Feeding the Marine Beta

[Deve]

I recently purchased a Marine Beta and I'm concerned that I'm slowly starving it. It does eat frozen brine that I feed once a day but it is a very slow eater and the other fish in the tank will often eat the food floating before he gets around to it. I have fed some live brine shrimp which is I hope is keeping him going.
Any suggestions on how I can get him to eat? (I have tried feeding at the opposite side of the tank from him but that other fish are too smart

 

[James M]

Try feeding meaty foods with tongs

 

[Jesterrace]

Part of it is that Brine is a very poor source nutrition for fish (think candy). I would switch to something like LRS Reef Frenzy. It doesn't get much more nutrient rich than that stuff and fish go nuts for it.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Marine bettas need surprisingly little food for their size. Many report that they never see their marine betta eat, but they still do well. As long as he is eating, aI wouldn't worry.

 

[Kmsutows]

Marine bettas need surprisingly little food for their size. Many report that they never see their marine betta eat, but they still do well. As long as he is eating, aI wouldn't worry.

While this is very true I would suggest offering a much meatier food at least once a week. As @Jesterrace suggested, fish frenzy will be great for all your fish and has a few meatier chunks that are perfect for it. I've had mine probably over 10yrs now. He picks at small stuff but goes nuts when he sees the tongs in the tank as he knows I'll have something better for him. Like I said, once a week is what works for me in addition to whatever small food he grabs

 

[mort]

I'm similar to the above. I've had mine 5-6 years and whilst I feed the other fish daily I target feed the betta every 2-3 days. It picks at flake and anything I add but I give it good chunks of prawn, mussel, squid, basically anything meaty. It's all time favourite food is krill but you need to feed on rotation as krill can be a little adictive if constantly fed.
So I'd try offer some larger food, pe mysis is good, and see how it does. They are predators so don't need feeding daily.

TJ's point that they need surprisingly little food is true. I know of a few that have gone on hunger strike for over a month without looking any different. Mine goes off its food from time to time but I know it picks up food in the tank, like when it sees a bristle worm. So don't overly worry about it feeding as long as it is feeding but switch up your foods so brine isn't offered as much as nutritionally it's poor.