owner. Additionally, some chain stores feed freeze-dried foods exclusively to bettas due to their cost effectiveness, so new bettas are normally pleased to eat what they are familiar with.
Unfortunately, freeze-dried foods have many negative traits. They are notorious for creating constipation and swim bladder problems since they absorb moisture quickly in the gut. Some nutritional value is lost during the freeze-drying process, and in the case of tubifex worms, it is possible for cheaper brands to harbor deadly bacteria. Many hobbyists will not feed freeze-dried foods for these reasons. However,one way to limit the risk of constipation and swim bladder issues is to pre-soak the freeze-dried food in tank water for 10 minutes before feeding it to your betta. freeze-dried foods are an enjoyable treat for your betta.
As for frozen foods, many fish stores have frozen foods available for a reasonable price to the public. They are typically insect-based, which is perfect for bettas, which are insectivorous by nature. Blood worms, brine shrimp, midas shrimp, and other foods are available from a variety of manufacturers, as are mixed-ingredient carnivore diets. These foods are beneficial because they mimic the natural diet more accurately, are extremely rich, highly palatable, and may be fairly inexpensive based on the number of fish you own. However, one must keep in mind that frozen foods are not nutritionally balanced, and unless fed in great variety may lead to deficiencies and excesses that can be harmful to your betta's health. Furthermore, the richness of these foods promotes obesity, particularly in fish kept in colder aquariums with less swimming space. Finally, frozen foods can be a source of deadly bacteria if stored incorrectly, so always look for signs of re-freezing, and dispose of any excess thawed food after each feeding.
Most betta fry start out on a diet of live foods, such as baby brine shrimp or vinegar eels. Well, adult bettas can certainly have live foods as well! Blood worms, blackworms, brine shrimp, wingless fruit flies, and other readily available invertebrates can be cultured with relative ease or purchased in some pet stores as a supplementary portion of your betta's diet. These foods have the benefit of also serving as behavioral enrichment, as they encourage the betta's natural predatory behavior. They are also highly nutritious as they have not lost any of their value from protein-degrading processes like freezing, drying, or sterilization. Unfortunately, live foods have a dark side: it is very easy to make bettas ill with contaminated cultures. Blackworms in particular are notorious for causing deadly internal infections, and should only be purchased from a highly reputable source or cultured at home. What's more, live foods can be pricey, either due to the costs of buying and culturing, or the price in pet stores. Because of this, many betta owners choose sterilized frozen foods instead.
Pellets are a great choice for the normal betta owner who only has a few bettas. Specially designed for bettas, betta pellets provide a near complete diet, especially Betta Bio-Gold. All you need to do is get a few pellets and drop them in and you're done. Easy as that. However, your betta may not go after it right away, especially if the betta had a taste of bloodworms. This usually isn't that big of a deal since most bettas are raised and fed pellets since they were fries.
Lastly: veggies. While bettas have no dietary need for these foods, they may have some healthy benefits if fed occasionally and in moderation; cucumber and de-shelled, cooked peas are a popular remedy and preventative for constipation, for example. They do not need to be a part of a betta's regular diet, but when fed sparingly, appear to create no adverse side effects.
If you read the above and thought "well that doesn't help me; I still don't know what to feed!", please consider the following. Most animal nutritionists agree that the best way to ensure complete nutrition for your pet is through variety. Because each food has its pros and cons, it is best to feed multiple types of food; this will magnify the benefits and reduce the negatives. Furthermore, feeding a great variety of foods is more enriching for your betta, providing a valuable source of stimulation.
It is also suggested that bettas be fasted at least one day weekly. Because bettas tend to have a dry food as their staple, and a very high-protein diet, they are prone to constipation. While the feeding of a mashed frozen pea is good for clearing up constipation, prevention is always the best medicine; fasting once or twice per week typically offsets digestive problems in average bettas.
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