HELP! Betta gorging herself like crazy

[volvodriver]

Hey guys,

Last night i decided to introduce my female CT into my 3ft community tank, she's looking very happy and nobody else is having any problems with their new tankmate, but tonight i came across a problem. Feeding time came and i put a chunk of frozen bloodworms in as i do normally, while the rest of the community sort of nip at it occasionally, and over a matter or a minute or so reduce it to nothing. But the Ophelia (the betta) sits there gorging herself and won't stop eating! I ended up resorting to putting my hand and blocking her from the food while the others finished it off, this solved the problem (when she wasn't darting past me for a dash at the food) but what do i do in the future?

Also been busy re-scaping the tank today, photos will follow soon

Cheers,

Paul.

[Bec]

LOL crown tails ... My avatar was in a tank with a BN and some neons and I had the same problem with him. Just chases of all the other fish and guts' himself and the others miss out unless you put in heaps. In the end we removed the others as it was just easier.

Can you put in a temporary partition and trap him in a corner for half an hour or so (maybe a piece of glass?)

Bec

[Yanagi]

I defrost frozen foods in a plastic cup, get a fair amount of tank water in the cup and then start pouring it in from one end to the other 2+ times depending on how much food there is, how many fish there are and whether or not they had something to eat earlier, that way fish who weren't paying attention the first time around get a second or even third chance.

[paul]

Try defrosting first then distributing the blood worms throughout the tank. She can't be all places at once and the other fish will get a chance to gobble some down.

Oops. Had the web page open from last night and replied today. Didn't see yan had already said the same thing 'til just now

[Sarah]

I had the same problem. I tried netting him at fed time, and it worked once, but the next night he knew it was coming so he swam. Smarty.

In the end I had to remove him. It was just too much trouble. <_<

[volvodriver]

Success! for now....

I defrosted the food and fed the first couple near her, then when she was interested, fed some over the other side where most of the other fish were, by the time she started heading over there, they'd almost finished off that part, went over the other side again and the others got most of it because their much faster.

I wasn't so much worried about them not getting their fill as they all seemed to get enough both times, it was more of a worry of her over-eating as bettas seem to like to do. I think last night she thought christmas had come and it was an all you can eat buffet.

Seems i've just got to stay one step ahead of her and make her work for it.

The plan was the put a few female bettas in the tank, but it looks like i may have to look into getting another tank to set up as a sorority tank.

[delyall]

I have this problem too, but with a pakistani loach.. it in a 4ft tank so netting him at feed time wont be easy Even if I distribute the pellets all through the tank, this guy eats until his stomach is visibly bloated.. Its worrying me, Im not certain the BNs, loaches and cories are getting enough food cause this guy seems to eat so much.

I dont mean to 'steal' this thread.. it just its the same sorta issue, seems silly to make another post

Im glad youve seemed to have fixed your troubles 'volvodriver' Lets hope it continues to work :P