# Betta pellets - to soak or not to soak



## dacrax15 (Sep 11, 2018)

I don't think a significant amount of nutrients would leach out of the food by soaking it. Also, the benefits of soaking the food (such as preventing bloating/constipation) would outweigh any loss of nutrients/vitamins. 5 minutes is kind of a long time so I guess a good compromise would be to only soak it for a minute or so. I'm glad you're taking the proper precautions for keeping a betta in the office. Does it also have a lid? That would be the only other concern I'd have.


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## united natures (May 15, 2019)

I find almost all betta pellets are too big for my betta...I just feed mine tetra granules and flakes...


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## CarissaT (Jul 1, 2019)

I had bettas for years and never soaked the pellets. Never had a problem with this that I can recall. Freeze dried bloodworms I would break off a tiny piece and throw it in without soaking. Maybe I was doing it wrong all those years! But it seemed to rehydrate instantly.


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## TwistedAngel (Jul 10, 2013)

Yes, it does also have a hood, and the (rather large) feeding hole has a cover fastened over it.

Thanks for the input everyone!


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## Ryan Mosby (Jan 19, 2017)

I crush two pellets with a tool against the inside lid of the pellet container (like a makeshift mortar and pestle) before I give them to a betta. That way if the pellets expand they'll still be small, because a soaked pellet (unsmashed) looks too big for my betta.


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## Desert Pupfish (May 6, 2019)

Sounds like your office mates need to lighten up.

Put them in a pill bottle inside a ziploc bag, and tell them it's your psych meds.......


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## Ryan Mosby (Jan 19, 2017)

TwistedAngel said:


> Unfortunately, adding frozen and live food isn't going to be possible with the tank being located at the office. There was an issue with some of my more squeamish co-workers when they found my pack of frozen blood worms in the break room freezer and an email was sent out from HR strongly suggesting their removal.


Put them in a non-see-through container or a lunch box inside the freezer. Mark it 'anchovy hummus' or something.


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## Quint (Mar 24, 2019)

I try to expand my bettas pallet however his favorite is the betta pellets. Eats them whole. He will eat some flake, eats some frozen blood worms but his favorite is the pellets. Well that and baby shrimp/fish if he could get them. 

I do minimize how many he eats at once. Only feed him 3 or 4 pellets day on pellet days.


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## Ryan Mosby (Jan 19, 2017)

I've changed my feeding habits since I last posted. I soak the pellets for a while, until they get pretty big. Then I shake them up a little with tweezers to break them up (because fully expanded, they are way too big). I also stopped only giving them two pellets, after reading this very helpful article. My bettas aren't bony but I have often thought they look a little skinny. I still alternate between brine shrimp and soaked pellets, but I also give them food until their bellies extend. Haven't had any bloating or swim bladder disease; a few hours later and they've digested their food and their bellies are back to normal. One betta has been stressed and I've noticed his fins have been less clamped since I changed his eating regiment.


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## Oso Polar (Apr 22, 2015)

CarissaT said:


> I had bettas for years and never soaked the pellets. Never had a problem with this that I can recall. Freeze dried bloodworms I would break off a tiny piece and throw it in without soaking. Maybe I was doing it wrong all those years! But it seemed to rehydrate instantly.


Same here. Never ever soaked dry food or waited for frozen food to melt. Drop food into the tank - done! Works already for 30+ years for me...


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## Ryan Mosby (Jan 19, 2017)

Oso Polar said:


> Same here. Never ever soaked dry food or waited for frozen food to melt. Drop food into the tank - done! Works already for 30+ years for me...


I'm surprised there were never any issues. I use the Tetra brand, and once they've fully expanded in water, they're bigger than my bettas' mouths. When I had my first betta, I never soaked his pellets, but I also didn't break the pellets up either. Every time I fed him he would bloat and would often get swim bladder disease.

I like to err on the cautious side now. I started soaking the pellets and once they've expanded, I try to break them up a little with tweezers.


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