Topic: Hello. I have recently just got a betta about 5 days again and he is sick. He keeps on throwing up after eating and I am really worried. He seems perfectly fine to look at as in he is happy when he is swimming around, but after every meal he keeps throwing up. Please can you tell me what to do?
*Awarded Answer
Posted by TonyR:
What is most likely happening is your betta fish just really isn’t that hungry or else doesn’t like the food. You never mentioned what you are feeding him but I’m going to take a guess on either flakes or pellets. You need to get some real food into your fish. Go to walmart or your local pet store and purchase some dried shrimp for turtles or else bloodworms for your betta.
These fish are more picky than what people give them credit to be. Breeders will use great foods like mosquito larvae and other great foods. Brine shrimp are also a great meal for them as well. Freeze dried shrimp is easy to have shipped to your house from amazon.com and other pet stores online. It doesn’t mean that you have to go to the pet store and buy these special raw foods like most people think you have to.
Also remember, the betta fish stomach is only the size of their eyeball and it takes these fish literally 2 weeks to starve to death. They do not eat as much as we think they do. It would take a heck of a lot of starvation to kill these fish due to not eating. Your fish might just not be hungry. And when you over feed your fish and that food gets “spit out” it sinks to the bottom of your tank and makes for bad water quality for the water and filter. Clean water parameters are huge for having a healthy fish. Only feed your betta what you can visually see him or her eat within 2 minutes.
Posted by Admin Chris:
Great answer Tony! I would say that maybe your fish isn’t as hungry as you think he is or else the types of food you are feeding him just aren’t really enthusing him. It’s a lot like your mom making you eat your vegetables.. remember that?? haha. Go to your local fish shop and ask for some brine shrimp that your betta can feed on. They will know exactly what your talking about and your fish will adore that meal. Here is a help video I threw together a couple weeks ago.
Posted by Brandon R:
I just had this same exact issue and just gave my fish some time. I think that once they get hungry enough they are going to come around. I am looking at getting some food alternatives beside pellets now though. I just have to find some time to pick them up. Is there anything besides brine shrimp that they will love? Something that is a bit easier to care for and maybe comes in a can that can stay fresh?
Reply from Admin Chris:
If you hit up your local walmart, they sell some tiny dried shrimp that is sold as a turtle food. I have found they love this dried shrimp like crazy. I guess its very similar to brine shrimp but a lot easier like you said to feed them. Comes in a sealed small plastic can and lasts a really long time. That’s what I use most of the time.