BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Fish Insects+Betta

Hi everyone! Sorry for my english! I only speak french! I have two bettas: A male, Beethov, and a female who doesn't have a name for now (she is very small!About 2cm! Does this mean that she is a baby?). The other day, there was a mosquito in my room. I killed him and I had the briliant idea to give him to my male Betta. I observed him. He ate the insect but spit out his legs. I realised that maybe I had done a mistake! My Betta looksvery healthy and everything. However, should I take the risk to feed him a mosquito again? Is it a good thing?
<img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

I believe bettas eat insects in "the wild"...I dunno about mosquitos, but I've fed little gnats to my previous fish without any problems. He seems to enjoy it <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Thank you! I feel much better! Does somebody else do the same thing?

I have sometimes wondered if Moe would like the little fruit flies I see flying around my house every once in awhile. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Never actually fed him any though.

And do you think that the female that I bought is a baby since she is so small (2 cm). I cannot imagine her with my male! It would be...so weird! My little baby girl with my BIG male (He is no so big, but next to her...)!

With any live food my first concern is infection...my fish wll eat small bugs that land in his bowl but i make an effort to not let him. I wont lose him to Ick or finrot due to some pesky bug

Hi! Your english is great! (better than some native speakers i've heard). First, your girl is likely a baby. Probly under 6 months of age or so. They get the same size as males, their fins just dont get as big.

Secondly, I agree with pyrple. I wouldn't feed my fish any live food, (including purchased) simply because live foods are more likely to carry parasites and disease. The main concern in my opinion with using local (in your home) insects would be, they were outside at one time. You don't know what they encountered out there. They may have some genetic mutation due to pesticides, or something equally awful. I would say your fish sounds fine, but I wouldn't recommend doing it again. In fact this evening I actually chased some kind of little flying creature out of one of my tanks, so they *wouldn't* eat him. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I say, if you really want him to have live food, you would be better off using purchased, and proceed with caution irregardless of the source. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Hope this helps!!

Thanks! You were very helpfull! My Betta will be so desapointed!

HEHE. try some freezedried (FD) bloodworms, or FD daphnia, as a high protein treat. Make sure it is only occasionally though, 2 or 3 times a week. Hope this helps ease the disappointment of your betta. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Oh! I already give my bettas Blood worms. You made me feel bad because I give them Blood worms almost every day... But only a very small amount! One to my little female (Betty Boop is her new name! She's cute!) and three to my male. I give one Bio gold pellet to my female in the morning and one blood worm at night. My Beethov has three pellets in the morning an usualy three worms at night. Is that too much? They look healthy and they enjoy it... I feed my male by holding the worm between two of my fingers!