Care guide
Betta care & acclimation, explained simply
Everything a first-time betta keeper needs: the right tank setup, how to cycle it, how to move your fish in safely, and the weekly routine that keeps them thriving. If anything here is unclear, message us — we answer every question, buyer or not.
1. Tank setup
- Tank size
- A single betta needs 19 litres (5 gallons) or more. Bowls and nano cubes under 10 litres swing in temperature and pollute fast.
- Heater
- Bettas are tropical. Keep the water at 24–27°C with an adjustable heater — UK room temperature is too cold and cold bettas stop eating.
- Filter
- A gentle sponge or low-flow filter. Strong current exhausts long-finned bettas; baffle the outflow if you see them pushed around.
- Plants & cover
- Live or silk plants, a floating leaf and a cave. Avoid hard plastic plants — they tear fins.
- Lighting
- 8–10 hours a day on a timer, with darkness at night so your betta can rest.
2. Cycling your tank
Cycling grows the bacteria that turn fish waste into harmless nitrate. Skipping it is the single most common reason new bettas get ill.
- 1Fill the tank, add dechlorinator, plants and your filter, and switch on the heater.
- 2Add an ammonia source — bottled ammonia to 2–3 ppm, or a pinch of fish food every other day.
- 3Test with a liquid test kit. Ammonia rises first, then nitrite appears as bacteria grow.
- 4Wait until both ammonia and nitrite read 0 ppm within 24 hours of dosing, with nitrate present.
- 5Do a 50% water change, match the temperature, and the tank is ready. This usually takes 3–6 weeks.
Not cycled yet? Reserve your betta anyway — we hold it free of charge for up to three weeks and send you photo updates while you finish.
3. Acclimating your betta
Transferring a betta into a new tank is about matching temperature and water chemistry slowly. Take 45 minutes over it.
1. Lights off
Turn the tank light off and keep the room quiet. Less stress means a faster settle-in.
2. Float the bag
Float the sealed bag or cup on the surface for 20 minutes so the temperatures match.
3. Drip or add slowly
Open the bag and add 60 ml of tank water every 5 minutes for 30–45 minutes so pH and hardness change gradually.
4. Net, don't pour
Gently net the betta into the tank and discard the transport water — never pour it in.
5. Leave them be
No food for the first 24 hours. Expect hiding or pale colour on day one; it passes.
4. Weekly routine
- 25–30% water change weekly with dechlorinated, temperature-matched water.
- Feed 2–4 quality pellets once or twice a day; fast one day a week to avoid bloating.
- Test ammonia, nitrite and nitrate weekly for the first two months.
- Rinse filter media in old tank water, never under the tap.
- Watch for clamped fins, white spots or lethargy and message us early — most issues are easy to fix at the start.
Looking for your first betta?
See the bettas we have for sale in London, or ask us anything first.