Brine Shrimp For Bettas – Why You Need To Use Them?
What is Brine Shrimp? Is it suitable as fish feed? Can your Betta eat Brine shrimp? Is it healthy for them? What is the best way to feed them? If these are a few questions that pop into your mind then you are at the right place. Do not worry as we have got you covered.
Yes, brine fish is good for Betta fish. If you add them in Betta fish diet they will improve Betta’s health. Brine shrimp is good for Betta digestive system.
Brine shrimp are found in saltwater lakes that have high sodium concentrations. They are very easy to cultivate and are also very affordable. This article will elaborate on the benefits of Brine shrimp.
In this article, we will try to tell you everything you need to know about Brine shrimp. By the end of this article, you will know the various types of Brine shrimp and how to use them for your Betta.
Can Betta Eat Brine Shrimp?
The answer to this question is yes! Brine shrimp is totally edible and nontoxic. Betta can not only eat Brine shrimp it is in fact loved by them generally. Brine shrimp is an excellent supplement to Betta’s diet.
How often Should you Feed Brine Shrimp to your Betta?
Despite Brine shrimp being a great source of nutrients, it should not be fed every day to the Betta. Brine shrimp can be added to the Bettas diet as a supplement, not as a staple. The reason is that overfeeding can cause the betta to lose the nutrition that they actually need. So while keeping a pellet for staple, Brine shrimp can be added as an additional supplement. So it is suggested to feed the Betta Brine shrimp about 2 to 3 times a week.
What are the Advantages of Using Brine Shrimp
Before talking about the specific 3 types of brine shrimp feed we will discuss the general advantages of Brine shrimp. Listed below are a few benefits of Brine shrimp. These points prove to us that Brine shrimp could be an excellent option.
Not Expensive
The first thing to consider is that Brine shrimp is a very low-cost feed for your Betta. Everyone likes to save money, at least I love to! So what is better than having a food option for your Betta which is also light on your pocket?
High Nutritional Value
Brine shrimp has extremely high nutritional value. It is loaded with essential Amino acids, proteins, lipids, and Omega 3. Betta is carnivorous so they need protein in their diet. This high nutritional value makes Brine shrimp an excellent diet supplement for the Betta.
Easy to Digest by the Betta
Brine shrimp have high Digestibility i.e. they are easily digested by Betta. Betta often faces stomach issues including constipation. If Brine shrimp is added to the Betta’s diet then they can be saved from such gut problems.
Easily Available
You do not have to do a tiring search to find it. Brine shrimp is available everywhere. What’s better than going to the first shop and finding what you need? Time is money and Brine shrimp helps save both of them.
Easy to Cultivate
You can even Cultivate Brine shrimp on your own! Brine shrimp takes only 24 to 36 hours to hatch. This ease makes them very easily available. This ease of Cultivation makes them a favorite food option.
Easy to Handle
As you might know, Brine shrimp are very small in size. This small size makes them very easy to handle. Brine shrimp in any form is very easy to manage and is not a big challenge. This ease of handling makes them great fish feed.
Easy to Store
Brine shrimp in Frozen and Freeze dried form can be stored for long periods of time. This means that you can stock yourself with it without worrying about it going bad.
What Types of Brine Shrimp as Betta Feed?
Brine shrimp is available in various forms, shapes, and sizes. They can be divided into 3 main categories. These categories are on the basis of their physical form and processing methods. The 3 types of Brine shrimp as Betta feed are;
- Live Brine Shrimp
- Frozen Brine shrimp
- Freeze-dried Brine shrimp
All 3 of these types have their own pros and cons. Despite having some differences, they share the same basic qualities. We will now discuss each type of Brine shrimp one by one.
1. Live Brine Shrimp
Live Brine shrimp or alive brine shrimp is the brine shrimp in its truest form. Live Brine Shrimp as Betta feed is generally considered to be the best method for feeding. Since Brine shrimp is so easy to cultivate, you can even grow them on your own. What could be better than growing the feed with the fish? Feeding live Brine shrimp to Betta has its own pros and cons. Before discussing further we will discuss how to feed live brine shrimp to your Betta.
How to Feed Live Brine Shrimp to your Betta?
Live Brine shrimp is the best for your Betta. Being the best has its own cost and in the case of Live Brine shrimp, the cost is the amount of time it takes to prep it. But this is not an issue since this time is not alarmingly high. Now we will discuss how to acclimatize the live brine shrimp to the betta tank.
Acclimatization of Brine Shrimp to the Betta Tank
You can’t just pick up the live brine shrimp and toss them into the Betta tank. We wish that it was as easy as that. The Betta needs to be acclimatized to the betta tank, the process of acclimatization is as follows;
- Take the water pouch in which you have your Live Brine shrimp.
- Let the pouch float on top of the Betta tank for 20 minutes. By doing so the pouch water temperature will become the same as that of the fish tank.
- Spread the Brine shrimp in intervals of a few minutes.
- Spread them evenly throughout the Betta tank.
Things to Keep in Mind When Using Live Brine Shrimp
There are a few things that one should keep in mind when using Live Brine shrimp as Betta feed. I have listed a few of them below;
Keep a Check On The Water Quality
Live Brine Shrimp does not usually deteriorate the water quality but we still need to be sure. Keep a check on the pH levels of the tank to prevent your Betta from falling ill.
Start With Small Portions
Start by feeding in small portions. Sometimes the Betta just doesn’t like the Brine shrimp and the leftovers spoil the water quality. So it is better to start with a small amount and understand Betta’s behavior.
Make Sure to Use Good Quality Brine Shrimp
This one speaks for itself. If the Brine shrimp is of good quality it will have a good effect on the Betta.
Related Post: A Beginners Guide to Brine Shrimp?
What are the Pros and Cons of Using Live Brine Shrimp
We shall now discuss the advantages and Disadvantages of using Brine shrimp.
| Pros | Cons |
| As they are alive so they keep the Betta’s hunting instinct alive. | They are more expensive as compared to frozen or freeze-dried options |
| Rich in nutrients as they are alive. | Alive Brine shrimp have a higher chance of carrying diseases. |
| As they are alive so they do not decay in the tank. | They cannot be stored like the freeze-dried Brine shrimp. |
2. Frozen Brine Shrimp
The third and final type of brine shrimp is frozen Brine shrimp, it comes in a frozen cube form.
How to Use Frozen Brine Shrimp?
The cube can be placed in a plastic bag and then hammered into smaller pieces. You can chip smaller pieces off the cube by any other method too. The amount you feed to the Betta should be the size of the Betta’s eyeball or a standard pallet size. Then you have to defrost the piece of feed in the tank water in a separate container. After defrosting it, simply add it to the Betta’s tank.
What are the Pros and Cons of Using Frozen Brine Shrimp
We will now discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using Frozen Brine shrimp.
| Pros | Cons |
| Can be stored for a long time. | A lot of time is taken to Prep it before putting in the Betta time |
| More nutrients as compared to freeze-dried Brine shrimp | Lesser nutrients than Live brine shrimp |
| As it is Frozen so there is less chance of it carrying diseases. | Does not satisfy Betta’s urge to hunt. |
3. Freeze Dried Brine Shrimp
This is also an option to add to your Betta’s diet. Freeze-dried brine shrimp is the easiest to use.
How to Use Freeze-dried Brine Shrimp?
You just have to soak the freeze-dried brine shrimp in the betta tank water for a while. After that you just have to add it to the Betta tank, that’s it!
What are the Pros and Cons Of Freeze-Dried Brine Shrimp
| Pros | Cons |
| Very easy to use. | As they have no water in them so they can cause digestive issues in the Betta. |
| Less expensive as compared to Live Brine shrimp. | The nutritional value is a bit less as compared to live Brine shrimp. |
The Bottom Line on Brine Shrimp For Bettas
Through this article, we got to know that brine shrimp is an excellent supplement for Betta’s diet. They have many advantages and are also available in various shapes and sizes. You can go for the option that suits you the best. Fishkeeping is an art and if you keep up the same spirit you will definitely become an artist! Till then Happy fishkeeping!
