A common concern for betta fish owners is how long can betta fish go without food. betta are known to be picky eaters some days, going a day or two without eating, but then gulping down every scrap you give them later. With their eating habits, it can be hard to be sure to how often to feed them.
Well, if you’re looking for numbers, here’s how long betta fish can go without food:
Betta Fish Can Go Fourteen Days Without Food
A betta fish’s stomach is the size of their eye. They don’t need that much food, so they can go for long stretches of time without eating.
But it’s important to know that this is a technicality. While your betta fish might last this long without food, in reality, this is how long a betta can really go without food:
A Betta Fish Will Begin to Starve After Four or Five Days Without Food
While betta fish can survive without food for fourteen, they will begin to not thrive after a certain number of days without eating. How long a Bette fish can go without food is about four to five days before it starts to starve.
To keep them healthy, regardless of how long a betta fish can technically go without food, make sure that they’re eating at least every three days.
Best Diet for Betta Is One High in Protein
How long a betta fish can go without food depends a lot on what you’re feeding them.
If your betta fish isn’t eating, it may be because of what you’re feeding them.
betta fish are primarily carnivores, feasting on insects in the wild. You want to get them food that’s high in protein then and doesn’t have too many fillers like corn or wheat.
The best way to mimic this diet is to purchase high-quality pellets or flakes. Frozen, freeze-dried, or live food can also be in the meal rotation for a balanced diet
Pellets are a favorite among betta fish owners. They’re easy to feed to Betta fish and aren’t messy.
Don’t Follow the Feeding Instructions on Back of the Fish Food Bottle
You shouldn’t follow the instructions on the back of the fish food bottle. The instructions can often be misleading, causing you to overfeed your fish and create waste.
The ideal eating schedule for a betta fish will have them eating about twice a day, six days a week.
If you’re feeding your betta fish pellets, it should be about two to four pellets per day, with one or two pellets given at each feeding.
It’s Okay Not to Give Your Betta Fish Food for a Day or Two
Giving your betta fish a day without food can actually be healthy for them.
Even though it may seem counterintuitive with how long a betta fish can go without food, going without food for a day gives the fish’s digestive system time to digest the food from the past couple of days.
So yes, you can go on that weekend trip and not have someone come feed your fish while you’re away. Just be sure to feed them right away when you get back.
With Feeding Betta Fish, Less Is More
Betta fish have a tendency to overeat. If you give them food they will eat it all, whether they are full or not. How long your betta fish has gone without eating
Overeating can cause a lot of health problems for betta fish, from weight gain (betta fish can get fat) to problems with their swim bladder.
With that in mind, it’s safer to underfeed rather than overfeed them. Give them only a little bit of food at a time, and they should be right as rain.
What Treats Do You like to Give Your Betta Fish?
Got a special treat you like to give your Betta fish? Let us know what it is in the comments section below!
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