feeding my betta

Question
Hi there! I just had a question about my new betta. I am new to having fish of any kind, and love my  new fish. He is beautiful,and very cool to watch. My roommate has goldfish, and the other day she put in the tank-a piece of orange, and a cucumber. They went crazy for it! I was wondering if the bettas' like fruit of any kind as well? If it is good for them, and they like it-I for sure want to try it.
Thanks for any help you can give!
Kathy

Answer
Good evening Kathy, thank you for your question!

That's very interesting. I have heard of goldfish being fed oranges but never imagined they relished them! An excellent source of vitamin C, certainly. :)

You can certainly try feeding your betta fresh vegetables, perhaps even fruit. They are carnivorous surface feeders that relish worms (such as tubifex) and insect larvae (such as daphnia). Frozen foods such as bloodworms, krill and brine shrimp are usually their favorites, I am not so sure about fruit, though...

Kale, shelled peas, "greens" of this nature would be what I would try first. You can slice a cucumber and see if your betta would pick at it. I can't think of a fruit a betta would love, although fruit flies would be a delicacy. Of course, it isn't as much fun feeding a betta a yucky insect as it is feeding him a sliver of Red Delicious! If you aren't squeamish, read the following anecdotal account:

http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/fruitflies.htm

Also skim these two pages for innovative feeding tips:

http://www.contentmart.com/ContentMart/content.asp?LinkID=8045&CatID=188&content...
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-49442.html

The following would be my suggestion. If you have some fruit or vegetables handy that you want to share with your little buddy, dangle it over open water and see if he shows interest. Even a nibble will be nutritious, since betta's stomachs are only the size of their eye - this is also why it's recommended to only feed between 3-5 pellets a feeding. Hikari Bio-Gold is my favorite brand (were it not for the awkward packaging!) and seems to be the most palatable.

If you are feeling *really* bold, and you have a food processor, a cup each of slightly frozen shrimp and peas, along with flakes, pellets, what have you...some cucumber, spinach, an egg yolk, what have you...liquid vitamin such as VitaChem, if you have it, it's really optional...blended into a fine paste in the food processor, and mixed in with unflavored heated gelatin and water (it will take anywhere from 4-6 envelopes to make a slimy but pourable consistency) poured into dixie cups, frozen for a few hours, and sliced into convenient chunks, makes a delicious wet pet superfood! I based my recipe on the "European Shrimp Mix" recipe...

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/food_recipes.php

...Adding some extra stuff such as 1/8 teaspoon garlic. I have more homemade fish food than I ever dreamed I would now. I have shared it with fellow aquarists, and everyone's fish really seems to love it - cichlids, bettas, community fish alike. Just don't overfeed! Because of the high nutrient content, it's extra important to make sure that it is consumed entirely within a couple of minutes...

Well, I hope that answered your question, if in a roundabout way. Don't be afraid to try new foods with your betta! The key is to remove any uneaten food or better yet, make sure that the "iffy" food does not fall into the water and sink to the bottom. I must confess, goldfish are much more satisfying eaters than his higness, the Betta splendens...

Your betta will live a long and happy life with a varied diet that is in high protein and fiber. It is not impossible to exceed the common three year lifespan and have your betta live a half decade - perhaps even longer - if you follow these dietary guidelines. Good luck, and take care!

Nicole