Betta Fish wont eat.

Question

Peso   QUESTION: On March 4th, a friend gave me a betta fish that she bought from the $1 Store, so I named him "Peso".  It's now March 20th, and HE STILL HAS NOT EATEN any pellets or freezed-dried blood worms!  After I had him for 4 days, I transferred him into a fish bowl with live plants.  Is this betta a vegetarian?  If he is, it'll be a coincidence, because the friend who gave him to me is a vegetarian!  This is my 4th betta fish, and the only one that does not eat the pellets or blood worms.  How is he surviving?  He seems really healthy--colorwise, nice looking fins, and swims around and up and down the bowl a lot, to this day!  He swims near the food, backs away, then swims off.

ANSWER: Hello Linda,
Peso is a beauty!  There seems to be nothing wrong with him, however, a Betta that does not eat is not a good sign.  It could be something internal, cool water, not enough space to swim, we can only guess as he doesn't have anything on his body that would indicate he is sick.  A Betta is a tropical fish, and needs 80 degree temperature.  If you do bring up his temperature do this slowly, very very slowly...one degree every second day until you reach the desired temperature.  Bettas are miserable in cool waters, and this may be a reason why he is not eating.  It could also be the size of his living space.  A Betta should have at least 5 gallons of water, and it should be changed once a week with a good conditioner such as Stress Coat, and AquaPlus.  One diluted teaspoon of aquarium salt should be added to his water.  One teaspoon to five gallons of water.
He should have a varied diet, this is very important.  Betta Pellets one day, the next Betta Flakes, the next Daphnia, the next bloodworms.  He should fast one day a week, and on that day he should have a frozen cooked pea.  Remove the outer layer, and cut it into tiny pieces, and feed this to your betta one piece at a time making sure that it does not fall to the bottom of the tank.  Feed your Betta when he starts eating 2-3 small meals a day.  Example:  2 pellets for one meal.  We must always remember that a Betta's tummy is the size of his eye.
Seeing as your betta is not eating, check your water chemistry.  If there is ammonia, or nitrates in your water, do a complete water change, this would help him very much.  He will not survive in water that has ammonia or a high level of nitrates.  I do not know the size of your bowl, but if it is a one or two gallon bowl, you will have to change his water twice a week.  A betta needs a clean tank, or he will get sick and die.  Plants take up lots of room in a bowl, room that the Betta needs to swim.  
The Betta is one of the most mistreated fish on the market.  Vendors who keep these poor fish in tiny containers, and sell them to customers telling them that a betta will survive in tiny bowls, and bloodworms, are lieing, and know nothing about the betta.  They are there to sell, and make a buck.  Betta's may live in shallow waters, but they have lots of room to swim.  It just turns my stomach over to see how these Bettas are treated, and there is nothing anyone can do about it.  There are no laws to protect fish!  The buyer gets attached to this intelligent little fish, and then he gets sick, money is spent to cure him, and eventually he dies, making the customer very sad.  He cannot survive in a one gallon bowl, vase, container...he needs a bigger place to be healthy, and happy.
A Betta can live up to 8 years if well treated, and kept in conditions that are good for him.  Of course we do not know their age when we buy them which is why some of them die after 2-3 years.
I would suggest that you change all his water, heat his tank (slowly) to 80 degrees.  Remove the plants so that he has space to swim.  Maybe leave him a little plant so he can rest on it.  Buy him good quality pellets (Hikari) and frozen bloodworms to get him to eat.  Poor thing!  I am quite confident that with a water change, it will help him very much.
Bettas are not vegetarian, although they will eat the pea once a week.  They need their food to stay healthy.
I hope this will help, and if you have anymore questions, please get in touch with me.  I breed them, love them, and know what is best for them.
Lynda


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------


Peso   QUESTION: Dear Lynda:  Thank you, so much, for replying so quickly to my desparate situation!  I really appreciate it.  I am not real sure, but I think Peso finally ate a little piece of pellet on Sunday--I didn't see him eat it though.  He might have accidentally knocked it, and the pellet floated down to the bottom of the bowl.  Well, he's still alive and swimming in his 1-gallon "home".  Thank you, again, for all your GREAT advice.

ANSWER: Hi Linda,
He's a beautiful Betta.  Make sure your plant has no dead leaves.  Remove them if you see they are getting sick.  Dead leaves can poison a tank.  
Thank you for the compliment, and I hope you will see him eat soon.
Lynda

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Lynda:  This is to let you know that Peso is FINALLY EATING!  This weekend, I broke up a pellet, and it seemed like he might have eaten some of it.  Yesterday, I went to Petco, and found this food by TetraMin Tropical Granules for small community fish or betta.  It is basically like the broken-up pellet, and not a flake.  He started to eat it as soon as I put some in his bowl, and this morning he seemed like he was looking forward to be fed!  You can see this (new?) food by Googling it.  I want to let you know how very comforting it is to have an expert, like you, to relay my dilemma with.  Thank you, again, for your most valuable advice.  I feel I can enjoy Peso now.

Answer
Hi!
Thank you for keeping me posted on Peso.   He is such a beautiful Betta.  I'm happy he is finally eating.  Food made especially for Bettas is the best you can buy, along with Daphnia, and bloodworms.  They will not eat anything else, even though they are gluttons ...lol  This is most likely the food they were feeding him at the Pet Store.  Poor Peso, he went a long time without eating!!  I'm so happy for him, and you, as I know how worried you must have been.
Lynda