Summary of How to acclimate your betta fish when putting it in a new tank
- How long should you acclimate a betta fish?
- What does a stressed betta look like?
- How soon can I put my betta in his new tank?
- What happens if you don’t acclimate a betta fish?
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AI Overview
AI Overview
To acclimate a betta, first float its sealed bag in the new tank for 15-30 minutes for temperature equalization, then slowly drip or add small amounts of new tank water (1/2 cup every 5-10 mins) into the bag over 30-60 minutes to adjust pH/chemistry, and finally, net the fish into the tank, leaving the store water behind to prevent introducing contaminants. This gradual process minimizes shock from temperature and water chemistry changes, ensuring a healthier transition.
This video provides a step-by-step guide on how to acclimate your betta fish:
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thebettaboys1
TikTok · Jan 17, 2025
Step-by-Step Acclimation:
Prepare the Tank: Ensure your aquarium is fully cycled, heated (78-82°F), and treated with a water conditioner like Aquascape Art. Turn off the tank lights to reduce stress.
Temperature Acclimation (15-30 mins): Float the sealed bag (with the fish inside) in your aquarium for 15-30 minutes so the water temperature gradually matches the tank.
Water Chemistry Acclimation (30-60 mins):
Open the bag and gently roll down the top to create a pocket for air.
Add about half a cup of your tank’s water into the bag every 5-10 minutes, allowing it to mix.
Repeat this process until the bag is full or you’ve acclimated for 30-60 minutes.
Optional Drip Method: For more precise acclimation, use a siphon tube to create a slow drip (1-2 drops per second) of tank water into the bag.
Introduce the Fish:
Gently net your betta from the bag, careful not to scoop up the old water.
Place the fish into the new tank. Do NOT pour the bag water into your aquarium.
Post-Acclimation: Keep the tank lights off for a few hours. Avoid feeding for the first 24 hours to let the fish settle in.
Key Tips:
Never mix bag water with tank water: unless you’re drip acclimating, as it can contain harmful ammonia or diseases.
Be gentle and patient; acclimation reduces stress, which prevents illness.
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Donât drop it straight in!
When adding a new betta to an aquarium, itâs always best to acclimate it first. Simply adding the fish straight from the transportation bag to the aquarium without acclimating it can be a big risk. The sudden change of water and temperature can stress the betta and shock its body.
Fish can stress a little anyway when being added to a new aquarium as they are in a new environment, a new home and, for a betta, a new territory. You therefore want to reduce any other stress as much as possible, and the smoother the transition, the easier it will be on the betta.
Letâs have a look at how to put a betta fish in a new tank with minimal stress, and how to make it feel at home more easily.
What is acclimation?
Acclimation is the process of slowly adding the betta to the aquarium from the transportation bag or container. This allows it to gradually adjust to the water temperature and conditions.
See a video of us Acclimating A Betta
Our Bettaboxx Premium membership includes a video course where we show you how to set up a betta tank from start to finish.
The course includes a video demonstration of acclimating a betta whilst adding it to a new tank.
You can find out more about our premium membership here.
How to acclimate
Itâs easy!
1. Untie the knot/rubber band that has been used to seal your transportation bag. With the betta still inside it, sit the transportation bag in the aquarium water. Make sure the top of the bag breaches the surface so that water doesnât flow into it from the aquarium. You may need to hold the bag yourself during the acclimation process, or you can sometimes hook the top of the bag over the side of the aquarium to keep it stable.
2. Add about 150ml of your aquarium water to the bag/every 5 to 10 minutes. Do this for about 25 to 30 minutes and then release the fish into the aquarium.
âNote: If your fish has been transported in a plastic container, you can still follow the instructions from step 2 above, but with the container stood next to the aquarium instead. You simply add the water to the holding container, instead of the bag.
If itâs the case that the transportation container isnât big enough to follow the steps above, either reduce the amount of water added every 5 to 10 minutes (to 100 ml, for example) or if itâs a really small container, transfer the fish to a larger container for the acclimation process. Make sure the container is clean, has not been previously used as a container for cleaning products, and is thoroughly rinsed with a bit of aquarium water or fresh water before adding the fish.
A quick note on fish transportation bags:
âTransport bags tend to be a clear plastic bag, with a length three times the width of the bag.
In any professional aquatics store, about 30 percent of the bag will be filled with water, the betta will be placed in the bag, and the remainder of the bag will be used to tie a knot, securely creating an airtight environment for the fish.
In the UK (where Bettaboxx is based) bettas will nearly always be sold, both in-store and online, in these standard aquarium bags. We understand that this isnât always the case in other countries. In fact, in some cases bettas can be delivered and transported inhumanely. This has been recognised by many passionate hobbyists and we will help to fight against the ways these animals are sometimes kept and transported in poor conditions.
These transportation bags on Amazon are a good example of bags that you can use for acclimation if you are moving a betta to a new tank.