Never feed garlic to your fish, as even small amounts could be too potent for them. You can water down its effect by providing them with a tiny little bit of juice, which is all you need to do. Overeating garlic can make people sick, and it also applies to fish. It would be best to avoid feeding even a tiny amount to your betta fish.
Even if your fish has been sick, garlic juice can help it get better. It can support various things, such as fighting infections and parasites and boosting its immune system. It can also help a betta by preventing it from ripping its fins.
For more facts and figures, see our Betta Fish Knowledge Page.
Can Betta Fish Eat Garlic?
Generally, betta fish should not eat garlic. However, it only applies to the garlic chunks themselves. You can feed garlic safely through the tad bit amount of its juice.
Even if your fish doesn’t feel like eating, garlic can help nourish them by increasing their appetite. It can also help them eat the medicine that’s in their diet. It is because garlic can help ensure that the fish eat the mixture when combined with other ingredients.
Table of Contents
Step 1: Get a Small Garlic Clove
Garlic is a necessity in everyones’ kitchens, and you have this ingredient for sure. Get one clove and make sure that you wash it thoroughly, especially when you got it from a basket filled with other things.
Step 2: Prep the Garlic Clove
You can now prep the garlic clove by peeling the casing and wiping off any dirt stuck to it. In your small bowl, you can slice it using a sharp knife and let it sit for a few seconds.
Step 3: Soak the Clove
Roll it around cloves to ensure the fish’s food is thoroughly absorbed. It’s like dipping or rolling the fish food in the juice of the garlic clove. As mentioned above, feeding garlic directly to your betta fish is going to hurt it because of the potent smell and taste of the garlic.
Step 4: Feed Your Fish
Feed your fish one or two small pieces of food at a time. The juice from these will help them sink quickly, which means they will not be able to get all of them. Unless your betta eats the food immediately after sprinkling it in its aquarium, it will most likely sink before it can get all of it. Similar to the Cucumber betta fish feeding method.
Garlic for a Sick Betta Fish
Unlike other anti-parasite drugs, garlic does not contain harmful chemicals. It can stimulate the appetite and feeding of fish, making them more appealing to different types of fish. We use seaweed extract to make it taste like garlic, which helps attract other fish not used to eating seaweed.
A combination of garlic and seaweed can be an effective weapon against various fish diseases. Not only can it help prevent these parasites from infecting the fish, but it can also provide them with a boost in nutrients. Seaweed has more bio-available nutrients, which can help boost the fish’s nutrition.
How to Add Garlic to Your Betta Fish’s Food?
Prepare the garlic cloves by carefully peeling them. You will need around 1 pound of garlic extract for every pound of garlic.
Prepare the garlic by pressing them into a food processor. Once the juice is visible, add the liquid, and then strain through a fine mesh. You can then add the extracted liquid to your fish food. Allicin supplements should contain evident Allicin content.
If you plan on using garlic extract in a fish food recipe, you can dilute it in olive oil. However, if you prepare the fish food in advance, you might want to add a bit of dechlorinated water to prevent an oil slick on the water’s surface.