Betta Eating Cory Food...I may have posted in the wrong spot.

[PJGirl112]

I do feed my Cory Cats 3 different types of sinking pellets...Omega One Shrimp Pellets, Hikari Tropical Sinking Pellets and Hikari Tropical Algae Wafters in addition to peas and the other uneaten food from the fish.

The male betta is very healthy looking...I found that he has a likeness for snail eggs and small snails...but he constantly harasses the cories at breakfast/dinner time for a shot at these pellets.

My questions are:
1) Is it OK for the betta to eat these? I worry because they were not specifically designed to maintain a betta--just bottom feeders and cories.
2) The betta will refuse the betta pellets made just for him (I have tried 3 different types) and will go to the bottom to look for these Cory pellets.
3) The only other food I have seen him eat is frozen mosquito larvae, blood worms and brime shrimp--which I feed only every couple of days. Is this enough variety in his diet?
4) The cory will run off a pellet and the Betta will eat a whole darn pellet if there isn't 3-4 corys on hand to chase him off. Will the cories become violent with him and/or will they be bullied??? Should I be worried of a stand-off? They can't be called "fighting fish" or no reason, right?

 

[FisheyLisa]

Bettas are carnivores, so if it is eating the meat pellets it is ok. Mine is in the thick of things when I put in algae tablets. He is fine healthwise (I also feed him peas for constipation, not meat but he loves them and digests them.) but he also gets protein, make sure yours doesn't get all algae.

He gets aggressive as well, picking up the pellet and moving it around, but the others follow, and get their share. Never taking it so the others can't eat (it is 5 against 1 plus whatever frogs feel like jumping into the fish pile). I fyou are worried about aggression, you should watch closely during feeding and remove him from the tank permantly if there is a problem.

I'd feed him first, make sure he is getting what he needs. If he doesn't eat is food, maybe segregation witha divider during feeding time? Then he'll get hungry and finally want to eat. Also you want to take care he isn't fat eating 2 meals. I have put mine ina private "vacation spa" tank when I am trying to get him not to devoure all the food, to make sure he is getting his own betta food.

 

[OrionGirl]

The foods he's getting are just fine, no worries. The entire idea of 'betta' food is silly--they have similar food needs to many other omnivore tropical fish. I've had bettas for years and never fed anything 'specifically' for them. In terms of aggression--bettas are aggressive only to fish they see as other male bettas (ie, male bettas, plus any fish with long flowing fins that are similar in appearance). It won't go after the cories.

 

[thesydmonster]

My male betta investigates every tiny piece of food in the tank no matter who it is meant for -- flake food, his pellets, bloodworms, brine shrimp, algae wafers, shrimp pellets, sinking wafers, etc. The cories and loaches just kind of share it with him. He eventually stops picking at it and goes back to the top of the tank, leaving the rest of the food for everyone else. There is no aggression.

 

[alinute_m]

oh good. So it is not only my betta who does it.... He periodically investigates the bottom of the tank to see what to munch on...

 

[Betta-Gurl]

20 G
5 Black Neon Tetras
5 Neon Tetras
7 Bumblebee Gobies
Bunches of pond SNAILS!

Uhhh bumblebee Gobies are brackish.