Betta feeding and diseases

Question
QUESTION: Do Beta fish prefer bloodworms or pellets? Is it a bad thing to feed them Betta pellets? How long should I wait to remove the uneaten pellets so they will not cause my Betta to have a disease? What kinds of diseases do they cause? Are they serious? What should I look for to see if my Betta has a disease?

ANSWER: Betta's prefer bloodworms and will probably eat them over pellets, however too much bloodworms aren't good for them, so they should be given only as a treat. Pellets are better to feed your fish with daily. But not too many, a Betta's stomach is only as big as his eye. 1-2 Pellets a day should be fine. There really shouldn't be a problem having to remove uneaten pellets. If your fish isn't eating thats usually a sign of sickness.

Unused pellets wont cause your Betta to have a disease, however not changing the water once a week can lead to the build up of unhealthy bacteria which can cause fin rot, gill disease, and other fungus related problems.

Anything that makes your Betta sick is serious. Fish don't have immune systems like we do, and they can't fight diseases off.

Its very important to monitor your Betta's health. If he's being lethargic, not eating, he has clouds around his body, open sores, bloated stomach, fins falling off, bright read gills or any types of tumors your Betta needs medicine right away.

Buying some aquarium salt and adding the proper dose every time you change the water should keep bacteria and fungus from growing. You can prevent a lot of diseases just by making sure you keep the tank clean. But if your fish does become sick, your local pet store has lots of medications available for you.

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QUESTION: Are there different types of pellets to feed my Betta? My betta keeps trying and trying to eat the pellets I give it, but the pellets don't fit in its mouth.

Answer
Most pellets are the same size, but there are some Tetra/Betta floating pellets I'm sure you can get at your pet store. He might just be picky, some Betta's take a while to get used to new food. If anything, once they soak up the water and become softer he will eat them. If you just got him and he doesn't eat for a couple days, its not unusual.