# Introducing a Betta to a Tank



## BettaMan (Oct 3, 2010)

Hey guys, so as few of you know my first Betta fish Fusion passed away yesterday. :-( So I am going out to the pet store today to start again.

I have my tank all set up and everything. I'm just not sure what's the best way to introduce a new Betta into his/her tank.

Thanks

Also, here is a picture of my new tank.  It's a 2.5 gallon Mini Bow.

BettaMan


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## TurquoiseBetta (Sep 19, 2010)

Hey BettaMan! That looks like a really nice tank for your new betta. Here's one way to start acclimating your new betta. 

- place your betta in a container (gently pour it into a container from the plastic bag that it came in, or keep it in it's original container if it came in one)

- slowly pour out about 1/4 of the water in the container and replace it with tank water. 

- after about 5-10 minutes, do this again, but take out a little bit more water this time.

- do this every 5-10 minutes a few times.

- Finally, net your betta into its new tank - I believe this is a bit better than pouring it into it's new tank, because if the water it came in was unhealthy for it, that might get poured into the tank with the betta.

I hope this helps! This is the way I acclimate my new bettas!


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## BettaMan (Oct 3, 2010)

Thank you so much!

I'll post a picture once I get my new Betta.


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## Lion Mom (Jun 14, 2010)

TurquoiseBetta said:


> Hey BettaMan! That looks like a really nice tank for your new betta. Here's one way to start acclimating your new betta.
> 
> - place your betta in a container (gently pour it into a container from the plastic bag that it came in, or keep it in it's original container if it came in one)
> 
> ...


The only thing I would add to this is to float his bag/container in the tank for about 15 minutes to equalize the temp. Also, I don't personally net them to put them in the tank. By the time I am done draining off old water & adding the new water from the tank, I don't believe there is any old water left - but that's just me. 

Sorry about your first guy!!!


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## TurquoiseBetta (Sep 19, 2010)

Lion Mom

oops, forgot the floating the bag. But I suppose if you have the betta in a container and add water from the tank, that does equalize the temperature, doesn't it? But each to his own!


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## iluvmyfish98 (Nov 28, 2010)

thts a cool tank my 2 bettas dont have anything in there tank but rocks and a divider is tht ok?


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

iluvmyfish98 said:


> thts a cool tank my 2 bettas dont have anything in there tank but rocks and a divider is tht ok?


 How big is your tank? You want your betta to have some hiding place so that they can hide whenever they feel uncomfortable.


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## NikiandBeyond (Nov 26, 2010)

I myself introduced a fish yesterday that I thought for sure would thrive. The tank had been "set-up" for two days. I used conditioner and cycle liquid (try as I might, I just didn't understand the cycle process, how long it takes, etc. I admit to cutting corners with the testing kit, and I was surely impatient). I acclimated him very slowly. I let his container float for 30 minutes before doing water exchanges (pouring some of his container water out and replacing it with tank water). I did this every ten minutes for an hour. He seemed to be doing well when I finally got him into the tank. I waited another 20 minutes to make sure he was okay before going out. The heater was set to a nice thermometer verified 79 degrees and his was curious and active.

Yesterday, I got back 5 hours later, and I could immediately tell that something wasn't right. Casper was lethargic, lost the life in his eyes, and wasn't swimming _well_. He's a HM, and his dorsal fin was limp, and he kinda hung his body down diagonally (think like a 25-30 degree angle). He could swim well enough, I guess. Definitely not on the brink of death... It seemed more like he was weak? Exhausted? In shock? My filter, even on its lowest flow setting, seemed to mildly pin him at the bottom of the tank (which is a 4.65 gallon tank). He would go back and forth between floating/swimming in a corner at the top of the tank, or laying with a slight wobble in the corner with the heater at the bottom of the tank. I turned off the filter to make getting air easier on him.

New tank syndrome?I rushed to Petsmart (the closest place with a decent selection). I tried to find the most knowledgeable employee I could, and I got Prime and Bacterial Supplement. I suspect that the original cycle liquid I got was dead.

So this morning, he was perkier but still a far cry from the energetic and interactive fish he was in the cold and stale cup :sad:.... The water was somewhat milky/cloudy, which I learned was from the bacterial bloom. I read that it this isn't unsafe, but read that the bacteria depletes DO. So, I did a 25% water change to keep any toxic concentrations down (I can't imagine that they had accumulated to dangerous levels in only 5 hours) and raise the DO.

Casper lives at my bf's, so I won't see him until tomorrow night and my bf won't be home from work until about 11 pm tonight (CT). In the event that Casper isn't dead, and he is continuing to improve, should I turn the filter back on to help with the oxygen levels in the tank? Yes, I'll get a test kit for when I go back over tomorrow.

Oh and after numerous attempts, he hasn't been remotely interested in food since being introduced to the tank. I do take uneaten food out.


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## BettaMan (Oct 3, 2010)

I'm really sorry about Casper. I hope he gets better. 

So I put my new Betta into my tank. He is a beautiful Halfmoon Double Tail.

I decided to name him Frosty because of his tail.

<------------ Frosty is in my avatar.


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## TurquoiseBetta (Sep 19, 2010)

Frosty's beautiful! Have fun with him!!
Did my tips help??


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## NikiandBeyond (Nov 26, 2010)

Frosty is very handsome! How is he adjusting?


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## BettaMan (Oct 3, 2010)

TurquoiseBetta said:


> Frosty's beautiful! Have fun with him!!
> Did my tips help??


Defiantly! I was reading them as I was taking care of Frosty.


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## BettaMan (Oct 3, 2010)

NikiandBeyond said:


> Frosty is very handsome! How is he adjusting?


He's doing great. He's swimming around and doesn't seem to have a problem with his new habitat. :-D


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