When it comes to feeding your betta, there’s a lot of conflicting information. Some people will tell you that bettas can eat whatever you put in the tank, whereas other people will tell you that even though they’re hardy fish, they’re going to need a strict diet. So you may be wondering whether brine shrimp are good for your betta!
In this article, not only will you find out whether they’re good or not, but you’ll also learn how the best ways to feed them to your betta and how they compare to other types of food you can feed your fish as well!
So keep reading to find out everything you want to know!
Are Brine Shrimp Good For Bettas?
Brine shrimp are a great choice of food for bettas, because they’re high in protein and fibre. While they are also high in fat, they are still favourable over bloodworms. If you do plan on feeding your bettas brine shrimp, you should do so 2-3 times a week.
What Are The Benefits Of Brine Shrimp?
Brine shrimp actually have a number of benefits for your betta! Here are a few reasons you should consider feeding them every once in a while!
- One of the best reasons to give your betta brine shrimp is because they fulfill your betta’s need to hunt! When you add live brine shrimp to your betta’s tank, he’ll spend hours entertained as he chases the around the tank and tries to eat them.
- As long as you’re buying them from a reputable seller, it’s highly unlikely that the brine shrimp will be carrying disease, unlike some other live foods.
- They’re also great for digestion. If your betta gets constipated a lot, or you’re only feeding them pellets or flakes, adding brine shrimp can improve their digestive system and help keep your betta regular.
But Do Bettas Like Brine Shrimp?
Obviously, this all depends on your betta. Some bettas are going to love brine shrimp, and there will also be a couple that don’t like them at all. However, for the most part, you can be pretty confident that your betta will love eating brine shrimp.
Can You Feed A Brine Shrimp Every Day?
It’s not recommended to feed your betta brine shrimp every day, but rather add them to your as an addition to your betta’s diet. If you feed your betta brine shrimp too often, then they may be losing some of the nutrition they need to thrive. That’s why it’s best to have a high-quality pellet as a staple and then supplement their diet with different types of food.
How Often Should You Feed Your Betta Brine Shrimp?
If you’re feeding your betta brine shrimp, it’s often best to supplement their diet with them about 2 or 3 times a week. This way, you can still provide them with all the nutrition they need, but you can also make sure they’re enjoying brine shrimp frequently!
How To Feed Brine Shrimp To Your Betta
How you feed brine shrimp to your betta is going to be entirely dependent on the type of brine shrimp you’re giving them! Here’s how to feed each type to your betta, as well as the pros and cons of each!
Live Brine Shrimp
Live brine shrimp are going to require the most amount of time to feed your betta, but even then, the time spent preparing them is minimal and will definitely be outweighed by how great they are for your betta.
If you plan on giving your betta brine shrimp, the first thing you’re going to need to do is acclimatize them to your betta’s tank. If you don’t do this, the sudden change in parameters can stun the brine shrimp, making it too easy for your betta to eat them.
To acclimatize them, just let the bag they’re in float for about 20 minutes at the top of the tank, so the water temperature becomes the same.
And once you’ve done this, don’t just dump them in the water all at once. Instead, spread their release over a few minutes and make sure you’re dropping them in around the tank. This way, it’s less likely they’ll all flock to one place that is hard for your betta to get to.
What Are The Pros Of Live Brine Shrimp
- They’ll fulfill your bettas urge to hunt, keeping their mind stimulated.
- They contain more nutrients compared to freeze-dried and frozen brine shrimp, because they’re fresher.
- They won’t decay in the tank unless they die.
What Are The Cons Of Live Brine Shrimp
- Live food is going to cost more than freeze-dried and frozen food.
- There’s a higher risk of disease and illness being transferred from the brine shrimp to your betta.
- And obviously, live brine shrimp aren’t going to be able to last as long as other forms of food as they’re still alive.
Frozen Brine Shrimp
If you plan on feeding your betta frozen brine shrimp, then here’s how to prepare them for your betta.
The frozen brine shrimp will come in cubes, so you just need to chip a small amount of brine shrimp off the cube. When you’re chipping the brine shrimp off, try to keep the amount you feed your betta about the same size as the pellet you’d normally feed them.
Once you’ve chipped the brine shrimp off, add them to a small glass of your betta tank water to allow them to defrost. And then, once they’ve defrosted, all you have to do is add them into the tank and watch your betta eat them!
Pros Of Frozen Brine Shrimp
- One of the best things about frozen brine shrimp is your ability to store it. Obviously, because it’s frozen, it’s going to last for a long time.
- While frozen brine shrimp aren’t going to contain as much nutrients as live brine shrimp, they still have more than freeze-dried brine shrimp.
- Because it’s frozen, the chances of your tank becoming contaminated by parasites or bacteria are lower.
Cons Of Frozen Brine Shrimp
- One problem with frozen brine shrimp is the prep time it takes to give it to your betta. If you’re in a hurry, it can be annoying trying to feed your betta frozen brine shrimp.
- Frozen food isn’t going to trigger the same hunting instinct in your betta like live food does.
Freeze-Dried Brine Shrimp
And last on the list of brine shrimp you can feed your betta is freeze-dried! If you plan on feeding your betta freeze-dried brine shrimp once again, you’ll need to soak it in aquarium water. Once it’s been soaked, you can then drop it into the tank.
If you don’t soak freeze-dried brine shrimp first and your betta eats it too fast, then it could end up expanding in their stomach, resulting in constipation or worse.
Pros Of Freeze-Dried Brine Shrimp
- They’re still fairly nutritious even when compared to live brine shrimp!
- They’re generally the easiest food to use. You can just keep a tub by your fish tank and use them as and when.
Cons Of Freeze Dried Brine Shrimp
- Because the moisture has been removed from them, they’re the most likley to cause digestive issues out of the three.
FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions that people have giving their bettas brine shrimp.
Can You Feed Your Betta Brine Shrimp Every Day?
Feeding your pet brine shrimp daily is not a good idea. Feed your betta brine shrimps only two to three times weekly. Regularly supplementing a diet of high-quality pellets or flakes with brine shrimp is recommended.
How Much Brine Shrimp Should You Feed Betta Fry?
Make sure to feed each betta fish at most five to six brine shrimp. While time-consuming, it is incredibly beneficial for betta fish. Also, rinse the brine shrimp before feeding them to the betta because they can be salty due to their saltwater habitat.
Can Bettas Eat Brine Shrimp Eggs?
Giving your betta fry brine shrimp eggs is absolutely not a smart idea. While brine shrimp are edible, the eggs are not. If your betta fry eats the shells, it could kill them by clogging their digestive tract.
Daphnia Vs. Brine Shrimp For Bettas?
Daphnia can survive in freshwater until consumed by bettas, whereas brine shrimp die within a few hours and must be removed. However, nutritionally both are great for bettas.
Brine Shrimp Or Bloodworms For Bettas?
In 99% of cases, you should feed brine shrimp to your bettas over bloodworms. Because bloodworms lack a lot of nutritional value bettas need, feeding them too much can cause digestive issues. Therefore, they should be used as a treat rather than a staple of your bettas’ diet.
Brine Shrimp Or Daphnia For Bettas?
While both brine shrimp and daphnia are amazing for bettas, daphnia tends to be slightly better as they can improve your bettas’ digestion a little bit more than brine shrimp can. However, if you only have access to brine shrimp, they’re going to be more than suitable for your betta!
Recap
As you can see, brine shrimp are an excellent source of nutrition for your betta, and you should definitely consider making them an addition to your betta’s diet! The type you use is up to you, but if you want your betta to enjoy them the most, then I’d definitely choose live brine shrimp!
I hope you enjoyed this article, and if you did, make sure to check out the rest of the website!