New here, and need some filter help for my bettas..

[cdc2010]

Hi

I'm very glad to find this forum! I currently have 2 male bettas, and before I purchased them I decided on the eclipse 3 by marineland. So, I purchased 2 and cycled both of them to prepare for my bettas.

I must have missed something because I didn't realize how strong the filtration was. I feel pretty bad:( So, I tried to make a bit of a barrier to prevent it from bubbling so much....but to no avail.

My betta Alexander LOVES the bubbles and swims to it and sort of jumps and plays in them. :) But, my other betta Leopold HATES it. So, I've been keeping it off in his tank and only running it for about 30 minutes or so a day just to keep the water cleanish.

Should I just get a whole new filter for both tanks? If so, suggestions and also how to cover the tank if I do get a new filtration unit?

Thanks!! I'm new to bettas and am absolutely in love. I just want them to be happy and healthy!! :)

[Michwol42795]

You should be running the filter all the time, only 30 minutes wouldn't do much and could kill your beneficial bacteria. If you have a space in the tank without any flow then they should be fine. do you?

[cdc2010]

Oh, they have plenty of space to avoid the heavy flow.....but I was afraid it was upsetting Leopold too much. I don't want to stress him out.

But, I'm thinking of getting a new filter all together. I am not sure this is working for them.

[Jspigs]

Try putting a filter sponge (NOT a kitchen sponge!) over the filter intake.


This will slow the flow down without lowering filter efficiency very much at all.

[GuppyMan]

Agree^ Put a sponge over the intake. Or make a really heavily planted area where the water is "calm" the betta will naturally want to be in the plants, then in the open.

[Michwol42795]

The sponge idea sounds good, I agree that if there is an area of calm water then the Betta will be fine.

[AngeTheDude]

Won't the betta get used to the current?

[BettaFishMommy]

you can lay a strip of filter floss over the output of the filter (where the water goes back into the tank). this will lessen flow and also give you fine particle filtration.

[cdc2010]

Thanks everyone!

I went out and got a filter sponge and attached it to the output flow area. The water still is flowing but there is hardly any current. My betta is much happier. I moved my plants a bit also to make a denser area for him.

Again, thank you!

[Michwol42795]

Sounds good, good luck with your Betta!