🐠 Rudy’s Aquarium – Betta Care Guide

Welcome to the Rudy’s Aquarium Betta Care Guide!
Our home-bred Bettas are hardy, happy little personalities, but they do best when given the right environment and care. Here’s everything you need to know to help your fish settle in and thrive.

💧 1. Setting Up Your Tank

• Tank size: Minimum 15 litres for a single male Betta (bigger is always better).

• Heater: Bettas are tropical fish — keep water between 25–28°C.

• Filter: Gentle filtration is best — avoid strong currents. Bettas prefer calm water.

• Lid or cover: Bettas can jump! Always keep a lid on the tank.

• Decor: Add plants, hiding spots, and soft decorations (avoid sharp edges that can tear fins).

🌡️ 2. Water Quality

• Use dechlorinated water — tap water needs a water conditioner before use.

• Cycle your tank before adding your Betta. That means letting the filter build up good bacteria to safely process waste.

• Regular maintenance:

  • 25–30% water change once a week.

  • Test water regularly for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate.

• pH: Bettas do well in slightly acidic to neutral water (6.5–7.5).

🍽️ 3. Feeding

• Feed once or twice daily, only what your Betta can eat in 1–2 minutes.

• High-quality Betta pellets or frozen foods (like bloodworms or daphnia) are ideal.

• Avoid overfeeding — Bettas can suffer from bloating and constipation.

• Once a week, you can skip a meal to help digestion.

🚚 4. Acclimating Your New Betta

When your Betta arrives home or is delivered:

1. Turn off tank lights to reduce stress.

2. Float the sealed bag in your tank for 15–20 minutes to equalise temperature.

3. Gradually mix a little tank water into the bag over 10–15 minutes.

4. Gently net or pour your Betta into the tank — don’t pour bag water into your aquarium.

Let them rest quietly for a few hours before feeding.

💖 5. Tankmates

Traditionally, male Bettas are kept alone because they can be territorial. However, here at Rudy’s Aquarium, Mr B has successfully raised and kept Bettas (including males and females) in a large, peaceful community tank for extended periods — alongside friendly bottom-feeders like Corydoras catfish, snails, and other calm species.

This careful socialisation means our Bettas are generally more balanced and better acclimatised than imported fish, which are often isolated early and can be far more aggressive.

That said, once you take your Betta home, we still recommend keeping one male per tank unless you have experience managing community setups. Always observe closely and provide plenty of hiding spots and plants.

🌿 6. Signs of a Happy Betta

• Active, curious swimming.

• Bright colour and open fins.

• Regular appetite.

• Building bubble nests (a good sign of comfort and confidence!).

If your Betta is hiding, pale, or refusing food, check water quality first — stress or poor conditions are the usual cause.

⚠️ 7. When to Seek Help

If your Betta shows persistent signs of illness (white spots, clamped fins, laboured breathing, or lethargy), test your water immediately and perform a partial change.
If things don’t improve, contact a local aquatic shop or vet for guidance.

📦 8. A Note from Rudy’s Aquarium

All our Bettas are bred and raised with care in South West London.
We want every fish to go to a happy, well-prepared home.

We’ve noticed our Bettas absolutely love to rest and “sleep” tucked in among plants — whether real or silk, they’ll happily chill out when they have a cosy hiding or resting spot to hang out in. They’re much more relaxed and content with this kind of setup, so we always recommend including some leafy cover in their tank.

If you’re unsure about anything, please feel free to message us before buying — we’re always happy to help!

📧 rudysaquarium@gmail.com