# Feeding "baby" Betta's ?



## Raymond S. (Jan 11, 2013)

OK so this is twice now that I have bought a "baby Betta" from Petco(and that IS the problem most will say) but
unless you can recommend a different source...well...so now that we are past that I'll say they both lasted for 
2 days before they just vanished from the tank. During those 2 days each acted perfectly normal feeding right out
the container which they came in and then exploring their new environment like Betta's do. And then on the third
day I can't find them...anywhere...gone. They've both been about an inch long so there not truly babies but the tank 
has various Daphnia in it so I thought they would have had a lot to eat. Plus I use Wardley's Brine Shrimp which is
in small modules which if you break off a part and rub it between your fingers it "powders" onto the surface of the
water to circulate till it passes the filter outlet and then starts to mix/w the water. You can then see many little
particles suspended in the water. The Least Killifish like it and they, at adult size are smaller than the baby Betta.
I also raised my water temp to 80F for this last one.
So is there a special food that would help/w this or whatever suggestion you may have would be appreciated.
Forgot to mention that the tank(s) are ten G and at the time I put them into each tank I checked the water first
before buying them...KH 3/PH 7.2/Nitrites o/nitrates 0/ ammonia 0...so...


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Do you have a lid on the tank? They can and will jump. Usually for feeding bettas that age they still need live food but if you have daphnia they will munch it. Note they wont really mess with the seed shrimp that are sometimes found in more mature setups, not sure why.

Sounds to me like feeding really isnt an issue for you though, they are escaping somehow.


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## Raymond S. (Jan 11, 2013)

So this is why the small hole in the plastic containers they are sold in ? They used to be kept in glass round bowls and then put in bags when bought. I'll check the floor around the tank. The top has 3" on one end and 1" on the other which is not closed. Just a piece
of glass cut 4" shorter than needed intentionally for tweezer access and airline heater line.
I saw the baby looking around and finding daphnia on the first day. But I did notice that it still looked thin on the second day.
Quite the contrary, my Banded Pigmy sunfish which I put in the other tank because he was fighting/w another BPS in the tank
which I originally kept them all in...was actually more fat than I've ever saw one on his third day in the new tank. That tank has
scuds in it and it's pretty clear he found them.


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## ArtyG (Jun 29, 2011)

I have bred bettas and have no problem feeding them Tetramin flake food. After baby brine shrimp they turn right over to flake food just grind it up small for them. I can not believe you can't find adult bettas. Check out Walmart if there is no Petsmart near you. Their bettas are plenty big. I have a hard time finding any good female bettas. I would breed them again if I could find some good ones.


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## Raymond S. (Jan 11, 2013)

ArtyG said:


> I have bred bettas and have no problem feeding them Tetramin flake food. After baby brine shrimp they turn right over to flake food just grind it up small for them. I can not believe you can't find adult bettas. Check out Walmart if there is no Petsmart near you. Their bettas are plenty big. I have a hard time finding any good female bettas. I would breed them again if I could find some good ones.


The people at the store where I got them said they are accustomed to small/confined environments and they may have been
shocked badly by moving them from those one pint bowls to a ten G tank. Not by the way they were acting. Perfect Betta 
profile...search every inch of the new environment looking for food in the process. Seemed perfectly at home for two days and
then disappeared either on the third or fourth day.
But...I got 1" ones intentionally. Pass through there occasionally and looked at them each time. Picked when I saw ones which
looked not starved and alert. Their never fat but at times some just look healthier. I put this one in a tank/w Banded Pigmy sunfish.
Those are not an aggressive fish. Two adults and one juvie. Only fish in there till the young Betta was added. 
The young Betta was put in for the same reasons one would usually use a juvie instead of an adult.
Banded Pigmy sunfish, being shy secretive very small (1.25" at adult) fish tend to freak when you put in even an equal sized fish
and adult Betta's are well you get it...
I was really hoping to get some feedback from someone who has raised the Betta's possibly even from fry's as in perhaps there's something I'm leaving out etc.
I do appreciate your telling me about feeding them baby brine shrimp. I was hoping that the Daphnia in there plus the powdered brine shrimp
would cover that. Saw the last one eating the powdered brine shrimp AND the Daphnia.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

I am almost positive they are escaping. I had kept lids over even my jars when jarring the juvies, because they can and will jump out. Especially if you have flies or any other type of insect. They are insectivores and are adept at leaping for their food. They just dont realize they dont land back in the water.


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## Raymond S. (Jan 11, 2013)

majerah1 said:


> I am almost positive they are escaping. I had kept lids over even my jars when jarring the juvies, because they can and will jump out. Especially if you have flies or any other type of insect. They are insectivores and are adept at leaping for their food. They just dont realize they dont land back in the water.


You mentioned that before and I doubt it to be, but can not say it's not for cracks deliberately made into the tops of both
the tanks they were in. The first is the less likely for only 3/4" exist on one end and 1" on the other in that tank. The 3/4"
one being over the built in filter AND that filter top being covered/w Giant Duckweed. But the 1" end is open for business
so it would be possible. Actually it's more like 5/8th and 7/8th but...
The tank that had the last one, well that lid was cut farther back in time and has more of an opening. Same thing on the 1"
end but the other end has a 3" opening for tweezers etc.
Somewhere in an article about duckweed the person writing it added "and nothing hardly ever jumps out of a tank covered
with it either" and I guess you can tell they were "pro" using it in tanks..reduces ammonia etc. etc.
Well I hate the regular sized Duckweed but the Giant I found in an article does both nitrates and ammonia at the same time
determined by test. That and Water Hyacinth are the only two, others take in ammonia only first so I keep it in both tanks now.
Also/w the Giant you can easily scoop out some to discard but/w regular it's a mess as hundreds of plants are reproducing each
day instead of dozens of plants.
BTW just thought of it but there was an adult Betta in both those tanks back several months ago who didn't find it appealing
to jump out but that don't mean the others didn't. I'll quit running my mouth now and say thank you cause it surely is possible.
Oops: something just occurred to me..you said insectivores and there are RCS in the tank the first one disappeared from.
Could easily have been trying to nail a juvie.


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## Avraptorhal (Jan 24, 2013)

Raymond S. said:


> You mentioned that before and I doubt it to be, but can not say it's not for cracks deliberately made into the tops of both
> the tanks they were in. The first is the less likely for only 3/4" exist on one end and 1" on the other in that tank. The 3/4"
> one being over the built in filter AND that filter top being covered/w Giant Duckweed. But the 1" end is open for business
> so it would be possible. Actually it's more like 5/8th and 7/8th but...
> ...


Sorry about your losses!!! I sympathize I have lost several fish in he same way. Have dragged the floor in case of a jumper, didn't find anything. I wish we could figure out what happens so it might be possible to prevent it.


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## ArtyG (Jun 29, 2011)

I do appreciate your telling me about feeding them baby brine shrimp. I was hoping that the Daphnia in there plus the powdered brine shrimp
would cover that. Saw the last one eating the powdered brine shrimp AND the Daphnia.[/QUOTE]
I was talking about live baby brine shrimp. And I agree with the Petco guy, you should keep them in a gallon jug until they put some size on them . Also, mixing banded sunfish with Bettas is not a good idea especially in a 10. I would try to keep an all Asian tank. A Betta with a school of White Clouds or Cherry barbs is a much better idea. Plant some corkscrew vallisineria or some plastic val so your betta has a plant or two breaking the water surface: they need a spot to hang their bubble nest.


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