Betta not eating consistently

[Crabby]

Hey!

I’m not new to fish keeping, but I’m relatively new to bettas, and as simple as they’re supposed to be, I haven’t had much success so far. My first betta passed away after getting ill with dropsy about 6 months ago, and I’ve finally worked up the guts to get a male and female with the hopes of breeding them (in seperate tanks of course). The male is doing well, but the female (while still being a healthy, wonderful, lively and interactive fish) has been giving me trouble with her eating. She barely eats anything I give her, and can clearly see the food, watching it as it falls to the bottom, and then swimming up to look at me like ‘GIVE ME SOME REAL FOOD!’

Well, I’ve given her real food! Frozen, live, tropical pellets, betta pellets, tropical flake, and soon I’ll try a pea just for the sake of being thorough. And I fasted her for a few days as well, which didn’t totally work. She ate the day her fast finished, but hasn’t properly eaten since. 
 

Anyways, I’m awfully confused, so I’m putting this out to you all to see if anyone else has an idea of what’ll work. I posted this in my introduction page and was told to ask the breeder about what food he uses, but he told me he just uses a generic pellet he buys in bulk for all his fish. He’s also about 45 minutes away from me, so I’d prefer not to drive to get food from him, without even knowing if it would work.

The only other option I’m thinking of is getting some endlers or guppies to go with her, so there’s no chance of over feeding, but they may act as a dither fish in a sense. She did however attack my single endler that I put with her initially, although I believe that was because she was the only other fish in the tank. How does this sound as an option?

Cheers!

[Colu]

What I would do is add some epsom start with 1 table spoon for 5 gallons and increase it over a couple of days to  1 table spoon for 2 gallons as it acts as a muscle relaxants just in case she constipated just that could be why she isn't eating remember to only put back in the amount of salt you take out so if you do a 2 gallon water change only put 1 table spoon back in and would.also soak her food in seachem garlic guard it will.help encourage her to eat

Edited July 17, 2021 by Colu

[Crabby]

Oh that’s extremely helpful. Thanks Colu! I’m going to order some garlic guard. Do you know if shrimp will be okay with Epsom salts at that dosage? Neocaridina. I assume my nerites will be fine, but the neo shrimp can be a bit picky when I mess with the water.

Edited July 12, 2021 by Crabby

[Colu]

I am not sure if epsom salt is shrimp safe maybe some one else can chip in you can do epsom salt bath by putting him in a bucket with 1 table spoon for 2 gallons.for no more than 15 minutes 2-3 times a day or Qarantine and treat him in a separate tank

Edited July 12, 2021 by Colu

[laritheloud]

On 7/12/2021 at 5:51 PM, Crabby said:

Oh that’s extremely helpful. Thanks Colu! I’m going to order some garlic guard. Do you know if shrimp will be okay with Epsom salts at that dosage? Neocaridina. I assume my nerites will be fine, but the neo shrimp can be a bit picky when I mess with the water.

I'd just do a bath in a bucket. I did this last night with my gourami. Epsom salts will alter water chemistry and I don't think the shrimp will appreciate that when they're sensitive. It's likely a fine line between a tolerable dose and an overdose. Better to be safe. The short duration of the stronger bath should give your fish some pretty quick relief.

[Crabby]

I got some Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) but I haven’t used them yet, as she’s been eating when I feed her once a day. Usually I would feed twice a day, but I’m trying to play it safe. Once I have her consistently eating for another week, I’ll start feeding more often and with some love and frozen foods to get her ready for a breeding attempt.

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

One time a day should be fine, at least she's eating now. Bettas are not as easy as people try and make them out to be. I find ALL my other fish are much easier. 

[Crabby]

On 7/17/2021 at 10:36 AM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

Bettas are not as easy as people try and make them out to be. I find ALL my other fish are much easier. 

Oh I totally agree. Supposedly my apistogrammas (that are F1 from a wild pair, of a species that has been scarcely bred in the hobby) should have been hard to keep… yet I’ve spawned them countless times, from only 6 months after I got into the hobby 😂

Yet bettas are meant to be the easiest fish on the planet to keep, and I have the most trouble with them.

Edited July 17, 2021 by Crabby

[Crabby]

Yay! She ate bloodworms today (I really like the type I use, it’s mixed in with garlic and spirulina) and she seemed to really like them! So relieved. Hopefully this means she’s eating for good now.