- Introducing and Caring for your New Betta
Before I send out my Bettas they are kept without food for 24 hours, This will ensure that there is minimum waste deposited in the bag. All of my Bettas are kept in water to which has been added an Almond leaf. Although this turns the water slightly brown I believe that the leaves are essential for a Bettas health and so I will provide you with a complimentary Almond leaf. The leaf is normally found in between the cardboard and polysterene. You should use half a leaf per 10 gallons of water. Even if you do not wish to have leaves in your tank i strongly suggest that you add the leaf on arrival as it will aid your bettas recovery form the journey. If you want you can then remove the leaf after a few weeks and the staining can be removed with partial water changes over a period of time.
If you are going to keep other fish with your Bettas i strongly advise that your you ensure that you have healthy fish before you introduce your Betta. Your Betta has been jarred probably for the previous two months and so could be susceptible to diseases which your fish may have but are immune to. Some buyers of my Bettas have reported that their fish have been much more active when there are other fish in the tank. I am currently working with various strains of fancy guppies which i hope to provide with your Bettas so that you are ensured disease free tank mates.
When you recieve your Betta you should place him in a container with the water that he has arrived in. My water is drawn directly from my tap, aged 24 hours and then added to my Betta tanks. It is quite hard and the Ph is relatively high at around 7.8. If your water is greatly different to this then I would suggest that you add your water very slowly to the water that the Betta is in. Once you have 4 times the amount of water than was in the bag then it is safe to add your fish to its new tank.
Unfortunately, sometimes Bettas will bite their tails in the bag, their is nothing you or I can do to prevent this its just something they do. If your Betta should arrive having bitten their finnage please use the Almond leaf that I have put in. This will help keep any infections back and are a great way of keeping your Bettas healthy. I also recommend that you add 1 table spoon of Aquarium tonic salt to each 5 gallons of water. Your males fins will grow back after time providing you have good water quality.
It may take some time for him/her to liven up so be patient. The colours may not be exactly like the photo as they will have lost colour whilst in the bag and this will return once the fish has settled in. When photgraphed I do not use a flash, preffering to use a bulb to light them from the front. The colours may not match that of the photo depending upon how your tank is lit. It is also highly likely that ourBettas colours will richen up as he settls down. After imorting Bettas i have had them completly change colour between the photographing and settling in perod so be prepared for this.
If you keep your Betta on its own then you will need to give it some form of stimulation and the ability to exercise its fins. Use a mirror for several hours per day so that the fish flares at his own reflection thinking that it is another male.Tthis excercise is essential so that he is able to maintain the muscle strength to hold his finnage spread out.
Your Betta will have been fed on a mixture of Daphnia, flake food, BBS,bloodworm and White worm. I have a selection of foods including Betta pro which can be purchased from my website @ Shop
If you wish to purchase Almond leaves or whiteworm cultures you can do so from my website.
Some of the Bettas that I have for sale are imported and others are bred by myself. I cannot gaurantee the age of any imported Bettas but I can gaurantee the age of those that I have bred.
If your Betta does not reach your expectations please let me know why. My aim is to provide the best possible Bettas so polite feedback is always gratefully accepted. If their is a problem I would rather sort it out amicably and am always ready to give advice when asked. You can check out some of the feedback i have received at Feedback
Please read my Policies page for further information and in case you have a problem with your Betta.
