The Best Betta Foods for Color-Boosting and Overall Health

Bettas are wonderful to keep although they are a little self-centered type of species. For a fact, a lot of novices in betta keeping encounter a hard time feeding them since their piggish appetite could be baffling. This is the reason why you’ve got to learn more about the best betta food to buy in order to ensure optimal health for them.

Bettas do not hesitate whenever they see some food; they would even grab the food from other tank mates. While it appears that they like to eat anything, this isn’t the real case. So, how frequently should you feed bettas? What about the amount of food you need to provide them? Would they eat the foods till they become satisfied or are there appropriate feeding guidelines to consider?

Fundamentally, a betta’s well-balanced diet must contain meaty and protein-packed type of foods. And, live or frozen bloodworms, pellets, brine shrimp, or daphnia are regarded as the most excellent food options for them.

Nonetheless, one of the essential parts of proper care for them is ensuring that you are feeding them the right food. Let us take a closer review of the most outstanding foods available for betta fish. Learn from the step-by-step guides discussed in this post and examine each product tackled so to narrow down your choices easily.

Top-Rated Betta Food Reviews of 2023

1. Tetra 77019 Betta Mini Pellets

If you are looking for food for bettas that could help you keep your pet fish in top form, then this product won’t fail you in that aspect. It is manufactured with nutrient-filled floating pellets that are recommended for top-feeding bettas. This is popular for being a delectable daily diet and is formulated with carotenoids to help fish enhance their natural color more vibrantly.

Its patented PROCARE formulation makes this fish food a very prominent option too. This is intended to support the immune system of the fish to allow maximum wellness and promote long life. Meanwhile, the protein and Omega 3 fatty acids content are meant to boost more energy and support faster betta growth.

Please take in mind that it is important to feed your finned friend two up to three times per day only. The amount of food should be merely as much as your betta could consume within a couple of minutes.

Two weak points of this food for bettas are the rough edges of the pellets which could be disturbing or slightly harmful particularly for very young and small bettas and this does not contain all the essential nutrients that bettas need.

2. Aqueon Pro Betta Pellet

This food for bettas is considered one of the top-drawer products because it was specially designed by outstanding fish nutritionists. It contains plant nutrients and superior level of protein so it could help fish maintain the best health condition. The floating pellets are ideal since these encourage the natural surface feeding behavior of small fish like bettas.

Additionally, this comes with uniquely nutritious contents that aim to bolster fish’s immune system. Its probiotic contents also make this fish food a better option that supports healthy digestion. The pellets come in good sizes and the price is reasonable. The formula supports less waste which implies that it won’t cloud the tank water excessively.

While this fish food is formulated with Wellplex contents, this is just a luring term that is similar to vitamin C, certain blend of algae, and vitamin E; which means it is not as special as advertised. And, it appears to contain more contents of wheat and soy.

3. Hikari Betta Bio-Gold Baby Pellets

These best betta food pellets are rich in natural color enhancers so you will be delighted to see your fish remain vibrantly colorful. It is dependable in minimizing color fading and it helps support good health and long lifespan for fish. These are loaded with protein contents so they are good at satisfying the nutritional requirements of your bettas.

What sets these pellets apart from other available options is their ability to lessen the signs of aging. Indeed, this is made possible by their grape seed extract content. The contents of this fish food are almost identical with that of a wild diet. Since it is packed with vital vitamins and proteins, the overall wellness and longevity of the bettas are prioritized.

On the other hand, a couple of minor concerns that you should take into account when buying this product are it’s being slightly expensive for the amount and size. And, the packaging is not excellent enough as it exposes the food to air so freshness is badly affected.

4. Tetra Blood Worms Freeze Dried Treat

If you are currently shopping for organic betta fish food, then you should not miss this fish food option for it is designed for both saltwater and freshwater fish. The freeze-dried bloodworms are specially processed so to greatly reduce any unwanted organisms that are normally found in live bloodworms.

These contain the necessary nutrients for bettas making them a top-rated fish tank diet supplement. If you hope to see your bettas becoming livelier and more energetic again, then this could be your top-tier pick.

When used as directed, you can ensure good nutrition for your bettas. They could also obtain better resistance to diseases and live a longer, healthier and happier life. Bear in mind that a consistent nutritionally-balanced diet helps support radiant scales, healthy skin, strong body systems, organs, and fins and this also encourages maximum bone growth.

Howbeit, a few of the negative aspects that can be observed once you feed your bettas with these freeze-dried bloodworms are the tendency for ich outbreak inside the tank, and initially, bettas do not feel like eating them.

5. API Betta Fish Food

This food is known for being a complete and well-balanced type of diet that would help bettas enhance their natural color. It is designed with high levels of protein to allow optimal digestion and excellent fish growth. The more nutrients your betta obtains, the less ammonia and waste are released; hence your tank water will remain clear and clean all the time.

It is advised to feed your betta twice per day and give them the amount of food that they can finish within a couple of minutes. This food is manufactured for a variety of renowned fish like tetra betta, goldfish, angelfish and cichlid. It is fortified with premium quality ingredients that your pet fish would absolutely love.

For all that, this food for bettas comes with more plant-based ingredients. As you might already know, bettas prefer foods that are rich in protein. Also, some fish do not eat these foods immediately; they need to get used to it first.

6. Tetra BettaMin Fish Flakes

This Tetra betta food is designed as 3-in-1 which means it is a great fish food choice that won’t compromise the health of your aquatic friend. It is already complete with the needed nutrition and it can guarantee advanced nutrition that would leave meticulous betta keepers worry-free.

By the same token, this comes with color-enhancing contents that are meant to help remarkably improve the naturally brilliant color of your tropical fish like bettas. It is designed with canister top that enables users to dial in the food they like. This dispenser is smooth sailing to use so feeding becomes more convenient to handle every time.

Please take note that it is crucial to ensure that you do not overfeed your pet fish or else they will end up lethargic and die eventually. This fish food will have been better if it comes with good packaging. These are the flaws that can be observed if you feed your bettas with these flakes.

7. New Life Spectrum Betta Fish Food

Searching for top-quality betta fish food can be a little challenging. But, to narrow down your options, make sure to research reputable fish food brands and from there you can definitely figure out which one would top-tier match the nutritional requirements of your bettas.

This product contains ginger contents so it helps bolster the immune system and harmful combat parasites. There is also bentonite clay content that acts as a very powerful binder that guarantees superb source of minerals. Unlike other similar products, this does not contain more starch.

The ingredients are impressive and this fish food smells like you would expect. It is good to note that this does not bring about any indigestion or bloating issues as many other betta pellets do. For the size, you obtain a lot in the container as well.

Be that as it may, the size of these pellets is a little larger, so it is a bit hard for bettas to consume them and they only float for a very short while and then sinks right away. These are the downsides that you would notice if you fed these betta foods for your pet fish.

8. Northfin Betta Bits

A betta diet that is formulated with proper nutrition is the key to promote fish health and longevity. This fish food contains gradually sinking pellets that are specifically sized for small tropical fish such as bettas. As compared to other available fish food options sold on the market nowadays, these are easy to digest, so your pet fish won’t suffer from indigestion, bloatedness and other issues related to the digestive system. And, since these are digestible, your fish can easily absorb the nutrients.

These pellets are better of finicky eaters that would not even consider consuming something that is too big. These pellets are free of any artificial colors, pigments and fillers so your bettas are in good hands.

Withal, this fish food is slightly hard to buy from local fish or pet stores and the resealable bag looks like not practical to use. See to it to go into these minor gripes before you make the final purchasing decision for this betta food.

9. Zoo Med Laboratories Dial-A-Treat Food

Sure thing, live betta food is packed with essential nutrients. If you wish to provide your most cherished finned buddy with a special treat, then make sure to consider a mix of diets. This fish food is something that your pet fish would love because it comes with palatable treats that are too good to resist.

If you opt for a great fish food that could ensure great variety for your aquatic friend, then this product would be your perfect pick. It contains bloodworms, daphnia and Mysis- all of which are deemed as bettas’ favorite treats.

Notwithstanding, the container of this fish food is not convenient as it could create a mess. Apart from that, the spoon provided comes with adequate size but it is not capable enough to hold the fish food well.

10. San Francisco Bay Brand Betta Food

Freeze-dried bloodworms are also known as red mosquito larvae and these are delectable treats that you buy for your bettas. You can give these treats to your aquatic friends once in a while but of course you’ll need to provide them with varieties of food aside from these.

Just like with other types of fish treats, this one does not appeal to bettas at first. In addition to this, the pieces of pellets are a little large for bettas to capture in their mouth; thus, you must first break them into smaller pieces.

11. Hartz Wardley Fish Food

If you opt for a good food for betta fish that is scientifically designed to feed a variety of tiny tropical fish like bettas, then you don’t need to do further research. The size of this fish food is 1.2 ounces which are sufficient enough for your fish’s diet; it is manufactured with easy store jar and contains small floating pellets.

Many betta keepers prefer this product because it is packed with a stabilized form of vitamin C that helps bolster the healthy fish immune system. This is certified safe and natural product because it lacks artificial dyes or colors. And, since it is all-natural, you don’t need to worry about affecting the quality of your tank water.

Regardless, the pellet size appears to be slightly large for some bettas and once the pellets break into mush, they tend to transform the tank water duskier. These are a few of the minor concerns that you must check out if you’re planning to buy this fish food.

What to Look for When Buying Betta Food

There are some valuable considerations to contemplate on before shopping for betta fish foods and these include:

• Since bettas especially need a healthy and well-balanced diet of plant-based and meaty foods, it is crucial to be meticulous of the ingredients of the fish food you are going to buy.

Keep in mind that a standard betta food container must contain all the required nutrients. All the same, the question is how do you know this? You can learn more about the contents of the fish food by inspecting the actual content inside.

It is substantial to know that the ingredients would largely rely on the kind of food you utilize. In like manner, this would also vary by brand precisely because manufacturers would utilize many different things. Take note that this is very essential since it would directly influence the nutritional value of the fish food.

Basically, the ingredients indicated at the top of the list, reveal the weight of the ingredients used. Thus, it matters to pick a betta fish food that contains superior levels of protein – this is specifically essential if you’re breeding them. This would typically be any kind of fish food product.

For instance, flakes are usually made out of worms, brine shrimp and other similar ingredients. In general, this is what the fish would consume in the wild. Regardless, it is necessary to search out for any other artificial enhancements that have been added. As much as possible, refrain from options that are formulated with excessive amounts of preservatives or chemicals.

Additionally, even though the primary ingredients should be high in protein, any good diet must be packed with vital nutrients. This must come with balanced portions of nutrients such as fiber and fats. Purchasing something that comes with a superior amount of one ingredient is not a wonderful idea.

Aside from all these, also be mindful of the filler ingredients like rice meal and wheat flour. Be reminded that if you are more concerned about the ingredients, consider formulating your own betta fish food.

• Is the current price tag of the betta fish food reasonable enough?
• Is it made by a highly trusted brand?
• Check the size of the container if it is adequate enough for your betta fish to consume in a specific period of time.

Other Important Factors to Consider

What are betta foods?

This type of food is precisely formulated to provide the nutritional requirements of betta fish. Bettas are known to be tough and vigorous, and especially require a kind of diet that is meaty and rich in protein. So, this is how this fish food is designed and made.

Brine shrimp, live or frozen bloodworms, pellets are daphnia are just some of examples of this type of fish food.

What kind of food do betta fish eat?

There are many different types of fish foods that you can provide your betta and these include:

• Brine Shrimp

This is quite small and is commonly packed with vital nutrients that your betta fish needs. There are some individuals who grow these shrimps so they can feed their pet fish, and there are also those who simply them from local fish or pet stores.

Essentially, younger betta fish must be fed with juvenile brine shrimp while the older betta fish could instantly handle the size of an adult shrimp.

• Flakes or Pellets

These are known to be the most convenient and cost-effective fish food as compared to live foods. These are ideal since they could also provide the necessary nutrients for your betta.

• Microworms

There are individuals who grow or culture their own microworms so they can feed their pet fish. These are very small worms that could be all set for feeding in a period of three by up to four days of being cultured.

In line with this, these are suitable for younger fry betta mainly because of their tiny size. Even so, adult betta fish could also consume them.

• Blood Worms

Betta fish consume bloodworms; still and all, these could not be utilized as the only main food source. The name is derived from the popular red color and the fact that they contain generous amount of iron. These are great foods because they are so high in protein content.

Notwithstanding, bloodworms do not contain more amino acids and other vital nutrients that betta fish need as components of a well-balanced diet. Due to this, they must solely be provided as a special treat once in a while to complement other fish foods.

• Mosquito Larvae

This is known for having the capability to create a large portion of a betta fish’s diet. Such fish food floats on the top of the water and is adept at providing huge amounts of minerals and vitamins that are deemed important for fish health.

Howbeit, it would be a little challenging to find a place where to purchase this type of fish food. So, some devoted betta owners opt to search out into the wild and collect their own larvae. But, of course, if you are not expert enough to do so, this is not advised.

• Earthworms

These are regarded as a very sumptuous treat for your finned friends. They are easy to find. You can start digging in your own backyard or garden and you can easily find fresh and nutrient-packed fish food for your pet fish.

Do not forget to cut them into small pieces prior to feeding them to your aquatic buddy so they won’t have a hard time taking pleasure in them.

Why do you need betta fish foods? (Benefits)

You need betta fish because if you are currently keeping bettas, you will realize that they could be finicky and like consuming foods on the surface of the water rather than on the substrate of the aquarium. It is important to provide them with foods that are especially formulated for them so that they can obtain the required nutrients they need to stay in the best possible health condition.

Foods designed for bettas contain high levels of proteins which bettas would love since these are carnivore creatures. While plant-based foods are good for bettas, they cannot survive alone with those fish foods.

There are plenty of benefits if you feed your bettas with betta foods like pellets, flakes, brine shrimp, bloodworms and the like. And, some of these perks include the fact that feeding becomes a lot easier and less time-consuming. They are also designed to help promote fish health, boost the immune system of the fish, help bettas combat various infections and diseases and extend their lifespan too.

Over and above, pellets do not create more mess and it is effortless to portion them out during feeding periods. Meanwhile, frozen, freeze-dried or live foods are also ideal to be used as treats or when added to your bettas feeding routine on a daily basis.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most trusted betta food brands?

For you to ensure feeding the right fish food for your bettas, the first thing that you must carefully look into is the brand or manufacturer of the product you decide to invest in. Sure thing, you won’t get disappointed if you buy fish food from highly trusted brands that have been in the field for many years.

Before spending lavishly, it is wise to check if the brand of your choice is considered one of the top-notch options chosen by expert aquarists or betta keepers. In so doing, you can be guaranteed that you’ll end up with the best possible decision and that your bettas are well-taken care of.

Here are the betta food brands that you can consider when you purchase one for your pet fish:

• New Life Spectrum
• Aqueon
• Omega One
• Hikari
• Northfin

Do bettas prefer flakes or pellets?

Bettas prefer consuming pellets. This type of fish foods can be utilized as a staple food for betta fish. They are particularly manufactured for this type of fish species. Pellets tend to sink after some time; this is the reason why it is important to provide just adequate food to ensure that no additional food pollutes the tank.

Meanwhile, bettas do not often opt for flakes. This type of food is primarily formulated for bettas. You may consider feeding your betta fish with some flakes to see if they prefer to consume them or not. Flakes are commonly supplemented with other types of betta fish food in order to guarantee a well-balanced diet for your fish.

How many pellets should I feed my betta?

Keep in mind a betta’s stomach is approximately the size of its eyeball. Due to this, it is not recommended to feed this type of fish species with a kind of meal that is larger than that right away. It is advised to give your betta roughly 3 brine shrimp or pellets per feeding. On the other hand, it you feed gel food, this must be approximately the same amount too.

Your betta fish must be fed this amount once or two times a day. If you are feeding your fish with pellets and other types of dried foods, it is necessary to soak them first prior to feeding them. As you might already, know, these dry foods tend to expand in the stomach of a betta fish.

If the betta is not eating it all, consider reducing them. And, if your betta is not consuming all of its food, minimize the portion you are giving them. If you commonly feed 4 pellets per fish, consider minimizing to 3 for the meantime. And, when you observe that the fish is consuming the food quite instantly, then you could increase back to 4.

Why is my betta throwing up his food?

If you observe that your betta fish is throwing up his food, then in most instances, this is actually nothing to worry about. There are a lot of possible different reasons for this occurrence; it could be because the food is too big for the betta to consume right away, he needs to crumble the food into smaller pieces or because he is finicky or playful.

Nonetheless, it could be an indication of something worse too. Thus, it is necessary to be attentive to your betta to ensure that it is not a serious concern such as a parasite, indigestion or constipation. If that is the case, then you may consider moving your betta to a quarantine tank.

The bottom line here is that there is no reason for you to panic when your betta is throwing up the food; this is particularly true if he is young or new.

Is Wardley betta food good?

Yes. This fish food is a good food option that you can consider for your bettas. This is a pellet-based fish food that contains superior levels of minerals and vitamins necessary to sustain the health of your pet fish.

This does not contain any artificial flavorings and colorings and it won’t turn the tank water duskier. It’s a floating type of fish food as well. The size of the pellets is appropriate for bettas to consume at once. This food is ideal if you wish to provide your fish with proper diet on a budget and to keep your betta healthy and happy.

How much to feed betta fish?

If you have no idea regarding the amount of food you should provide your betta fish, a very plain method to determine is to provide them with as much food as they can consume in a couple of minutes.

After this very short span of time, your betta would be finished consuming the food and the leftovers would form an unhealthy environment of contaminants. Moreover, another engrossing thing about this fish species is that they could obtain more weight; some of them would continue eating after a couple of minutes and after some time, you would notice that their stomach gets bigger; and this would indicate that the fish would need to go on a diet.

It is perfectly fine to feed the betta once or two times per day. If you feed bettas twice in a day, see to it to cut the amount in half that you will naturally feed them in a single period. For instance, if you feed your betta with pellets two times per day, be sure to feed them two by up to three pellets at a time.

Can betta food be fed to other fish?

Generally speaking, it is not really good to feed other fish with betta foods. This is because various types of fish differ in many aspects so they have distinct dietary needs as well. Basically, betta foods are formulated with high amounts of protein than other fish foods and if fed with other fish species, this could bring about some health issues.

If you wish to provide other fish a special treat once in a while, it is fine to provide them a little portion of betta foods but this must not be done more than once a week. Otherwise, this could cause digestive concerns and other serious diseases.

It is highly advised to conduct a little research about the right foods to feed the type of fish you are currently keeping. Even though many fish are similar in many ways, still they are deemed as different creatures with different nutritional requirements.

How to care & clean?

Sustaining good health for your betta fish is not only about feeding them the right type of food and feeding the right amount. It is also very important to properly clean and maintain their habitat.

When it comes to cleaning and looking after betta fish, always check the water temperature, filter and other equipment used in the aquarium. This must be done a daily mode.

On the other hand, once per week, make it a habit to examine the quality of tank water. Execute at least 50% water replacement for small tanks that are less than two gallons in size.

If you keep a larger tank, replace 10 by up to 25% of the total volume of the water. This must be done every two to four weeks, or perhaps this must be done as necessary.

Where to buy betta fish food?

Betta foods are readily available these days. So, if you are keeping this type of fish, then buying the most suitable food options for them is not troublesome at all. In fact, you can visit well-stocked pet or fish stores in your area; and for sure, you would be provided with a number of options to check out.

Be that as it may, if you prefer a more convenient way of shopping, then you can visit credible online shopping sites such as Amazon, PetCo, PetSmart and others. These sites are quite renowned in terms of offering various fish or pet products. It is interesting to note that you can pick from countless brands and products which are very popular around the globe.

Undeniably, a lot of consumers shop from these sites because they have a lot of choices to look into and there are opportunities of getting the top-tier deals too.

Conclusion

In conclusion, you have learned from this article that it is important to provide the best betta food for your pet fish. But, proper care does not end with that alone; you also need to master their feeding schedule and the amount of food you need to provide them. While bettas are known to be vigorous types of fish, they are not invulnerable.

In addition to this, if you do not provide them the right diet they especially require, then they would end up being frail which could eventually lead to serious illness and even death. Thus, if you want them to stay beautiful, healthy and active, then you’ve got to ensure that you are feeding them highly nutritious diet that is primarily comprised of a protein-filled and meaty types of foods.

The betta fish food products reviewed in this post are especially formulated to ensure proper nutrition for betta fish. So, the decision is yours. However, you need to be watchful of the portion sizes so to avoid underfeeding or overfeeding them. As you know, these could have ill effects on fish health.

It is worth noting that the betta fish diet is not complex at all, and after some time, even novices in betta keeping would instantly be capable of handling this type of fish species.