Betta and the inability to figure out the filter

[nkoyko]

So Fredward the Great is in his new tank but he isn't use to an HOB. Is there anyway that I can reduce the flow out of the filter anymore (it's already set on low and has a sponge on the intake part)? I swear I should have named this fish Hodor.

I was thinking of maybe adding a second sponge on top of the media/sponge already present. Would this make a difference?

Please help before Fred AKA Hodor drowns himself.

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[brennae]

What kind of filter, as in brand and which model do you have?

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[nkoyko]

It is an Aquaclear 20.

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[Mebbid]

What's the fish doing?

 

[brennae]

Ok. Then yes you can add an extra sponge or you can try stuffing poly fill in the filter box too. It will provide finer particle filtration as well as hopefully slowing down the water output. Did you put the filter off to one side so the fish can get away from it if necessary? Also I didn't catch what kind of fish you have.

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[nkoyko]

Mebbid, he is trying to flare at himself in the back of the tank and getting caught by the output and he's so big he can't get out.

Brennae, it is in the back with plants surrounding the output to create a baffle. He is a big Ole betta. He would also be the guy in the photo on my profile.

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[brennae]

I'm on the mobile app and profile pics don't always show up.

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[nkoyko]

This is him. This picture is actually a couple of months old and he's bigger now.

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[brennae]

He's a nice bright blue.

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[nkoyko]

Thank you! ? He has beautiful coloring. I was worried because he lost it when his plants died off in April and then he moved to the kitchen table while I cycled this new tank. But his color is coming back now that he's in his new tank with a bunch of plants. I'm just worried he's going to drown himself in the filter flow. I've added some extra filter sponge and it's slowed the water a bit but I think I'll just have to wait and see if he learns to stay out of the flow.

Part of me wants to think he is just playing but then I get up close and he looks like he is struggling.

I have a female betta and she actually plays in her filter flow (uses it like a treadmill) but he doesn't look the way she does in it.

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[Mebbid]

Thank you! ? He has beautiful coloring. I was worried because he lost it when his plants died off in April and then he moved to the kitchen table while I cycled this new tank. But his color is coming back now that he's in his new tank with a bunch of plants. I'm just worried he's going to drown himself in the filter flow. I've added some extra filter sponge and it's slowed the water a bit but I think I'll just have to wait and see if he learns to stay out of the flow.

Part of me wants to think he is just playing but then I get up close and he looks like he is struggling.

I have a female betta and she actually plays in her filter flow (uses it like a treadmill) but he doesn't look the way she does in it.

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It's actually quite common for bettas to allow themselves to get sucked against the filter and just hang out there. They are just being lazy. Try giving him some more places to hang out in; some large leaved plants, a betta log, or even some caves might be appreciated.

 

[nkoyko]

He has 2 swords, 2 anubias, 2 cryptocorynes, some dwarf hairgrass, a ceramic pot, and driftwood. He has tons of places to hangout. He is just preferring the filter flow. He is too big for one of the betta logs. ? I tried one of those on a friend's advice and he couldn't find a good way in.

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[brennae]

He has 2 swords, 2 anubias, 2 cryptocorynes, some dwarf hairgrass, a ceramic pot, and driftwood. He has tons of places to hangout. He is just preferring the filter flow. He is too big for one of the betta logs. ? I tried one of those on a friend's advice and he couldn't find a good way in.

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Ha! Do you have a picture of the tank set up?

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[Mebbid]

Nice! Well in that case the only way to stop him is to temove the filter entirely. Its highly unlikely that the flow is too much for him to escape.

 

[brennae]

I've noticed that many of my fish like water flowing directly onto them, like when doing a water change, a lot of them seem to be drawn to the area where the water is being poured in and it tosses them around but they always do it.

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[nkoyko]

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/showthread.php?t=340801

The last post is a picture of him in his new tank. He just moved in this afternoon. Hopefully the filter thing is just a growing pain and he'll grow out of it because I worked too hard to get that filter cycled.

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[nkoyko]

Yeah, his "girlfriend" (I use quotes here because she's young and ready to mingle, while Fred is old and ready to slow down) loves her filter. She plays in the stream from it all the time. She swims into it like running on a tread mill, swims in front of it and let's it push her around and keeps going back for more.

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[brennae]

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/showthread.php?t=340801

The last post is a picture of him in his new tank. He just moved in this afternoon. Hopefully the filter thing is just a growing pain and he'll grow out of it because I worked too hard to get that filter cycled.

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Oh he's fine! He's just being a goof. That tank appears to have plenty of places for him to hangout besides by the filter. It's nice. The colored stones coming out of the pot is a nice touch for a betta tank.

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[nkoyko]

Thank you!

My boyfriend fell in love with those stones and wanted Fred's whole tank in them. After buying 2 packs for $10 he decided it wasn't a great idea. So I added them into this tank as a carpet for his hidey-pot. It adds some sparkle in a an otherwise simulated nature aquarium.

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[brennae]

I agree it does add a nice pop of color that isn't expected. I think doing the whole tank would look like what is sometimes refered to as clown puke. It's just too busy and too much of a mishmash. I wouldn't necessarily do something like that for a bottom dwelling fish but what you've done is fine for a betta. Just watch for food and debris getting caught there. If anything falls in between the stones it may cause a problem once it starts to decay. I really like bettas. I was a member of IBC and I'm still on the Facebook pages. I even had bettas imported from Thailand (very aggressive btw) and was going to do a breeding project but I changed my mind. With labrynth fish you have to be cautious with the fry and keep them humid and of course at a high temp etc. If you really dedicate yourself and are kinda anal it can be a very rewarding project. If you do breed them make sure you create a thread in the breeding section so we can follow along. Also the grand jedi master of betta breeding AndySager is full of info and is so nice and helpful. He wouldn't mind if you pm him with any questions.

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