Filter too strong for betta

[rocktrns]

Hello I have a 10 gallon tank
1 Betta
4 Zebra danios
4 Neon Tetras
3 Cory cats
2 amino shrimp



I have had my filter for a while it is a penguin bio wheel 100 and I notice my betta hardly comes up to the top and always stays on one side of the tank. The filter is definetly too strong for him he cant even come up to eat he has to eat at the bottom because to current is too strong on the other side of the tank. What can I do to reduce this current without getting a new filter. I want to see my betta swim around freely.

 

[neilanh]

Moving to FW - Getting Started.

Those penguins, IIRC, have a way to adjust the inflow tube up and down to adjust the amount of water flow. Have you tried changing it's position to see if you can turn down the amount of flow?

 

[rocktrns]

What do you mean change the position. It came with an attachment that had a piece that adjusted water flow,but that attachment was too long for my tank.

 

[roadmaster]

Take a hacksaw and cut the flow control tube shorter?.
Would not worry myself about the betta and flow so long as the betta is not being swept around the tank.
betta is prolly feeding from the bottom cause the danios are snatching all the food much faster than the betta can.
Not much that swims is faster than the danios at feeding time.

 

[Homedog98]

Just saying, but your danios are probably scaring him. Your tank is a bit small for danios and cories. Just work on an upgrade to a 20 gallon long when you can, and you can up your cories to 6 (they shoal) and bump up the danios by 2. That way the betta gets a ten gallon all to himself!

 

[Shetland James]

Pack the filter with more sponges? Tighter fit, the smaller gap the water can get through.

 

[Khalix]

I personally use a piece of foam to cover my intake valve. A) small fish don't end up stuck to it and pulled into my filter and B) it seems to reduce the flow some.

I used to just use aquaclear sponges but they got pretty unsightly and stand out too much. I've taken to using ones made for the fluval edge. I just pull it off and rinse it occasionally. The opening seems to fit my old top fin valve as well as my larger aquaclears. Fluval Edge Pre-Filter Sponge - Filter Media - Fish - PetSmart

May not fix it 100% but even if not it works as a good little pre-filter.

 

[Randi]

//Cut a soda bottle in half long ways, then cut the ends off so you are left with a long, curved piece of plastic(well, two of them), tape that to the lid of your hob so it hangs down infront and underneath of the filter flow and disperses it. I use this method on every tank, just to get max filtration without max current.//

Got this advice from someone on the forum - works great

 

[Mr. Limpet]

I used some poly-fil on the output of my filter and even though it's not slowing the filtering process, the turbulence in my fry tank is cut down considerably.

 

[Mog]

Hey Rocktrns,

Take a look at this article. It give you two options to reduce the flow in the tank. I have a 5 gallon Betta tank and went with the sponge, which works well

Step-By-Step Filter Baffle - Page 4

 

[siva]

I use this method in all of my betta tanks: Filter Currents: A Betta's Worst Nightmare

 

[imaeattyerrbrains]

I was wondering what seems wrong with my betta fish. He constantly has slim all at the top of his tank. An its a lot, sometimes it gets so bad that its even at the bottom of the tank. He doesnt go up to eat the fish food either, he waits until it gets to the bottom of the tank, digs in the rock, then eats it. I suppose, because he has done this since i had him. And hes still alive. Thanks for any help.

 

[siva]

What color is the slime? What size is his tank? Does he have a filter? What is your water changing regimen?

 

[imaeattyerrbrains]

The slime is a whitish clear color. Hes just in a 1 gallon fish bowl, no filter. We change him every 3 or 4 days.

 

[btweak6]

My filter was too strong for my gups so I just went to the lfs and bought filter foam, cut it to fit the chamber of my filter. Problem solved, also it helped to polish the water a bit. I have a three chamber filter though, so I have the filter cartridge sandwiched inbetween two peices of foam.

 

[siva]

The slime is a whitish clear color. Hes just in a 1 gallon fish bowl, no filter. We change him every 3 or 4 days.

Ah, that is what is wrong with him. Betta's need a bare minimum of a 5 gallon filtered heated tank to thrive, and without a proper filter the water will be gross, and your fish is constantly sitting in unhealthy ammonia levels that are damaging his tissue and organs, causing illness and disease. A properly filtered larger tank needs a partial water change once a week, so an unfiltered 1 gal bowl would need a water change every day. Doing water changes this often would stress your betta, but so will sitting in his own waste. A betta is, in my opinion, a lovely pet and I encourage you to upgrade yours to a proper home. Read up on the nitrogen cycle and fishless cycling before transferring your betta to a new tank

 

[Mog]

Unfortunately, they are out of stock currently... but this is the tank I purchased. It's a very nice tank for the price. You do need to pick up a small heater and gravel for it; as you would with most.

Walmart.com: Hawkeye 5 gal Tank Aquarium Kit: Fish