'Betta Fish - Can Just a Peace Lilly Support their Food Needs?'

KateyBate (66.227.233.47) -

The kids keep bugging me to get a betta fish, because their school has one that lives in the office. It's in a small vase and just has a peace lilly in the top of it with roots exposed. Is that all I would really need to feed a betta?

Comment #1 MissyG (64.136.27.228) -

Absolutely NOT! Bettas do not eat houseplant roots. Well, they do nibble on them, but only because they are being starved. Also, bettas in the wild live in flooded rice paddies and other slow moving, but vast, water. Sticking it in a tiny vase or cup is abuse. Yeah, yeah, its just a fish, but I think a pet owner has a responsibility to take care of their pet - whatever it is - the correct way.

Comment #2 Don (65.32.250.87) -

i dont think a peace lilly helps a betta fishes health seems he just likes to "hide out" in the roots sometimes. I've heard people say the plant lives on the bettas excretment and the betta uses the oxygen from the plant Anybody Know for sure?? Thanks

Comment #3 Bill (152.163.38.140) -

There is frequently much confusion in terminology regarding these fishes. B. splendens is frequently sold in the United States simply as "betta", and fish fanciers are often unaware that, as of 2006, around 65 species are classified in the genus Betta. A further source of confusion is that while the generic name Betta is italicized and capitalized, when used as a common name it is usually not capitalized;[4] the common name of Betta pugnax, for example, is thus Penang betta.

Wikipedia has a lot to say but nothing about the lily roots

Comment #4 Courtney from Amarillo, Texas, USA!! -

I have a beta and I feed it these little brown pellets that cost like 2.00 for a little plastic container of them. They will last forever. I have never heard of a beta eating lily roots, thats new to me.

Comment #5 Laura (72.89.239.48) -

I had a fighting fish for 2 years who lived happily on the roots of a peace lily along with a 1-to-2-time a week supplement of food. The plant did very well too, it was a great arrangement.

Comment #6 lily from deep south -

I am surprised your beta lived on nothing but the roots. Mine eat the special beta food and seem to do really well. He even makes the bubble "nest" so I guess he is happy.

Comment #7 snakelover from ask me -

Betta Fish (fighting fish) or Betta splendens (scientific name)do not eat plant matter and cannot survive on the roots of a plant. They can eat dry "betta" food or live goods like blood worms. Here is a fact sheet on betta diet.

• What do bettas eat?

Comment #8 Gobby (66.196.240.205) -

I'm starting a Science Fair Project that deals with the diets of three Betta fish. One of the fish will be feeding off of a Peace Lily Plant, and I was told that it was fine by a family member. My family member said that all they had in the bowl was a Peace Lily Plant, and it lived for a long time. So are you sure that I have to feed it. I'm wondering if that would mess up my project?! I'll just ask a pet store employee that works in the fish department when I go and get my Peace Lily Plant and other fish needs today.

Thanks a Bunch,

Gobby

Comment #9 Jenna (4.143.26.40) -

Im might be getting a betta fish soon and if i get it im going to feed it hikari betta fish food. its like little round balls of food and bettas luv it. i know that because my friend has one and she feeds him that and he luvs it. if you want to breed them then you should feed them brine shrimp. its live food and it makes them happy and then theyre in the mood.

Comment #10 sammie (220.237.46.5) -

bettas are MEAT eating fish and feeding only plants will slowly but surely starve your fish to death, a cruel and pointless life and it "just" being a fish is no excuse for such disregard too an animals welfare

Comment #11 Mickenzy Zamboni (163.6.198.10) -

That is so nise of u to say that i wish i would of said that.

P.s good job

Comment #12 DJ Kendall (69.138.143.186) -

Beta Fish are not supposed to be fed only one a week, they are supposed to be fed once a day. You people know nothing about beta care. Beatas are CARNIVOROUS, they only eat roots because you people are STARVING them. You are also supposed to change half of the water out ONCE A WEEK if you are cruel enough to put them in a small flower pot. DON't DISREGARD YOUR FISH'S WELFARE.

Comment #13 Tami (70.246.76.166) -

Thanks to all for the info. I just bought my daughter a betta fish in a glass vase with a peace lilly. We haven't had the fish for an hour and it is dead. Now after reading your comments, I think it did starve, but not in my care. They told me the fish lives and eats the peace lilly, which I see now, is not true!!! I had a betta fish 10 years ago and I know I did feed that betta and it lived for about three years, at least more than an hour. I feel sorry for the poor fish!! Thanks again for the facts.

Comment #14 ari (74.232.243.224) -

Yeahh, well i had a beta fish, and that peace lilly hepled it live. That is not the only thing that we gave it, but yes we did give him pelletes aswell, but my dad got him along with a whole bunch of people at his job, it was a present, and while most of them died within a year, ours lived for two years. We just got one today, and my dad was wondering where we could get that plant, because he thought that it did indeed help its living environment.

Comment #15 Jim (24.231.160.8) - Wed Apr 23 23:30:43 2008

Ok.

NO, betta splendens do NOT eat the lilly's roots.

Bettas are carnivores(insectivores to be mroe specific)

A vase in any case is cruel to the fish itself.

Two years? you know they can life 5+ if taken care of properly, right?

Betta+lilly+vase= Big nono to any fishkeeper/hobbyist.

Comment #16 jim (24.231.160.8) - Wed Apr 23 23:32:53 2008

ps: check out ultimatebettas.com

in the forum there is a large stapled post about many of the falsehoods these poor fish have advertised about them, including the vase+lily BS.

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