Are you running short of food for your betta fish but, have some of your gold fish’s sources of sustenance lying around? Well, when the case is such, a question that is likely to hit your mind is whether or not you can feed the betta fish whatever the goldfish eats?
However, before answer this query straightaway, let us break down the diet of these individual fishes so that you have a clearer insight into the picture.
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What goldfish eat?
As far as feeding your goldfish is concerned, the only thing that you will have to make sure is that the nutrients are being supplied in the right portions.
For the uninitiated, goldfishes are greedy and opportunistic eaters who won’t stop gobbling until the food is removed from their sight altogether. This, in turn, inevitably leads to overeating and opens doors to innumerable digestive problems in them.
Besides store-bought foods like pellets and flakes, on one hand, goldfishes can be furnished with bloodworms, brine shrimp, ghost shrimp, daphnia, mealworms and crickets under the live, frozen or freeze-dried category.
On the other hand, leafy vegetables, shelled peas, zucchini, cooked rice, broccoli, carrots, grapes, and cucumber can be offered from the diced and boiled grouping of foods.
What betta fish eat?
Because betta fishes are essentially carnivorous, it will not be very difficult on your part to guess that when compared with the other variety of fishes, they need higher doses of protein.
Like in wild, in the aquarium too, the diet of your betta fish can be delineated from a wide range of options. Also, let us point out that to deliver the optimal quantities of protein, you do not have to necessarily resort to only those foods that are available to them in the uninhabited marshes.
Therefore, to supplement the fish’s diet, you can procure frozen or dried food from your nearest pet store or simply prepare it at home.
Additionally, you must not forget that bettas are picky eaters and prefer versatility in their meals. Thus, to satisfy their appetite, mixing up the ingredients from time to time will be a wise recourse.
The best choices of food for your betta fish would include white worms, blood worms, glass worms, mosquito larvae, daphnia, brine shrimp, fairy shrimp, Moina, copepods, and fruit flies.
For this species of fish, all three versions of frozen, freeze-dried and fresh foods are fitting, and their best part lies in the fact that they are readily available.
Some bettas, because of their aggressive nature are drawn towards preying on their companions in the tank which is why you should be very careful while choosing companions for this fish.
Coming to commercially produced foods like flakes and pellets, aquarists are of the opinion that because these components are packed with indigestible fillers and have low moisture content, they can cause gastric abnormalities in the fish.
If you at all feed your betta fish these two foods, make certain that they are of the highest quality and are designed to enhance its coloration and digestion.
Can betta fish eat goldfish food?
The answer would be Yes
nevertheless, there is a string of “ifs” and “buts” ruling this assertion.
More than anything else, if you are giving goldfish food to your betta fish, bear in mind that a) the portion is limited, and b) it is only a short-term option. Capitalize on this possible only when you have no other alternative for nourishing the betta fish.
Next, the characteristics of goldfish food and betta food differ strongly from one another; for the former, grains and vegetables are their staple thereby, indicating that their diet inclines more towards the fibrous edge of the spectrum and not protein.
Whereas, for betta fishes, protein can be qualified as indispensable for staying healthy. Before buying food that will be a common source for both your goldfish and betta fish, check the list of ingredients. There should be at least one form of meat, that is, fish, shrimp, worm or the like to be suitable for the latter kind.
The verity is that the digestive tracks of betta fish are extremely short and meant to accept a high protein diet.
Thereby, if this natural order is defied, it can make way for irrevocable health complications such as constipation, bloating, swim bladder disease or even death in that matter.
What bettas and goldfish eat in the wild?
Goldfishes in the wild have diverse diets comprising of aquatic insects, small crustaceans, algae, and small plants.
The fact that the carps usually dwell in slow-moving freshwater rivers and lakes throughout Asia elucidates that the plants which are loosely fixed to the river bed or float on the surface of the water are their chief attractions.
As omnivores, to feed on animal proteins, they are spared from the hassle of thoroughly scanning their area; everything that passes by them is seemingly appropriate.
Keeping aside these supplies of proteins and fiber, the other nutrients are derived from random foods like juvenile animals, eggs and small animals in the water.
Betta fishes are carnivores and this fairly explains why they eat anything that crosses their way in the wild including other fishes of its size.
In the wild, betta fish gorge on other meaty creatures that are smaller than them as brine shrimp, bloodworms, daphnia, mosquito larvae, and such others.
Very rarely will a betta fish switch to vegetables in the wild; they only change their preferences when their appetite compels them to in the absence of other options.
Nonetheless, there are exceptions too; there are a few types of this fish that enjoy herbivorous meals to the T and there is hardly any room for compromise in that.
Furthermore, you should also be acquainted with the truth that the betta males belligerently safeguard their offsprings after the first few weeks of their birth but, with time, they can greedily demolish those children as well
Can bettas eat human food?
The most straightforward answer would be yes but, only occasionally.
- Vegetables
Vegetables like peas, cucumber, lettuce and spinach when boiled diligently to break the cellulose barriers can be apt for the fish and a good way of introducing it to human food. But, bitter vegetables like broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, shallots, onions, and leaks should be completely steered away from.
- Meat
Even though betta fishes are legit meat lovers, their partiality tends to tilt towards animals that thrive in water bodies and rightfully so. Cows, chickens, and pigs are farm-grown animals and can contain harmful additives that are potentially harmful to the little ones. Although, sometimes giving them boiled shreds of chicken as treats wouldn’t be completely wrong.
- Fruits
Some bettas love sweet fruits such as mangoes, watermelons, and banana but, the catch is you wouldn’t magically know if the one you have in the tank is fond of them or not.
So, what you can do is drop a small bit of the fruit and take its reaction into account. If it seems to like it, you can add the fruits to the fish’s diet but, not more than once every three or four weeks.
Citrus fruits should be evaded under all circumstances, as they can meddle with the betta’s digestive system which is not capable of tolerating hard acids.
Can you house bettas and goldfish in the same tank?
No, bettas and goldfishes shouldn’t be housed in the same tank.
- Firstly, betta fishes are principal of tropical origin and like living in warmer waters as opposed to goldfishes that are more comfortable in cooler temperatures.
- Secondly, their diets are poles apart; betta fishes are carnivores and despise vegetables but, goldfishes are omnivores and require both animal and plant protein and fiber. Neither of their foods is recommended for one another.
- Thirdly, goldfishes generate a lot of waste in the water hence, increasing the ammonia levels and toxicity. This infers that you will have to frequently clean the tank which can be a little distressing for the betta fish.
- Betta fishes have a strong aversion towards fin rippers and goldfishes are exactly that. This habit when coupled with the short-temper of the betta and give rise to a ruckus inside those closed dimensions of the tank.
Do betta fish eat flakes?
As long as you are feeding tropical food flakes to your betta fish, it works just fine.
But, the thing is, like we have outlined in the preceding segments, they are scavengers and need to have a generous fraction of protein in their diets. Tropical fish flakes are fundamentally plant-based and do not have the required measure of proteins and nutrients otherwise contributed by meat.
Feed these flakes in moderation so that it doesn’t encourage swimbladder disease or bloating if that is all you have to rely upon. Moreover, flakes quickly sink fast and can pose a lot of trouble when you are trying to remove the uneaten pieces.
Good information very helpful thanks 😊 😊
You’re welcome