Betta Fish Spitting Out Food: 10 Common Causes and Effective Solutions

Is your betta fish spitting out food? It means taking food in the mouth and spitting it. Are you worried about such behavior? Wondering why he is doing this.

There are many reasons why betta fish spit out their food. In this post, we will discuss why betta fish spit food. And what do you do if your Betta fish behaves like this?

Why do betta fish do this, is it their normal behavior or is it a sign of illness, if you want to know about that, then read this post carefully till the end. Hopefully by the end of reading you will know some unknown facts and be able to give your betta fish a beautiful and healthy life.

Why is my betta fish spitting out food?

The main task of a good betta owner is to observe the betta fish closely daily. When your betta fish spits out the food, notice if your fish is active and has any difficulty swimming.
If this is the case, as your betta fish becomes inactive and has difficulty maintaining body balance, consult a veterinarian as soon as possible.

If your betta fish is healthy, active, and swimming usually then there is no cause for concern. You can bring your betta fish back to normal at home by following a few rules.

Improper Food Type The Food Is Too Big for Betta

If the food you give the betta fish is too big and difficult for the fish to eat, the betta fish will take it in its mouth and spit it out again. This is the main cause of betta fish spitting food. By doing this the betta fish tries to break the food into small pieces. If so, there is no reason to worry. Change the food and notice if the betta fish still spits out the food.

Your betta may have a digestive issue

Another cause of betta spitting food is digestive problems. Betta fish, like humans, can sometimes have digestive issues. Then betta fish does not want to eat food. Notice if your betta fish has a bloated belly and if it is passing stools regularly. If this problem exists then it can be assumed that your betta fish is suffering from constipation.

Constipation Signs and Symptoms in Betta Fish

If a fish does not defecate regularly or stops defecating for a few days, it means it is suffering from constipation. You won’t see feces in a fish tank. Constipation causes the belly of the fish to swell.

Due to the long-term suspension of defecation, high pressure is created in the fish’s bladder and other organs. As a result, it becomes difficult for fish to swim and maintain body balance. Many times it is seen that the fish is swimming on its side or the opposite side. This means he is experiencing high pressure in his bladder. And thus by swimming, he is trying to reduce his stress.

What Causes Constipation in Betta Fish?

Overfeeding is the main cause of constipation in betta fish. Betta fish are very greedy about food. Even if their stomachs are full, they don’t stop eating.

When betta fish are fed more food than they can digest, their digestive system becomes overloaded. Which results in constipation. Fish should never be overfed to avoid constipation.
Betta fish should be fed twice a day at 12-hour intervals. 3-4 pellets or 1-2 bloodworms can be fed at a time, not more.

How to Cure Constipation in Bettas?

The first treatment for constipation in betta fish is to fast them for 48 hours. Then feed the Betta fish a high-fiber diet. A shelled pea can be given. It is high in fiber. It is a great muscle relaxant.

If this does not work then Epsom salts can be used. Epsom salt is also a muscle relaxant. Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon Epsom salt in 3 gallons of water in a tank. Keep your betta fish in this water for 2/3 days. Hopefully, your betta fish will get rid of the constipation problem.

Betta fish can also be fed daphnia. It is a high-fiber food, which is an effective remedy for constipation.

How To Prevent Constipation In Bettas

There is a common saying, prevention is better than cure. Fast your betta fish for 24-48 hours every 10-15 days to prevent constipation. This is good for their health. Betta fish can survive without food for days in the wild.

Never overfeed betta fish. The belly of a betta fish is very small, about the same size as its eyes. From this, you can get an idea of how much food the betta fish should be fed.

Add variety to the betta fish diet. Betta fish should not always be fed high-quality pellets. Feed him live food occasionally. Live food such as bloodworms, mosquito larvae, and daphnia are beneficial to keep their digestive system healthy.

The more betta fish swim and move around, the healthier they will be. That’s why you should keep your betta fish in a tank that has plenty of room to swim and move around. Betta fish should be kept in a tank of at least 5 gallons.

Parasite

Another common cause of betta fish spitting food is that your betta fish has a parasite infection in its stomach. This seriously damages your betta fish’s digestive system. It reduces its ability to digest food.
If you suspect that your baitfish has a stomach parasite, first quarantine it in a separate tank. Consult an expert veterinarian.
It is better not to treat this disease yourself.

Your betta fish is sick

Is your betta fish always sitting at the bottom of the tank? He has been doing this for days. Then maybe your betta fish is sick. During this time the fish will not eat anything under the condition of being hungry. In this case, it is necessary to consult a veterinarian very quickly.

Your Betta Fish Is a Juvenile

Sometimes betta fish spit out food just for fun. Juvenile betta fish in particular do this. A betta fish is called juvenile if it is less than two years old. However, young bettas are more active and aggressive than adult fish. However, it should be taken care that the betta fish is healthy. They are swimming and moving around the tank. If so then there is no reason to worry

Your Betta Fish Is Overfed

Betta fish has a small stomach but a large appetite. They will eat whatever food you give them and at least try the food.
Now if you suddenly notice that betta fish is spitting food it means that their stomach is full. There is no place to put food.
Overfeeding is harmful to any animal, including betta fish. So be careful about overfeeding your beloved betta fish.

The betta fish does not like the food so it may spit the food

The betta fish may not like the food you are giving them. He may not like the taste and smell of the food. So he takes the food in his mouth and spits it out again. If this happens, you may need to change their diet.

Betta fish are not in a good mood

Betta fish are known to be active and playful fish. They always love to have fun and play. However, like humans, their moods may not always be the same. It is often due to stress. In this condition he will not want to eat anything. But this happens very rarely. There is no reason to worry. After some time it gets fixed.

Tank water quality is not good

Betta fish may spit out food if tank water quality deteriorates. If the water is not changed on time, the water in the tank will deteriorate. Living in bad water is bad for fish. The water in any fish tank should always be clean, sterile, and chemical-free.
So, always try to keep the tank water clean. It is an essential condition for the health of any fish.

Betta fish misidentify food

Another reason betta fish spit out food is the misidentification of food. A betta fish can sometimes act stupid or deliberately choose not to eat any food.
If your betta does not want to eat any food, remove the food from the tank after 10-15 minutes. Because this food accumulates under the tank and rots and pollutes the tank water.
Alternatively feed the betta fish with some live food such as brine shrimp, and mosquito larvae. But this problem is temporary. When your betta fish is hungry, it will look for food and start eating.

Final Words

The health of betta fish depends on the quality of their food and tank water. If you want to give your betta fish a beautiful and happy life, be careful of two things. First of all, take care of their food. Do not underfeed or overfeed them. Keep variety in their diet. Feed them pellets, flakes, dry food as well as live food occasionally. Remember to fast your betta fish every 10-15 days.
Also, keep the tank water clean always. It is an essential condition for the health of any fish
If you want to know more about this, write in the comment box below.

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