Can Betta Fish Eat Frozen Fish Foods? (Solved!)

At the time of writing, I have been keeping Betta fish for over 20 years, and one of the aspects of the hobby that I enjoy the most is feeding my Bettas.  I am a fish food junkie! I probably have 30 or more brands of food in my fish room, and if I ever go to the store and see a type of food I don’t have, I just have to try it.

If you have been to your local fish store and seen the packets of frozen foods in their display freezer you might have been wondering can Betta fish eat frozen fish foods?

Betta Fish can definitely eat frozen fish food. In fact adding frozen foods like bloodworms, daphnia, or mosquito larvae can have a major impact on your Bettas’ health, making your Betta brighter, more colorful, and more active in their aquarium.  Frozen foods bring essential additional nutrients to your Bettas diet.

Can Betta fish eat frozen fish foods?

There is an amazing array of different frozen fish foods on the market, and Betta fish can eat almost all of them.  In fact, the benefits of feeding Betta fish frozen foods are amazing.

Bettas are naturally carnivorous and as such, would eat many of the creatures in frozen foods in the wild.

I regularly feed my Bettas many of the following frozen foods;

Bloodworms

Bloodworms are a staple in my fish room. I probably feed my Bettas bloodworms at least 3 or 4 times each week, and sometimes it is more often than that.

Bloodworms are high in protein which is great for adding bulk to a Betta that is underweight or just needs fattening up a little.

Bloodworms also seem to be irresistible to Bettas, making them ideal if you have a new Betta that refuses to eat or a Betta that has decided to go on a brief hunger strike.

I also feed bloodworms to any of my Bettas that are recovering from treatment for a pest or disease.

I have a whole article dedicated to the question ‘Can Betta fish eat bloodworms?’

https://youtu.be/RsWntmA1z3c

Daphnia

Daphnia are small, waterborne, shelled crustaceans that are present in almost every waterway around the world, 

As daphnia are pretty much ever-present in rivers, streams, ponds, and lakes they are eaten by just about any and every fish in the hobby.

The main reason I feed daphnia to my Bettas is due to their ability to prevent constipation.  Daphnia shells have a laxative effect on Bettas which both help to keep the fish’s internal digestive system running freely, and can help the Betta pass a blockage if they are constipated.

Daphnia is readily eaten by my Bettas and makes an excellent addition to a Bettas diet.

I have written an article which discusses ‘Can Betta fish eat Daphnia?’

Mosquito Larvae

There are three different types of mosquito larvae available in frozen form, red, black, and white.  I have tried them all over the years and I don’t think there is any material difference between them.  My Bettas certainly don’t care which one I feed them.

The best thing about feeding Bettas frozen mosquito larvae is the fact that they float.  Bettas prefer to eat from the surface, and that is exactly where the mosquito larvae end up even after they defrost.

Cyclops

Cyclops are tiny little crustaceans that float around in the water column until they are eaten.

Generally, cyclops are fed to young Bettas and Betta fry that have tiny mouths, but adult Bettas will happily eat them too.

Mysis Shrimp

Mysis shrimp are small marine shrimp that can be up to an inch in length.  Unlike Brine shrimp, Mysis shrimp are high in nutrients and are a good source of protein for a Betta.

Mysis shrimp are a staple frozen food in the saltwater hobby, but they are perfectly acceptable to feed to Bettas.  

I feed my Bettas Mysis shrimp a couple of times a month usually, just to give them access to nutrients they wouldn’t otherwise have.

Brine Shrimp

Brine shrimp are one of the most commonly fed frozen foods. Adult Brine shrimp don’t offer a great deal in the way of nutrients, but they still make a great addition to a Bettas staple diet.

Like Daphnia, Brine shrimp have a laxative effect on Betta so are good for keeping them regular.  Brine shrimp are also good if your Betta has constipation.

Tubifex Worms

Tubifex worms aren’t fed to Bettas as often as some of the other frozen foods, primarily because they sink, meaning the Betta has to eat them off the substrate.

With Tubifex worms, there is a small risk they can introduce disease into a Betta tank due to the nature with which they are cultured.

https://youtu.be/Q1QVgNlT2mE

Is frozen food good for Bettas?

The simple answer is yes, frozen food is good for Betta fish. Bettas are carnivores, so feeding them frozen foods is as close as most of us can get to recreating their natural diet.

Frozen foods bring vitamins and nutrients to the Bettas that they can’t get from flake or pellet foods. Bettas thrive on a variety of foods, and frozen foods help provide that variety.

How often should Bettas be fed frozen foods?

Personally, I try to feed my Bettas frozen food (or a live equivalent) once every day, but feeding Bettas frozen food that frequently is not necessary.

I would recommend most Bettas would benefit from the addition of frozen foods in the diet two or three times a week.

If your Betta is being fed a good quality pellet food, the additional nutrients will just be a bonus for your Betta. If you are trying to get your Bettas into breeding conditions because you wish to spawn them, then they should definitely be fed frozen foods more often.

My final thoughts on ‘Can Betta fish eat frozen foods?’

Frozen foods make an invaluable addition to a Bettas diet.  Frozen foods bring extra nutrients to a Betta which enhance its color and improve its ability to fight off pests and diseases. 

I feed my Bettas a lot of frozen food and I believe they are essential to achieving a balanced diet.