Ack...a 13th hour question

[saffikeagan]

So I was very proud of my ingenuity when it came to stifling the current flow from my filter so Sammie S. Betta would be happy. Only one problem that I'm just now realizing is that Ennie, Meenie, Miney, Moe, Joe, and Shmoe my white clouds and Athos, Porthos, and Aramis my kuhlis might not appreciate being slowly suffocates as they don't have a labyrinth organ.

What should I do? Is this something I even need to worry about? Is there a way to test the oxygen levels in my tank's water?

How I have my filter set up is that I have part of a plant mat cut to the size of the filter output area and inter-woven with more foliage bits from the rest of the plant mat to make it denser. This is jimmied into the output in such a fashion that all the water goes in 1 million different directions causing 0 turbulence and 0 current. I think I was probably a bit to crafty for my own good again Unfortunately this happens way too often.

 

[fluffyntex]

How big is the tank? In a small tank with just a Betta I limit it but in a large tank with other fish I leave it alone and my Betta's are just fine, I have 2 in my 55 gallon tank and they have plenty of room to stay away from any current if they want to. In a small tank they cant get away. I definitely wouldn't restrict it like that in my community tank.

 

[Purrbox]

Are your other fish gasping at the surface or showing other signs of stress? If not there is plenty of oxygen for them as well even with the reduced flow.

 

[saffikeagan]

No they aren't. However, I did just yesterday finish stocking my tank so my bio load almost doubled and the fish I put in can be pretty sensitive. I just don't want to wake up and find all my fish (except Sammie) dead from asphyxiation.

 

[haykay]

I hope you don't either! I would guess if all your other fish are acting fine and you are keeping your parameters in check that you and all your fish will be fine!

 

[SpeedEuphoria]

Just remember the higher the temp the less oxygen in the water also

 

[saffikeagan]

I made sure to really upset the surface when doing a PWC. Plants release O2 into the water too, right?

 

[Purrbox]

During the day when they are getting light and photosynthesising plants release oxygen. However at night when they don't have light and are respiring they consume oxygen.

 

[saffikeagan]

ah, gotcha...I only remember the parts of biology class that were interesting (i.e. those parts not covering flora).