Are Algae Wafers Safe for Bettas to Eat?
Is your Betta eating algae wafers that you put in the tank for their tank mates? Is this behavior driving you crazy? Are you worried that your betta might kill itself? Are you thinking that this may be harmless? How to stop my Betta from this behavior?
Yes, Betta fish can eat algae wafers. Betta fish are carnivorous but if it eats algae wafers sometimes then this is not bad. If it eats algae wafers as its main food then it is not good because algae wafers cannot fulfill Betta fish’s nutritional needs.
What could be the reason behind your Betta eating the algae wafers? If you find out the reason then you might just solve this problem once and for all. So let’s solve this case. If these are some of the questions which you ask often then you are at the right place. We are here to the rescue. By the end of this article, you will get your answers.
Betta’s Nature
Betta is carnivorous in nature i.e. they eat animal-based things. A carnivorous species should not be fed plant-based things as their digestive system cannot digest them. A carnivorous fish’s feed should be strictly animal-based to avoid digestive issues.
Can Betta Eat Algae Wafers?
If this happens once in a blue moon then it is acceptable. But on a daily basis definitely not. Betta is carnivorous while algae is a plant. If Betta will eat any such thing then it will definitely face the consequences. It will cause different digestive issues.
You can follow more: How Long Can Betta Fish Go Without Food?
What Happens if Betta Eats Algae Wafers?
A number of digestive issues can occur which can even lead to the death of the Betta. The digestive issues include;
- Bloating
- Constipation
- Swim Bladder disease
So to avoid these problems we must think of doing something. We want the Betta to stay as far away from the algae wafers as possible.
Why is the Betta Eating the Algae Wafers?
It is time to address this million-dollar question. Why is the Betta eating the Algae wafers despite being fed their pellet? There could be a number of reasons. We will discuss these reasons one by one.
Betta are Greedy and Territorial
Betta is greedy fish. They might be eating the algae wafers simply out of greed. They want to eat as much as they can. Apart from being greedy Bettas are also territorial and defensive. They might be eating the food of other fish which is algae wafers in this case simply to assert dominance over the tank mates.
The Algae Wafers have added Fish Meal
Sometimes the Algae wafers are not entirely plant-based. They have fish meals added to them. As Betta can smell fish meal so they will naturally eat the algae wafers too.
They Might be Hungry
Lack of food might be a reason behind this. If your Betta is not getting enough food so it will definitely eat whatever comes its way.
You can follow more: Can Bettas Live With Black Racer Nerite Snails?
How to Stop the Betta from Eating Algae Wafers?
Now that we have investigated why your betta is eating algae wafers so now let’s decide what to do to stop them. There are a number of things one might do to stop your Betta from eating the wafers. We will now discuss a few remedies one by one.
Get Completely Plant-Based Algae Wafers
If the Algae wafers do not have any fish meal present in them then the Betta will not be attracted to them. So to make the Betta ignore the algae wafers buy a 100 percent plant-based Algae wafer.
Feed the Betta Properly
Make sure that your Betta is not hungry. Give them their pellet on time. If your betta is not hungry and they are satisfied so it will most likely not eat the algae wafers.
Get a Separate Tank
If you have a tank reserved only for Betta then the problem will be solved automatically. You will not have any tank mates to feed the algae wafers in the first place!
Wait for the Betta to Sleep
You can keep an eye on when your Betta goes to sleep. Once you find out that they are sleeping then is the perfect time to drop in the algae wafers for the tank mates. This technique is a bit difficult to follow. At least, I could never follow this one.
Separate the Betta Feed and Algae Wafers
Put both of these things at different ends of the aquarium. When the Betta is busy eating its feed on one end of the tank, the other tank mates will get enough time to eat their algae wafers in peace on the other end.
Use an Aquarium Net
An aquarium net can be your best friend while feeding the tank mates. Simply drop in the algae wafers in the fish tank and trap your Betta in an aquarium net. Wait until the tank mates have eaten the algae wafers. Free the Betta once the tank mates have eaten the algae wafers. Caution: do not take the betta out of the water after trapping them. We want the betta to stop eating the wafers, we don’t want to kill them!!
Crush the Algae Wafers
Crush the algae wafers and disperse them at the bottom of the tank. This will make it very difficult for the Betta to locate and eat them. But don’t worry the tank mates will not be affected by doing this.
Feed the Tank Mates in the Dark
Betta does not have night vision. So to prevent them from eating algae wafers you could turn off the lights. By feeding the tank mates in the dark your problem could be solved.
The Bottom Line on Are Algae Wafers Safe for Bettas to Eat?
So I hope this article helped resolve some of your confusion. You might have identified the reason behind why your betta is eating the algae wafers and what to do to stop it. Keeping an eye on your Betta is important to find out its true nature and habits. Algae wafers must be kept as far away from your Betta as possible to avoid gut problems. So don’t give up and get to work! May your Betta be happy and healthy and may they never go near an algae wafer ever again! This was all we could do to help you for now. Till next time happy fishkeeping folks!
