If you’re not sure how many mini pellets to feed your betta, then you’ve found the right article! In this article, not only will you find out how many mini pellets to feed your betta. You’ll also learn about the signs of overfeeding, and the dangers of overfeeding as well!
So keep reading to find out everything you need to know!
How Many Mini Pellets Should You Feed A Betta Per Day?
You should feed your betta between 2-4 mini pellets each day, within 1-2 sittings. Bettas take roughly 6 hours to digest their food, so this should be taken into account when timing the feedings to reduce the chances of constipation.
Try to avoid feeding your betta fish all the pellets at once because it’s too much, and they will get too hungry between feedings.
How Many Mini Pellets Should You Feed A Baby Betta?
Even though a baby betta is smaller, it’s growing, so it needs a lot of nutrients. It’s crucial that you’re feeding a baby betta enough nutrients and protein on a daily basis.
It’s often best to feed your baby bettas infusoria, or daphnia before betta pellets as they are smaller and more easily digestible. After a few weeks, when the baby is bigger, you can start feeding them 1-2 betta pellets a day, before slowly increasing until they are adults.
What Happens If You Overfeed Mini Pellets To A Betta?
It’s important to stick to a regular feeding schedule to keep your betta healthy and happy. There are many issues associated with overfeeding mini pellets to your fish.
Problems With Digestion
One of the issues with mini pellets is that poor quality brands contain fillers and additives, which can cause digestive issues when a betta fish consumes too much. Overfeeding is one of the leading causes of digestive issues in fish. While we’re on the subject, you should also make sure the mini pellets aren’t expired, as expired food can also make a betta ill.
(If you do overfeed your fish, then it may end up causing constipation and swim bladder disease.
Stomach Expansion
As we mentioned above, bettas have an instinct to eat what they see and very small stomachs. This puts them at a higher risk of stomach expansion when they overeat. One of the big reasons this is risky with mini pellets is that they get consumed in a dry state but expand from the moisture in the betta’s stomach.
(Find out about the dangers of overfeeding your betta, and what to do if you notice that your betta appears bloated.)
Weight Gain
If a betta consumes too many calories, it will gain weight which puts it at risk of several health problems. This can cause a lot of problems for the fish, especially if it doesn’t get enough exercise. Not only is the fish susceptible to health issues, but obesity can also cause pain and discomfort in its body.
(There are all kinds of horrible diseases and illnesses that your betta may end up suffering from.)
Stress & Anxiety
There are a lot of negative outcomes that come along with overfeeding, such as weight gain and waste in the tank. Believe it or not, this can also have a negative impact on the betta fish’s mental health. When fish aren’t healthy, happy, or comfortable, they can become stressed or anxious.
(Were you aware that bettas become stressed? In fact, in some cases, bettas can even become depressed.)
Signs You Are Overfeeding Your Betta
It may seem like your betta is enjoying all of the mini pellets you place in the tank, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t overfeeding it. Let’s take a look at some of the top signs that you’re overfeeding your betta fish.
Chubby Betta
One of the most obvious signs that your betta fish is overfed is if it has gained weight. If your betta is noticeably plump, then you have been feeding it too much food. The first sign of weight gain will be noticeable in your betta’s stomach.
Leftover Pellets
Another clue that’s right before your eyes of overfeeding is leftover food in the tank. Your betta isn’t saving that for a snack later on; you’ve put too much food in the tank. Make sure you remove these pellets because they could rot, which will contaminate the water in the tank.
(When the tank becomes contaminated with food, it can often cause an ammonia spike to occur, which if left untreated can end up causing ammonia poisoning in your betta.)
Cloudy Water
If you’ve been overfeeding your betta, then the water in his tank may go cloudy for a couple of reasons.
First of all, if the ammonia spikes too much it may trigger a bacterial bloom, as the beneficial bacteria in your tank begin expanding to keep up with the increased demand.
Secondly, as the tank goes through the ammonia cycle, it’s much more likely that algae blooms will grow in your tank too which can result in green cloudy water.
(Want to know how to get crystal clear aquarium water in your tank?)
Dirty Gravel
If you continue to overfeed your betta but it doesn’t eat all the food, it will eventually float to the bottom of the tank if you don’t clean it out in time. When this happens, the food will begin to rot on the gravel on the floor of the tank. This will cause you to need to clean or replace the gravel more frequently.
(Find out the best gravel for fish tanks.)
Recap
How many mini pellets should I feed to a betta? Only feed your betta fish one mini pellet at a time because the mini pellet is approximately the same size as its stomach. Your betta fish can eat mini pellets 2 to 4 times a day and will receive all the nutrients and proteins needed for its diet.
Always allow your betta fish at least 6 hours between feedings to ensure it has fully digested the previous pellet. Always avoid overfeeding your betta because too many pellets can lead to stomach expansion, weight gain, or cause the tank and water to become dirty.