There is nothing making you worried than seeing your betta fish is not eating. Though in most of the cases it is not something that is really serious, but it doesn’t mean that it is not serious.

There are some reasons why your betta fish does not want to eat. As a fish parent, you have to know the causes so that you can determine the best way to treat it later.

Just keep in mind that your betta fish might eat some food when you’re not realizing. However, you still need to be aware of these causes of betta fish not eating so that you can prevent something serious happening latter on.

Your Fish Keeps being Fussy

In most cases of betta fish not eating, being fussy is the most common cause. If it happens that you have been feeding him a certain type of food for a while and then swapped, he may not like it. You can test this by feeding him different type of food. If he eats the food without any problem, then he is just trying to be fussy.

There are two ways to solve this problem: the easy and hard ways. The easy one will be feeding his favorite food and getting rid of the food he doesn’t like. However, it is not as easy as you think as it is uncommon for betta fish to like one type of food.

This way has a weakness: if you cannot get this food one day, then it will create another problem. Another way is diversifying your betta’s diet until he eats a whole range of food. Make him get used to of various food. Give him lots of new food until he stops being fussy.

Also get the idea about nutritional food to feed your betta fishes.

Food is Frozen or Freeze-dried

Frozen food is good for betta fish, however, some won’t eat it until it is completely thawed. Avoid dropping it into the tank without giving it a chance to thaw or soften. You should be aware that some frozen food may expand as it starts to absorb water again.

If your betta eats the food too fast, then it may expand and as a result it may lead to constipation or swim bladder diseases. Make sure that you get the knowledge of how to maximize your betta fish diet by giving them these 2 foods.

The solution to this problem is as simple as defrosting the food before giving it to your betta. Take a small amount of the tank water and place the food in it. Once it is defrosted completely, then you can drop it into the tank and your betta will eat it up.

New Member in the Tank

If you have a new betta, it is really common for him to refuse to eat at first. He may get stressed from the move and being in a new place. Getting into a new environment can also be stressful for humans, can’t it? So does for your betta, as he needs to adjust to the new environment and it may take some time.

To solve this problem, you can try to give your betta time to get settled. You can simply turn the lights off for a couple of days then try to feed him twice: in the morning and evening. If he still doesn’t want to eat, don’t forget to remove the food after 10 minutes.

Do you want to know if your fish is happy in its tank? Then, observe these signs your fish is happy in their new tank.

Too Much Feeding

Your betta fish is actually eating, but sometimes you don’t really realize it. A betta fish’s stomach is as small as the size of his eyes, so if you’re feeding him with too much food, he won’t eat it at all.

You may start assuming once you see the food is floating at the top of the tank and think that he is not eating the food. In fact, he is eating his food, but the food you give him is just too much.

If you want to make sure that you’re not feeding your betta too much, you can just feed him around 1 or 2 pellets of food. Using a rule of thumb, just make sure that he’s not eating more than his stomach size.

Problem with Temperature of Water

Betta fish are cold-blooded fish so their energy is based on the temperature around them. If you keep your betta in a tank and it is not warm enough, then it may lead to lethargy and slower metabolism.

When the metabolism slows down, then it is going to take a longer time for your betta to digest the food. As a result, he may not eat as much.

If you have betta fish at home and want to get some tips about it, make sure you read diseases of betta fish commonly have and how to tell if your betta fish is male or female.