Training fish to eat flake food

[GregJ23]

I have a group of Betta albimarginata that refuse to eat flake food. When I first got them they would eat flake, but when preparing them for breeding I fed them livd and frozen BBS. Now they won't touch the flake. Any ideas on how to get them back on flake or other prepared foods? I've never had this issue before so any advice would be appreciated!

[mynameisnobody]

Have you tried not feeding for a week and then trying flakes? @GregJ23

[GregJ23]

That is not something I have tried! Has that worked for you in the past?

[Nuggets Beard]

If your flake food is old it may have gone bad.  Maybe try some fresh flake and see if they will eat that.  

[mynameisnobody]

I haven’t tried it because I haven’t had your problem, but seems logical that it would be easier to feed a hungry fish than one that knows food is coming if it ignores the flakes long enough. 

Edited September 7, 2023 by mynameisnobody

[MrGibson]

Did you ever get them to take prepared foods again and if so how? I’m hoping to get a pair or two of these fairly soon and I’ve read in a number of places that it’s very difficult to get them to take prepared foods at all. 

[MattyM]

My fish seem to prefer nano pellets to flake food, I think the shelf life is just shorter on flakes. I usually feed pellets/flakes in the morning b/c the fish are hungry, and then frozen at night, or bug bites. 

[GregJ23]

@MrGibson I did eventually get them back on flake food! I first got them eating freeze dried food (freeze dried brine shrimp and freeze dried daphnia) and then the transition to flake food went much easier. To help with the transition between freeze dried to flake food I would include the flake when I fed the freeze dried food, and then slowly started to reduce the amount of freeze dried during feedings. The process probably took a couple weeks to go through. 

[MrGibson]

On 1/23/2024 at 5:22 PM, GregJ23 said:

@MrGibson I did eventually get them back on flake food! I first got them eating freeze dried food (freeze dried brine shrimp and freeze dried daphnia) and then the transition to flake food went much easier. To help with the transition between freeze dried to flake food I would include the flake when I fed the freeze dried food, and then slowly started to reduce the amount of freeze dried during feedings. The process probably took a couple weeks to go through. 

Glad to hear that. I literally just won a pair on aquabid. They’re eating prepared foods right now but it’s helpful to know how you got them back on in case mine come off of it after breeding. Appreciate it!

[jo1414]

On 1/23/2024 at 5:22 PM, GregJ23 said:

@MrGibson I did eventually get them back on flake food! I first got them eating freeze dried food (freeze dried brine shrimp and freeze dried daphnia) and then the transition to flake food went much easier. To help with the transition between freeze dried to flake food I would include the flake when I fed the freeze dried food, and then slowly started to reduce the amount of freeze dried during feedings. The process probably took a couple weeks to go through. 

Do you still feed them live and frozen baby brine as a treat and if so, do you find it hard to get them to return to the flake?