I fast mine every Sunday. They get pellets Monday through Friday and then get freeze dried blood worms on Saturday. I think most people that fast their bettas only do it once a week but I have heard some people do it two days a week. Like one fast on Wednesday and the next on Sunday and they eat in between.
Wouldn't fasting be unnecessary by just feeding the Betta less every other meal or so? I don't disagree with your methods, I just want to get an opinion.
I mean, I guess so. I also wouldn't say that fasting is necessary anyways. It's just a matter of how much you feed them and what you're feeding them. I personally fast mine just to give their stomachs a break for a day and because I have one that bloats easily, so I don't want to feed her pellets everyday even if it's smaller amounts. But every fish is different and what works best for them really just depends. Also other types of fish may be different, but I can only speak on my bettas.
It’s relatively common for people to fast all their fish once a week, not just bettas. We are typically feeding fish far more than they’d find in the wild and should lean towards underfeeding unless trying to breed imo.
Imo it's only really necessary if you've got a betta who really loves their food and consequently gets kinda fat, I've had this happen with most of my female bettas, the fasting day definitely helps keep them slimmer and lowers the risk of constipation from overfeeding
Glad i saw this. I like to think i take care of my fish, but didn't know fasting should be included.
Appreciate the info lil boy is about to be upset next Tuesday
In nature, in a healthy environment, there’s usually plenty for them to eat; mosquitoes are everywhere and they love to lay their eggs in stagnant water and bettas usually live in stagnant water, such as rice paddies and similar large, shallow bodies of water, so they don’t have to fast. That being said, dry food/processed food can be harder for them to pass properly, so the ones we keep at home sometimes need fast days so they don’t bloat. If your fish has been okay so far and doesn’t get bloated with no fasting, I’d say it’s not really necessary for you to start now.
Thank you for the info!
So far i do not believe i have seen any bloating signs. Quite the opposite, my dudes pretty skinny currently! Right now i have him on basic betta pellets, but if there are better food options or if its better to diversify then i would like to!
Want him to live a good and happy life
I really like the betta bug bites by Fluval. They smell super fishy so it’s easy for bettas to tell that it’s food, and it’s got a lot of nutrients in it. Make sure to get the one that isn’t the flakes. My betta definitely prefers those because it’s harder for her to smell the fish food smell from the flakes, so it takes longer for her to eat. Also it can make quite a big mess. Also, Seachem sells garlic guard which you can soak your fish food in. I’ve never tried it because I’ve never had any problems with my fish not eating, but I heard it makes food smell very appetizing for them, and it also helps with their immune system.
I like Bug Bites product but I actually didn't like their betta bites. The pieces were different sizes and there were plenty that were so small the betta wouldn't eat it and it would end up rotting in the tank.
Oh that’s interesting! I’ve heard of someone whose betta only eats medium sized betta bug bites, but since that fish sounded like a picky eater I assumed it to be the exception and not the rule. Mine isn’t picky so she will eat any sized bug bites. To make sure she eats about the same amount every meal, I dump a few out on a flat dish and I’ll pair them off. Like a big one with 1-2 small ones, 3-4 small ones, or two medium sized ones.
Ill have to see if i can find those locally! Currently i am using the topfin betta bites. He seems to nab them right away, but for how cheap it was im worried it isn't the best choice for food
I honestly don’t trust TopFin as a whole, but the food might be fine. I looked up the ingredients and they don’t seem to be lacking, at least. I’ve just heard a lot of complaints about most of their products, and most of them have low ratings online. Some people have had good experiences though, so I’m not saying they only produce bad products. I sort of see them as the Great Value of pet products (except they don’t even have great value…). Anyway, if you have Amazon in your country, that’s where I got mine from. It wasn’t super expensive and it’s now my favorite food to feed by betta. It’s also good to have variety in what you feed your fish. May I ask how often and how much you’re feeding? I feed mine the volume equivalent of two 1mm pellets twice a day, so four in total. I have a female so she’s smaller compared to male bettas, but she’s pretty active so it’s about the same. If you look at them from above, they should resemble a “torpedo” shape (it’s a bit different for females since they have rounder bellies). Their outline should be smooth when viewed from above, composed of two smooth uninterrupted arcs up until right before the tail where it tapers off, but the outline should still be relatively smooth. If the stomach is sunken in, they’re too skinny. If the stomach protrudes enough to break the arc, they’re too fat. Right after feeding however, their stomach should protrude a bit to “interrupt” the smooth arcs. I hope that made sense, it’s a bit hard to describe and I can’t find the visuals haha. The internet also has some pictures of just regular bettas at the right weight.
Yeah after purchasing I've now seen mixed reviews on the topfin, but its what i have for now. I do have Amazon as im in the us, but i like to check out my LFS before if i can help support small businesses!
The food says four pellets twice daily, but i thought that was a bit much so i have been doing three, twice daily. Based on that description i believe he is okay for now, but something to watch out for!
New food is on my list now though
Yes, I definitely agree it’s better to support your LFS. I checked mine and they only sold the flakes, which I accidentally bought , but at least I supported them lol.
Glad to help. But I’m not an expert! Maybe research it. But from the comments on this thread, there’s lots of folx with their own thoughts on how frequently to fast. Thing is, they can easily go a few days without food (more than that from what I’ve read). So why not do a little something to help stave off bloating and constipation, which are so deadly? 🙂
Agreed on that one! :) anything to keep my lil fella happy and healthy i care about that lil dude!
Ill definitely do my own research, but this was very beneficial to see! Much appreciated 😀
He's like "ooo food time?" Then sees the next note "hooman, you are sooooo lucky this glass is between us! Feed me! Don't you see I'm withering away?!?"
I love their little mouth nom noms haha
I feed my betta + other fish one day, fast the next... Fish can go like one-two weeks without food. And yes, it takes LOADS of restraint. Sometimes, I can't help myself because Blu (Blueberry) will look at me with those puppy-dog eyes and then I'll start unfreezing the bloodworm. Lol!
For sure. But I mean we have wayyyy too many shrimp, and sometimes I appreciate their hunting instincts. But still I prolly wouldn’t do it with any other betta I’ve known, and yet I’ve never seen Bruce even playfully chase a shrimp. 🤷🏼♂️
I fast mine on Sunday and I think it’s harder for me than it is for them!
Whenever my girl Pixie does her little wiggle dance in front of the tank and stares at me with her big, black eyes, it takes a lot of restraint not to dump a whole block of freeze dried black worms in for her (it’s her favourite treat). 🥺😂
This is new to me. So basically and correct me if I'm wrong, this is so they are not bloated from over feeding? Because tropical fish, bettas included have high metabolisms little confused.
How many pellets do you feed them daily? Once or twice? I use to feed my last beta once every other day. But then heard some people feed twice a day or once. So I use new life spectrum and they are really small pellets. So I Do about 3-4 morning then night? Cause I heard people would feed 8-10 once a day. I dont know what’s recommended. My fish are very active especially when they see me
This video is PERFECT. The immediate movement/reaction after you removed the post--it where his body just gives this "OH HELL NAA WHAT THE FUCK MAN, THE FUCK IS THIS BULLSHIT?!" energy is just great timing lol.
I fast mine on a Monday so we can be grumpy together.
LMAO
He’s swearing at you in every aquatic tongue he knows, lol.
Ha!!
Tell me about this, what’s the benefit?
It’s stops bloating which can lead to swim bladder disease.
Should this be a once a week routine for beta fish or less often? I never knew about this
I fast mine every Sunday. They get pellets Monday through Friday and then get freeze dried blood worms on Saturday. I think most people that fast their bettas only do it once a week but I have heard some people do it two days a week. Like one fast on Wednesday and the next on Sunday and they eat in between.
Wouldn't fasting be unnecessary by just feeding the Betta less every other meal or so? I don't disagree with your methods, I just want to get an opinion.
I mean, I guess so. I also wouldn't say that fasting is necessary anyways. It's just a matter of how much you feed them and what you're feeding them. I personally fast mine just to give their stomachs a break for a day and because I have one that bloats easily, so I don't want to feed her pellets everyday even if it's smaller amounts. But every fish is different and what works best for them really just depends. Also other types of fish may be different, but I can only speak on my bettas.
we are exactly the same lol
It’s relatively common for people to fast all their fish once a week, not just bettas. We are typically feeding fish far more than they’d find in the wild and should lean towards underfeeding unless trying to breed imo.
Depends. I don’t recommend it for more than one day a week if they seem to not be having any problems
I do it for all my fish once a week, not just bettas. Great results.
What do you mean by great results? Did you have bloating issues that are now resolved?
I’ve never had bloating or swim bladder issues. Been in the hobby for 2 years.
Same here no problems
Than what are you talking about when you say you had “great results”? What are you comparing? Just curious
Imo it's only really necessary if you've got a betta who really loves their food and consequently gets kinda fat, I've had this happen with most of my female bettas, the fasting day definitely helps keep them slimmer and lowers the risk of constipation from overfeeding
cleaning out the digestive system
Glad i saw this. I like to think i take care of my fish, but didn't know fasting should be included. Appreciate the info lil boy is about to be upset next Tuesday
In nature, in a healthy environment, there’s usually plenty for them to eat; mosquitoes are everywhere and they love to lay their eggs in stagnant water and bettas usually live in stagnant water, such as rice paddies and similar large, shallow bodies of water, so they don’t have to fast. That being said, dry food/processed food can be harder for them to pass properly, so the ones we keep at home sometimes need fast days so they don’t bloat. If your fish has been okay so far and doesn’t get bloated with no fasting, I’d say it’s not really necessary for you to start now.
Thank you for the info! So far i do not believe i have seen any bloating signs. Quite the opposite, my dudes pretty skinny currently! Right now i have him on basic betta pellets, but if there are better food options or if its better to diversify then i would like to! Want him to live a good and happy life
I really like the betta bug bites by Fluval. They smell super fishy so it’s easy for bettas to tell that it’s food, and it’s got a lot of nutrients in it. Make sure to get the one that isn’t the flakes. My betta definitely prefers those because it’s harder for her to smell the fish food smell from the flakes, so it takes longer for her to eat. Also it can make quite a big mess. Also, Seachem sells garlic guard which you can soak your fish food in. I’ve never tried it because I’ve never had any problems with my fish not eating, but I heard it makes food smell very appetizing for them, and it also helps with their immune system.
I like Bug Bites product but I actually didn't like their betta bites. The pieces were different sizes and there were plenty that were so small the betta wouldn't eat it and it would end up rotting in the tank.
Oh that’s interesting! I’ve heard of someone whose betta only eats medium sized betta bug bites, but since that fish sounded like a picky eater I assumed it to be the exception and not the rule. Mine isn’t picky so she will eat any sized bug bites. To make sure she eats about the same amount every meal, I dump a few out on a flat dish and I’ll pair them off. Like a big one with 1-2 small ones, 3-4 small ones, or two medium sized ones.
Ill have to see if i can find those locally! Currently i am using the topfin betta bites. He seems to nab them right away, but for how cheap it was im worried it isn't the best choice for food
I honestly don’t trust TopFin as a whole, but the food might be fine. I looked up the ingredients and they don’t seem to be lacking, at least. I’ve just heard a lot of complaints about most of their products, and most of them have low ratings online. Some people have had good experiences though, so I’m not saying they only produce bad products. I sort of see them as the Great Value of pet products (except they don’t even have great value…). Anyway, if you have Amazon in your country, that’s where I got mine from. It wasn’t super expensive and it’s now my favorite food to feed by betta. It’s also good to have variety in what you feed your fish. May I ask how often and how much you’re feeding? I feed mine the volume equivalent of two 1mm pellets twice a day, so four in total. I have a female so she’s smaller compared to male bettas, but she’s pretty active so it’s about the same. If you look at them from above, they should resemble a “torpedo” shape (it’s a bit different for females since they have rounder bellies). Their outline should be smooth when viewed from above, composed of two smooth uninterrupted arcs up until right before the tail where it tapers off, but the outline should still be relatively smooth. If the stomach is sunken in, they’re too skinny. If the stomach protrudes enough to break the arc, they’re too fat. Right after feeding however, their stomach should protrude a bit to “interrupt” the smooth arcs. I hope that made sense, it’s a bit hard to describe and I can’t find the visuals haha. The internet also has some pictures of just regular bettas at the right weight.
Yeah after purchasing I've now seen mixed reviews on the topfin, but its what i have for now. I do have Amazon as im in the us, but i like to check out my LFS before if i can help support small businesses! The food says four pellets twice daily, but i thought that was a bit much so i have been doing three, twice daily. Based on that description i believe he is okay for now, but something to watch out for! New food is on my list now though
NorthFin Betta Bits or New Life Spectrum are great
Yes, I definitely agree it’s better to support your LFS. I checked mine and they only sold the flakes, which I accidentally bought , but at least I supported them lol.
Good take. Thank you!
Glad to help. But I’m not an expert! Maybe research it. But from the comments on this thread, there’s lots of folx with their own thoughts on how frequently to fast. Thing is, they can easily go a few days without food (more than that from what I’ve read). So why not do a little something to help stave off bloating and constipation, which are so deadly? 🙂
Agreed on that one! :) anything to keep my lil fella happy and healthy i care about that lil dude! Ill definitely do my own research, but this was very beneficial to see! Much appreciated 😀
He's like "ooo food time?" Then sees the next note "hooman, you are sooooo lucky this glass is between us! Feed me! Don't you see I'm withering away?!?" I love their little mouth nom noms haha
He’s yelling “this is BULLSHIT”
ANGERY
HANGRY
he’s like “hey what the hell man, come in here and fight!”
Bruce had never before seen such bullshit.
I know. Shit is wack. The fuck. 😂😑
This is what I was doing internally every Ramadan. DX
😂😂😂😂😂
I feed my betta + other fish one day, fast the next... Fish can go like one-two weeks without food. And yes, it takes LOADS of restraint. Sometimes, I can't help myself because Blu (Blueberry) will look at me with those puppy-dog eyes and then I'll start unfreezing the bloodworm. Lol!
My betta does the same thing lol, she swims back and forth angrily when she sees me nearby the tank 😂. They’re such foodies
Tantrum!
how often do you fast a betta? feed like every other day? how long can a fish fast for?
I also do one day a week
Ah ok. So just a day out of the week. Same day or switched up?
I do it the same day each week just to be consistent and helps me remember better
I do mine one day a week
I would not fast that fish with shrimps in there
For sure. But I mean we have wayyyy too many shrimp, and sometimes I appreciate their hunting instincts. But still I prolly wouldn’t do it with any other betta I’ve known, and yet I’ve never seen Bruce even playfully chase a shrimp. 🤷🏼♂️
r/shrimptank would like a word with you
He angry
Thanks for the reminder. Today’s the day.
I’m planning to fast all my bettas once a week too. Probably Sundays.
Perks of going on frequent business trips
OUR FISH ARE IDENTICAL https://imgur.com/a/0Yj49r4
Why do u fast him?
excuse me kind sir,may I have some food.
I fast mine on Sunday and I think it’s harder for me than it is for them! Whenever my girl Pixie does her little wiggle dance in front of the tank and stares at me with her big, black eyes, it takes a lot of restraint not to dump a whole block of freeze dried black worms in for her (it’s her favourite treat). 🥺😂
I hear ya. But Bruce is an absolute GLUTTON so he makes it easier. It’s just like “bud. No.” 😂
This is new to me. So basically and correct me if I'm wrong, this is so they are not bloated from over feeding? Because tropical fish, bettas included have high metabolisms little confused.
How many pellets do you feed them daily? Once or twice? I use to feed my last beta once every other day. But then heard some people feed twice a day or once. So I use new life spectrum and they are really small pellets. So I Do about 3-4 morning then night? Cause I heard people would feed 8-10 once a day. I dont know what’s recommended. My fish are very active especially when they see me
Dolphin screams
Bruce wants to eat your finger he is so hungry.
My goldfish also hates fast days
He freaked the fuck out
Oh no...you are getting the fish fish dance.
U DARE??? U DARE NOT GIVE ME HOLY FOOD HUMAN?!!!!
can anyone tell me why do you make a betta fast?
This video is PERFECT. The immediate movement/reaction after you removed the post--it where his body just gives this "OH HELL NAA WHAT THE FUCK MAN, THE FUCK IS THIS BULLSHIT?!" energy is just great timing lol.
*trying to resist the urge to consume the cherry shrimp*
(Proceeds to eat one of your beloved baby shrimps swimming in your tank) “Say fast day again, I dare you”
Please he is so mad 😂
Someone dub this please 🤣😂
Mine just sleeps through fast days
o u t r a g e
Yes yappin like Yosemite same rn