The purpose of this study was to determine how an ornamental fish, such as the fighting fish, Betta splendens would respond to the use of freshwater live-prey, such as rotifers Brachionus calyciflorus and water fleas Moina macrocopa. Ingested quantity, digestive velocity and somatic growth were compared between larvae fed a freshwater rotifer and those fed boiled yolk. Food efficiency and somatic growth were compared between larvae that were fed freshwater water fleas and those fed a micro-diet developed for flounder ($250{mu}m$, I-hwa Ltd.). The number of rotifers ingested by larvae reached a maximum of 191 per day. However, based on the number ingested per hour and the digestive velocity of consumed rotifers, the maximum ingestible and digestible number of rotifers was calculated to be 272 per day. A maximum of 67 individuals (mean, 49.8 individuals) could be completely digested within the 1-h period from 90 to 180 min after feeding. Somatic growth was enhanced in larvae that were fed rotifers compared to those fed boiled yolk. Larvae exhibited greater growth at rotifer densities of 30 and 40 per mL than at lower densities. Among the water-flea (M. macrocopa and Bosmina sp.) and micro-particle diets, feeding with M. macrocopa resulted in the greatest somatic growth of larvae during the water-flea feeding stage.