Green pea, either fresh or frozen, is often used by betta keepers to alleviate mild constipation sometimes caused by flake, pellet or freeze dried fish foods. While it does little nutritionally for bettas, it is high in fiber and contains added moisture which often lacks from commercial dry fish food.
Serving Size: 1/4 – 1/2 Pea per Betta.
To prepare, take one pea and blanch it by dropping it into boiling water to soften it. After cooking for 30 seconds for fresh peas or 1 minute for frozen, remove and drop into ice cold water until cooled. Peal the skin away and feed a small portion of the inside to the betta.
To save time and keep things simple, I have found that using very hot tap water works fine too, however cooking time should be increased to two minutes or more depending on how hot your water is out of the faucet. Be sure the pea is fully cooled before feeding to your betta.
Pea can be used in moderation to treat mild bloating due to constipation or once per week to add fiber to your betta’s diet as a preventative measure. Most bettas will readily eat the pea but occasionally a individual fish won’t take it. Check back later this week for an article on alternative constipation treatments.