Preparation for Your Betta
When the bettas arrive, they will be very stressed. You must try to do everything you can to reduce the stress and nothing to increase it.
Don't put 2 male bettas in the same tank or container, they are very territorial, and will fight. Although they may not kill each other, injuries resulting from the fight may be enough to kill the fish. Most female bettas are less territorial and can be kept with other females.
Getting The Fish:
- When you receive the fish, open the box. Never open the box in direct light to avoid shock after being in darkness for some time.
- Look at your fish. Are they alive? If they don’t appear to be follow the remaining steps anyway. They may just be in intense shock, lowering the ammonia and raising the temperature may bring them back.
- Add dechlorinator and ammonia neutralizer to the water. There will be ammonia in the water and the fish won’t be happy about it.
- Check the temperature. If the temperature is too low set the bags in warm water (95-110ºF). Monitor the temperature. The ideal temperature is 80ºF, but bettas can live comfortably at room temperature in tap water. Do not add water directly to the fishes' bag.
- Don’t feed them (yet) they are not going to be hungry. Any food given to them will just spoil the water. Wait until tomorrow.
If Placing in a Established Tank:
- Never put your new fish directly into the tank!
- Turn off the aquarium light on the tank.
- Float the sealed bag in the aquarium for 15-20 minutes to equalize temperature.
- Open the bag and add 1 cup of aquarium water to the bag, wait 5 minutes and repeat until bag is full.
- Net the betta and release into the aquarium.
- Discard bag and any water in the bag. You should not add any of the shipping water to your aquarium.
- Once acclimated, leave the lights off for a couple hours to protect the betta from aggressive behavior from fish already established in the tank.
If something went wrong in shipment and your betta arrived dead just send them back to us and we will replace the fish or refund your money. If the box looks banged up, then have the driver note this on delivery, they are not insured unless the box is damaged. All we ask is that you call within 24 hrs. and within a few days mail (third class is fine) back the dead fish.
To send dead fish back:
- Dry the fish out by covering them with a few cups of salt for 3 days.
- Seal them in a plastic bag.
- Package them in a box.
- Send them back.
