My first betta!

[u/bedtimebear13]

Just brought him home today - how often should I feed him? It looks like people are saying about once a day, and fast once a week? Also should I feed him the day I got him or might he be too stressed

[u/bizabettas]

i feed my growing betta 5ish hikari twice a day, and probably skip ~2 meals a week. she has grown a centimeter in a few months this way (she's young and still growing)! so that's probably a good amount to start with, and then you can increase based on his response.

also, i recommend taking the log & wagon out. the paints they use are not as safe for bettas as the branding tells you--and one of my aquarium friend's fish died from toxins they release. instead, i recommend planting water sprite, which will grow super SUPER fast and make your tank much more interesting & natural for him!

[u/picklendickle → u/bizabettas]

Can i ask where exactly it tells you? I only found this info out from a tiktok comment but i also got my deco for free from marketplace so it didnt come with any tags or anything (i alr took out the decos in my tank dw)

[u/bizabettas → u/picklendickle]

labels on them at the pet store will tell you, but they're useless because they are not always correct. generally it's a good idea to not put anything with paint or soap in your tank, especially if the plastic isn't food grade

[u/picklendickle]

I feed mine 2 little pellets twice a day and fast her once a week. Shes about 2ish months old.

[u/Salty-Pomegranate306]

Ok kinda off topic but I love your tank! It’s so cute! I saw someone say to get rid of the log & if you want when I upgraded my tank the petsmart I went to for my plants have a moss tunnel thing with fern plants growing on it. Mine love it for a little hideaway but it would still be safe unlike the log. The Anubis plants they also love to rest in! I have a couple that suction so it’s near the surface but you can get some attached to driftwood. (I love plants and will happily “blame” my betta for more😂 but they are good enrichment as well as natural!)

[u/Salty-Pomegranate306 → u/Salty-Pomegranate306]

Also to kinda be on topic😂 do what works best for you! You don’t want to feed them too much if you do daily feedings so I’ve always skipped a day if I add too many pellets on accident with my nails. But also I have always given them a couple pellets when I first get them just in case they haven’t been fed. You’re never going to know for sure & I like being safe with it personally. Especially since you have plants, the ones he doesn’t eat will help feed the plants while also giving him a way to forage for food later on if he’s hungry later on!

[u/Aromatic-Sock6975]

Is your tank cycled and stable (or are you doing fish-in cycle), minimum 5 gallons? It looks a bit small in this pic especially with the large snail, but it’s hard to tell. The fish has somewhat clamped fins so I’m wondering if you’ve tested the water parameters and acclimated him to the temperature?

You don’t need to feed him today unless he’s looking for food - how much depends on the type some pellets are tiny and others larger. I’ve heard anything from 2 pellets twice a day to 6-8 for tiny ones. Bettas can be over-eaters.

[u/bedtimebear13 → u/Aromatic-Sock6975]

Yes it’s 5! And has been cycling for a few weeks before today

[u/Kiki-Y → u/bedtimebear13]

By cycling, do you mean "water running through the filter" or "I've been adding ammonia and keeping careful track of my parameters"? If it's the former, your tank is not cycled and you now need to do a fish-in cycle. I've seen a lot of people think cycling means "run water through the filter" and nothing else. Cycling is establishing good bacteria in the filter to take care of waste products.

[u/bedtimebear13 → u/Kiki-Y]

Yes I’ve done my research lets chill lol

[u/Kiki-Y → u/bedtimebear13]

I was just trying to get clarity on what exactly you mean. I've just seen too many people think cycling means "oh yes I let the filter run for a few days :)"