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Betta fish are one of the most popular fish in our hobby. Their popularity has grown massively over the last 20 years and they are now kept in their millions worldwide.
As Bettas are hardcore carnivores, the closer we can get to giving them foods that closely relate to what they might eat in the wild the better.
Live aphids make a great addition to a Bettas diet and contain a natural source of protein. Providing you can guarantee the aphids are free from insecticides and pesticides you should feed aphids to your Betta whenever you can source them, along with ants, fruit flies, and even mosquitos.
Can Betta Fish Eat Aphids?
Aphids make a fantastic addition to a Bettas diet. Bettas evolved in the wild to eat bugs, insects, and flies which have landed on the surface of their pools, ponds, and streams.
There is no doubt that aphids would make up a large part of a Bettas diet if the Betta were living in the wild.
As with so much ‘wild live food’ you need to be 100% sure the aphids are free from insecticides and pesticides which could transfer into your Betta aquarium.
How To Feed Aphids To A Betta
When I have fed aphids to my Bettas in the past, I found the best way was to collect a few aphids in a small paper bag or container, then tip them into my Betta tanks a few at a time.
A word of caution, there is a good chance the aphids will stand on the water surface without falling through, and if you have any floating plants in your Betta tank, the aphids will climb out and may start eating your floating plants.
I can confirm from personal experience when I added too many aphids to a Bettas tank that aphids will eat, and destroy Water Lettuce!
Is It Worth Feeding Aphids To Betta Fish?
Aphids probably don’t offer a Betta a huge amount of nutritional value, and you would struggle to feed a Betta enough aphids to satisfy their hunger.
With that said, if you have access to a source of aphids, they probably are worth feeding to your Betta as a treat.
As with any Betta food, variety is the key to success, so the more, different foods we can feed our Bettas, the better it is for them. In the wild Bettas would probably have access to hundreds of different bugs, insects, and waterborne creatures.
What Other Live Foods Can Be Fed To A Betta?
With a little time and effort, the number of live foods that can be fed to a Betta is almost endless.
Ants make an excellent addition to a Bettas diet, as do fruit flies and caterpillars. I order these fruit flies from Amazon.
I also feed my Bettas live bloodworms and daphnia when I can source them.
One live food which can be actively cultured at home is mosquito larvae. In most parts of the world, you can put a bucket of old tank water out in the garden, and within a few days, it will be wriggling with mosquito larvae. Just be careful you don’t create a mosquito farm in your own backyard!
What Are The Benefits Of Feeding A Betta Live Foods?
Feeding Bettas live foods offers numerous benefits including;
Nutrients
As mentioned above, when it comes to making sure our Bettas are healthy, colorful, and able to fight off pests and diseases, a varied diet is imperative.
By adding new foods into our Bettas’ diets, we give them access to nutrients they might not otherwise receive. Whilst there are numerous ‘complete’ Betta foods on the market like Bug Bites from Fluval, I don’t think there is a true substitute for adding live and frozen foods to a Bettas diet.
Stimulates a breeding response
If you are planning to breed your Bettas, the arrival of plenty of live foods often stimulates Bettas to breed. In the wild, Bettas try to time the arrival of their offspring with the arrival of plenty of live foods, giving their babies the best chance of survival.
Exercise the Bettas hunting instincts
Betta fish have strong hunting instincts and it is important to exercise those instincts by adding occasional live foods to their aquariums.
My Final Thoughts on ‘Feeding Betta Fish Aphids’
If you have access to a source of aphids that you can guarantee have not been sprayed with insecticides or pesticides, then it would definitely be worth feeding them to your Betta.
I love to feed my Bettas as many different foods as I can, and aphids are on the list of critters my Bettas love to eat.
