I've had a betta for about a year, and when I first got him he would always start freaking out when I got near the tank. I used to alternate between feeding him pellets and flakes, and every week I would skip one feeding to keep him from getting bloated.

Well, now whenever I feed him, he looks around to eat but doesn't look up, and he can't eat. It's gotten to the point where I can only feed him flakes as I can flick a lot into the water, and then when they start to sink he can get a few bites. He used to love pellets but can't find them anymore.

Is there a reason as to why he wouldn't look up to get the food or is he just being stupid? I always have the light on when he's eating but maybe he would look up if I left the light off? Is there a way to re-train him?

Thanks for your help!
Oh, he's a lone male betta in a filtered, heated, and lighted 5 gallon tank.