New Betta Owner (Filter Issues, Housing Question)

[Vatilla]

Hi there! I am new (very, very new) to Betta fish. When I first bought my Betta, a male named Pigg, I put him in my old African Dwarf Frog tank. It was probably a gallon, and I knew it was much too small. I ended up getting him a 10g tank all to himself. There may soon be some fish in there with him (one of my upcoming questions), and for now he has a heater, a filter, lights, and a couple of plants.

So, my questions:
His filter is obviously too strong, but I couldn't afford a fancy one and can't return this one. I really want to find a way to keep it going, as his tank it very clean and with a 10g I don't want to have to do full water changes every week. How can I make it more manageable for Pigg with the filter in there?

What types of fish get along with Betta?

Please respond soon- I'm going shopping for him tomorrow!

 

[TotallyCoral]

You can make a DIY filter baffle out of a cut water bottle to distribute the flow of water and to "lessen the blow." Or you can always cut up some filter sponge and stick it in the outflow. However, If you can afford a new filter, AquaClear, IMO are one of the best because you can control the amount of flow the filter puts out. I use one on my betta tank and it's pretty great.

In my experience, cory cats get along fine with bettas. Except for the fact that the betta always seems to steal the cory's food... Ghost shrimp are also another great selection. Try and avoid fish with long flashy fins such as guppies as this might provoke the betta to nip.

 

[Bubbles0oO]

Betas are a hit or miss if your going to keep other fish with them ( males) females usually can be kept together. But i honestly dont know any fish or snail you can house with him. Sorry

 

[Vatilla]

Betas are a hit or miss if your going to keep other fish with them ( males) females usually can be kept together. But i honestly dont know any fish or snail you can house with him. Sorry

That's what I've heard... I'm completely content with just him, I just figured I;d ask around! They actually said he was a female at first, but I know he's a male. Thanks very much for answering!

 

[Bubbles0oO]

Betas do love live plants though! Dont get any in tubes, most in the plant tubes are semi aquatic and will die. Try to aim for plants in the viewing tanks already. ( not if the fish look sick or ill) these plants are usually fully aquatic and some may have snails. ( snails arent bad)

 

[Vatilla]

You can make a DIY filter baffle out of a cut water bottle to distribute the flow of water and to "lessen the blow." Or you can always cut up some filter sponge and stick it in the outflow. However, If you can afford a new filter, AquaClear, IMO are one of the best because you can control the amount of flow the filter puts out. I use one on my betta tank and it's pretty great.

In my experience, cory cats get along fine with bettas. Except for the fact that the betta always seems to steal the cory's food... Ghost shrimp are also another great selection. Try and avoid fish with long flashy fins such as guppies as this might provoke the betta to nip.

It's a strange filter (to me) as it sucks in the water from the bottom and then flows it back in from the top... Not sure if that's normal... I can't afford a new filter, sadly, as I'm saving my money. Would putting more plants in be helpful at all? (Fake plants, that is)

Thank you very much! Would they be okay with the heater, filter, and the tank size?

 

[Vatilla]

Betas do love live plants though! Dont get any in tubes, most in the plant tubes are semi aquatic and will die. Try to aim for plants in the viewing tanks already. ( not if the fish look sick or ill) these plants are usually fully aquatic and some may have snails. ( snails arent bad)

I only have fake plants in there- I am the worst plant keeper and I have less of a clue with them than with fish... I think I'll stick with the fake ones aha. Would adding more of those help with the filter problem?

 

[Bubbles0oO]

It wont help the filter, but it will give your beta places to rest and it will feel more natural for him.

 

[TotallyCoral]

It's a strange filter (to me) as it sucks in the water from the bottom and then flows it back in from the top... Not sure if that's normal... I can't afford a new filter, sadly, as I'm saving my money. Would putting more plants in be helpful at all? (Fake plants, that is)

Thank you very much! Would they be okay with the heater, filter, and the tank size?

Yes, those filters are HOB or hang-on-the-back filters and are pretty common. Try and Google search "betta filter baffle" and you should come up with tons of articles on how you have redirect the outflow of water from the filter so much as to not disturb your betta. The water bottle one is my favorite, as I've used this on my bigger 46 gallon aquarium.

And yepp, plants (fake or live) really can benefit the betta as they provide cover and places to hide. In the wild, betas sleep close to the surface so one of those Zoomed leaves might be ideal. Mine does is as well, except on water sprite. It's really neat to see.

Yeah, a 10g is plenty for a betta. I mean, it's better than those cups right? Haha, you should be fine.