Is there a way to feed a snail without his betta tankmate eating most of it?

**cideon** · 03-04-2011, 09:04 AM

This regards my very 'hungry' betta, Radar, and Colonel Blake, the mystery snail. Radar keeps eating the algae wafer pieces I toss in for Blake. Yes, there'a few scraps Blake can eat, so he's not starving. But this betta is eating WAY too much to be healthy, his little belly even gets bigger!

I tried buying a small PVC joint, thinking I could put the wafer in the middle, where Radar would not be able to do a headstand like he usually does everywhere else. He outsmarted me, and twisted sideways to take bites. Eventually, he also managed to shove it out of the PVC pipe and just enjoy in the open [strike]air[/strike] water.

Is there any way to fed Blake, but not Radar? Or will I have to move the snail somewhere else so that Radar doesn't die of eating (and excreting) too much? PLus, I don't think the heavy plant diet is good for him on its own accord, when he gets two different brands of betta pellets, and bloodworms every so often.

**Sasquatch** · 03-04-2011, 11:32 AM

Have you tried directly feeding veggies. He may be a betta, but I don't think he'd eat lettuce or cucumber. All you need to do is find a way to get the veggies to sink so that the snail can get at them more easily.

**korith** · 03-04-2011, 04:25 PM

Crush the algae into smaller pieces, or even a powder, the snail will get to it and the betta won't then.

**nmb7895** · 03-04-2011, 04:32 PM

Since algae wafers contain some shrimp meat in it, the betta is probably going after it because of that. At least that's why I think mine is.

The betta probably won't attack veggies. Mine takes nips at it, and if it's a veggie she eats, she'll rip it to shreds (like brocoli), but I've never seen her both with Kale or Spinach. I think those look too much like regular plants for the betta to care.