What to Feed Betta Fish Fry?

Hello, fellow fishkeepers! Do you have newly hatched betta fish fry swimming around your tank? Confused about what to feed them? What is appropriate for such tiny little fish creatures? Wondering how long they will take to be mature enough to be given adult betta fish feed. Well, do not worry. You have come to the right place. We will tell you all you need to know about what food to give to your betta fish fry and the most appropriate feed. So keep on reading and have all your questions answered.

Betta fish fry like their adult selves are carnivores and like to be fed live foods 3 to 5 times a day. They take about two months to mature to full adult size when they can be shifted towards the food given to adult betta fish.

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When to start feeding Betta Fish Fry?

As the betta fry hatch from their eggs, they are found clustered at the top of the tank. During this time period, the betta fish fry is still feeding from their egg sacks. They do not require any extra nutrition since the egg sacks are sufficient for them. As the betta fish fry start to grow they become free swimming. Some betta fry will become free swimming earlier than others. This is the time when you need to start giving them food yourself.

So you need to note when your betta fish fry breaks away from the clumps near the nests at the top of the tank and becomes free swimming. This is when you will need to start feeding them.

What to give as feed to Betta Fish Fry?

It is important to note that betta fish are carnivores which means that they eat meat. Even though adult betta fish can be trained to eat fish pellets or fish flakes, newly hatched free-swimming betta fry will only eat live food, due to their instincts. This live food includes infusoria, tiny free-living nematodes such as Vinegar Eels, Micro worms, Banana Worms, Walter Worms, baby Brine Shrimp, Daphnia, Fairy Shrimp, blood worms, Grindal Worms, etc.

How often to feed Betta Fish Fry?

It is better to feed betta fish fry multiple small meals during the day instead of a few large ones. It is important to note that the serving size of their meal should be as much as they can consume at one time. Or else the leftover unconsumed food starts to sink to the bottom of the tank where it rots and contaminates the tank. It is best to give your betta fish fry 3 to 5 servings of live food a day and only the amount that they can consume within 5 minutes of adding it to the tank.

When to start giving feed the same as the adult Betta Fish?

When the betta fish reach about 8 to 9 weeks of age or 2 months, you can start them on fish pellets or fish flakes. This is done by slowly introducing it into their diet. First from smaller sizes by cutting them up and then moving on to the adult fish pellet sizes.

Time Guide to Feeding Betta Fish Fry

After the betta fish fry become free swimming you can follow the following order of feeding them:

Days 1 to 3 after becoming free swimming – Less food required. Good live foods to introduce include infusoria, small free-living nematodes like vinegar eels, banana worms, micro worms, Walter worms, etc.
After 3 days – the betta fish fry has grown enough in size to be fed slightly larger foods. You can move on to also feeding them baby brine shrimp at this point.
After 7 days ( one week ) – At this stage of life of the betta fish fry, the tiny nematodes no longer provide them any nutritional value. Increase baby brine shrimp in their diet since they are a protein-rich food and provide good nutritional value.
After 3 to 4 weeks ( one month ) – Continue to feed baby brine shrimp to your betta fish fry. Add black worms to their diet which are aquatic worms that betta fish prey on. And you can also start on some frozen foods at this point like frozen daphnia and frozen blood worms.
At about 8 to 9 weeks ( 2 months after betta fry becomes free swimming ) – You can continue with the blood worms etc. but can now move on towards dry foods as well and get your betta fish accustomed to fish pellets etc.

Conclusion

We have given you a comprehensive guide to feeding your betta fish fry who like their older counterparts are carnivores, feeding on a protein-rich meat diet. We hope we answered all your questions. We will be sure to bring new articles to you to make the life of your little betta friends easier. So until next time, do not forget to feed your betta fish fry appropriately and happy fish keeping.