How do I get my betta to eat a pea?

Hi Nex -

As with everything else Betta - yours may or may not eat a pea. Some will, some will eat then spit it out, others will not no matter what.

It sounds like you are doing all the right things, fasting, and continue to until he poops.

With my more difficult 'patients' I'll try using a toothpick and swish the pea around, giving it some live action. Or use a turkey baster, draw up the pea, give it live action. In the end he may go for it, he may not. Can't do anything more than that.

Disguising the pea - hey if it works great! It just reminds me of trying to trick a dog w/ pill wrapped in food and how they deftly eat the food and spit the pill out.

I have read for a long time brine shrimp and daphnia are also laxatives but again, like w/ everything else Betta some swear by it others say it has no validity.

I've never tried either.

The swim bladder is a valid concern even tho he isn't displaying the more severe signs yet, also dropsy - just something to monitor.

My Best, sounds like 'worried parent syndrome' and that you are doing all you can,

Angie

Were you able to track back what caused the constipation? There is always a reason.

Is he constipated or does he have swim bladder disorder? SBD affects a fishes' buoyancy, and often they either have trouble staying afloat or swimming around. SBD can be fatal if not cured quickly enough, however constipation isn't too severe. Betta's often suffer from both SBD and constipation because they eat a lot. I'd recommend cutting the pea up into tiny little pieces and trying to feed the betta through a straw or just holding a piece of the pea in the water and let your betta come nibble from it.

However, if that doesn't work, I'd recommend fasting your betta for a few days (don't worry, betta's can go weeks without food most of the time) and the problem will fix itself. You should be fasting your betta once a week anyways, to make sure that their insides clear out. Betta's are carnivores, so all of the protein tends to build up.

Best Constipation Cures

Your fish probably isn't constipated. Fish really don't get constipated when you feed them regular fish food. Odds are it pooped and you didn't notice, fasting it is going to kill it. Plus, a betta won't eat a pea, it is not in their nature to eat that kind of food so it won't be regarded as food no matter what you rub it in. I think you should start feeding your poor betta before it starves to death and not worry about it being constipated because i truly don't believe it is. No matter what you do it won't eat that pea so just feed it and make it happy. Let nature take its course, it will probably be fine.

Why would a betta fish eat a pea i think you should wrap his favorite food around the pea and then he will probably eat it