If you are a new Betta Fish owner, you may be wondering how often to feed your fish. The answer to this question depends on various factors, including the type of food you are feeding your fish and the size of your tank. This blog post will provide a guide for new Betta owners on how often to feed their fish. We will also discuss some common feeding mistakes and understand how to avoid them!
What do Bettas eat and how often should they be fed?

Betta Fish are carnivores and should be fed a diet that consists mostly of meat-based foods. There are a variety of different food options available for Bettas, including freeze-dried bloodworms, frozen brine shrimp, and pellets. In general, you should feed your Betta fish at least once per day. However, you may need to feed your fish more or less often depending on the type of food you are feeding them and the size of your tank.
Freeze-dried bloodworms make a great snack for Bettas and can be fed once per day. If you are feeding your Betta frozen brine shrimp or pellets, they should be fed two or three times per day.
According to Dr. Krista Keller, a board-certified specialist in zoological medicine at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana, you should feed a betta fish the amount of food it can consume within 3 to 5 minutes, without any food being left over.
Leftovers can cause water quality issues in your tank, so it is important to be mindful of how much food you feed your betta fish.
It is important to note that you should not overfeed your Betta fish, as this can lead to health problems.
If you are unsure about how much food to give your Betta fish, start with a small amount and adjust as needed. You can always increase the portion size if you notice that your fish are still hungry after eating their meal or decrease it if they seem full before finishing all of their food!
How to tell if your Betta is hungry or not
If you are feeding your Betta fish the right amount, they will be active and swimming around in their tank. They may also appear to have an appetite for food at mealtime or even come up to the surface of the water when they see you with food pellets! If this is not happening, try adding more pellets or changing them to bloodworms.
If your Betta is not eating, it may signify that they are not feeling well. In this case, you should consult with a veterinarian to determine the cause of your fish’s illness and to get help treating it.
In general, you should feed your Betta fish two or three times per day.
What are the signs of overeating or malnutrition in Bettas
If your Betta fish is eating too much food or not enough, they may show signs of overeating and malnutrition. One sign that they are overfeeding is when their stomach becomes distended after eating a meal (this could mean he’s been gorging on pellets all day long!).
Another sign would be if the coloration changes from bright red to dark purple on their belly area due to too much food being consumed at once without any activity needed afterward (which means they’re bloated).
How to change your Betta’s diet if he becomes sick or doesn’t like his current food
If you notice that your Betta fish is not eating well or has a poor appetite, try changing the type of food he eats. You can also add more variety to his diet by offering different types of meaty foods like freeze-dried bloodworms and frozen brine shrimp (or even pellets) instead of just sticking with one kind of food.
If your Betta is still not eating, you may need to take him to a veterinarian for treatment. In some cases, Bettas will refuse to eat if they are sick and need medication or do not like the current food offered to them. In these cases, it is important to work with a vet so you can find the correct medication or food source that will help your Betta fish recover from whatever illness he has developed.
If all else fails, try changing out his tank water more often and adding new plants to give him something else besides just pellets on which he can nibble at when bored!
You may also want to consider giving your Betta fish some live food. This could include bloodworms, brine shrimp, and other worms like daphnia (which are more common in freshwater aquariums than saltwater tanks).
A guide to some common Betta fish foods and where to find them
Here is a guide to some common Bettas foods and where to find them:
- Freeze-dried bloodworms: can be found at most pet stores
- Frozen brine shrimp: can be found at most pet stores or online
- Pellets: can be found at most pet stores or online, but you may need to order them from a specialty store if you can’t find them at your local pet shop
- Live food: can be found at most pet stores or online, but it may be difficult to find live food in some areas. You can also try growing your live plants to feed your Betta fish!
If you are having trouble finding the right food for your Betta fish, ask a friend who has experience with these types of fishes. They may be able to help you find what works best!
Your fish will thank you 🙂