The betta fish, also known as the Siamese fighting fish, has been a trending fish species for the past years. This is due to their colorful design, easy-care, and unique appearance.
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The betta fish is a tropical fish, so they need food and an environment that’s best for them, unlike cold-water fish. This is where you may be looking for the best betta food.
Generally, like all fish, bettas feed on either flakes or pellets. Flakes tend to be more ideal if you have a smaller tank since it gets less polluted if you feed them flakes.
On the other hand, sinking pellets may be more applicable for tanks that are bigger and if your filter is much more powerful.
The betta fish will need to be fed constantly to keep their appearance and their healthy lifestyle. This is truer if you maintain your fish and display them on aquatic shows.
Top 5 Best Betta Food
Here are our top picks for the best betta food:
TetraMin Plus Tropical Flakes
This pack of tropical flakes is our ideal pick for betta fish since they are, after all, tropical fish.
It is made with a clear water formula so it will less likely pollute your aquarium.
What’s more, it has natural shrimp in its ingredients so your fish only gets quality food.
The flakes are made so that they will not collapse or crimp during shipping and when you are feeding them to your fish.
The flakes are also high in protein and are mixed with vitamins, minerals, and trace elements to keep your fish healthy against sickness. It also has color enhancers. The fish food can be fed 2 to 3 times a day.
Things We Liked
- Has natural shrimp
- Includes vitamins and minerals
- Packed with protein
- Well-packaged container
- Clearwater formula
- Color enhancers
Things We Didn’t Like
- Some flakes can be a bit large
API Fish Food Flakes Tropical Greens
As flakes, this one can be easy to feed to your fish since betta fish can be top dwellers most of the time.
The container has 2.1 ounces of fish food and it has a clear water formula, which produces less ammonia that can be toxic to fish.
It also has protein added to keep your fish healthy and strong.
This tropical fish food can be fed 2 times a day depending on your fish diet. It contains spirulina and beet pulp so that the vibrant colors of fish can be seen clearly.
For bettas, you can just feed them food in the amount that they can finish off in 2 minutes or so.
Things We Liked
- The container is easy to feed the fish with
- Includes protein
- Clearwater formula to reduce ammonia
- Includes spirulina and beet pulp
Things We Didn’t Like
- May smell off for some people
Omega One Betta Buffet Flakes
At 0.8 ounce per pack in a set of 3 containers, this buffet flake set for fish is low in ash content and more of the nutritious stuff.
It is packed with Omega 3 & 6 HUFA’s so that your fish can possibly live longer. You can also crush the flakes if you have smaller betta fish.
The ingredients include fresh seafood as well as those with high protein content. The flakes can be fed to bettas that they can consume in 2 minutes.
It also contains sources of vitamin C, A, folic acid, B12, E, and D3 to add to your fish’s nutrition.
Things We Liked
- The flakes can be crushed for smaller fish
- Rich in vitamins and minerals
- Includes fresh seafood
- Comes in a pack of 3 containers
- Low in ash content
Things We Didn’t Like
- Some fish may be picky with the taste
API Tropical Mini Pellets
The pellet version of the other API product we reviewed above, this one can be ideal for your betta fish if they like to stay at the bottom or if you have a large tank.
It contains 1.7 ounces of fish food per container and it has protein ingredients. Among the protein sources in this fish food are squid and shrimp.
The sinking pellets can be fed to fish within 3 minutes of consumption, in a schedule of about 2 times a day. It even has a blend of vanilla, garlic, and banana to add more nutritious value to your fish food.
Things We Liked
- Complete nutritional value
- Has a convenient container
- Good for fish in large tanks
- Has protein ingredients
- Includes shrimp and squid
Things We Didn’t Like
- Some fish may not like the smell
Hikari Bio-Pure Freeze Dried Daphnia for Pets
This fish food for tropical species is made to enhance their color.
It’s free from parasites and harmful bacteria and can also possibly reduce the cloudiness of your water each time you feed your fish. The dispensing top makes this freeze-fried fish food pack easy to feed to your little ones.
The fish food can be fed to your bettas in a span of 5 minutes. The live daphnia can be a nutritious addition to your fish’s diet.
It can be fed to bettas in all stages of life. Since they are freeze-dried, the daphnia isn’t eggs that will hatch so they are safe for fish to consume.
Things We Liked
- Live daphnia (freeze-dried) for fish nutrition
- Free from parasites and harmful bacteria
- Dispensing top container
- Good for fish with constipation problems
Things We Didn’t Like
- Some picky fish may not eat it
Things to Consider Before You Buy
When looking for the best betta food, here are some things you might want to know first:
What are the types of betta food?
There are usually two options for betta fish food:
- Pellets – these are fish food that sinks to the bottom of your aquarium. Here are the pros and cons of pellets for fish food:
| Pros | Cons |
| ·        Packed with nutrients ·        Best for large tanks ·        Can be store-bought ·        Fish can easily see it ·        Doesn’t make fish swallow air | ·        Not good for your tank filter ·        May dirty the water more often than flakes do ·        Not ideal for small fish ·        Cannot be broken down for small fish |
- Flakes – these are fish food that floats at the top of your aquarium. Here are the pros and cons of flakes for fish food:
| Pros | Cons |
| ·        Easy to feed ·        Doesn’t pollute your water ·        Good for small tanks ·        Widely accessible ·        Doesn’t expire easily ·        Lightweight ·        Can be broken down | ·        Can make fish swallow air ·        Not good for bottom dwellers ·        May be too light for large tanks |
How do I choose betta food?
In choosing the most ideal betta food, you may need to consider the following:
- How big or old is my betta fish? Bigger fish may need a bigger set of food. However, smaller betta fish and those that are still babies may need smaller food. In this case, you may need to crush your flakes to feed them. Pellets may be ideal for the bigger fish.
- How many bettas do I have? Betta fish can multiply fast, so it’s up to you on how much betta food you want to buy. Consider buying a bigger container in case you do have a lot of betta fish in your home or office tank or aquarium.
- What’s my tank size? The tank size can also be a factor. For instance, if you feed your betta more flakes, then they will less likely pollute water as compared to when you feed them mostly pellets that sink to the bottom of the fish tank.
- What’s my budget? Typically, most pellets and flakes are cheap. However, there is specific fish food for bettas that are harder to find in your local pet shop. They can be a little bit pricier, but only by a few cents to say.
- How does my betta fish swim? Betta fish will tend to swim upwards and most of them will be top swimmers. However, there can still be those that lurk at the bottom. Top dwellers are best with flakes while bottom-dwellers do well with sinkers.
How do I feed betta food?
Feeding betta food is simple – just take a pinch of your pellet or flakes and then feed your fish until they consume it in a time span of 2 to 3 minutes or so. Don’t overfeed and stick to a feeding schedule of about 2 to 3 times a day.
Conclusion
To wrap it up, our top pick for the best betta food is the TetraMin Plus Tropical Flakes because of its formulation, which has natural shrimp and is a clear water formula with color enhancers. It also includes vitamins and minerals and is packed with protein to keep your fish healthy.
It is also easy to deploy with its well-packaged container. While some flakes can be a bit large, this is a small con and you can just crush them with your hand.
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