Can A Filter Be Too Strong For A Betta

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A friend invited me over to check out his new Betta fish he but added to his 30 gallon aquarium. Of course I took him upward on this and ventured over to check out this new beauty. I walked into his living room and the exact moment I looked at the aquarium I could tell the Betta was having difficulty pond.

I knew immediately that the Aquarium filter was besides strong for the fish. Information technology looked like the water was pushing the poor little fish off remainder every time he swam at the finish of the tank that the Aqua-articulate filter was hanging on. I besides noticed a power head on the other side of the tank creating even more of a current and difficulties for the Betta to swim.

I told my buddy his new Betta fish looked beautiful and then proceeded to mention the problem with the stiff electric current. My friend agreed to fix this so the fish would not exist stressed.

The solution to reduce the filter current I recommend is to create a DIY aquarium filter baffle for an aquarium filter that hangs on the back of a tank. Inexplainable a tank filter for Bettas is the matter to do unless you have a tank filled with live plants too then that should cut down on the potent water current.

Let me make this clear, the consequence isn't that the aquarium filter is too strong considering all filters are created to process h2o through the filter according to the size of the tank. As long as you purchase the right size filter for your aquarium the tank will be fine.

The issue is that some fish like Betta'southward and Angelfish for instance do not swim well in strong or fast moving water currents. Their natural environment is in calmer waters and it is your job to ensure you replicate that surround to ensure happy healthy fish. This is one of the bug when placing Betta fish in very small aquariums is that the water is usually flowing to strong. When placed in a larger aquarium the water menstruum tin be controlled meliorate for these types of fish.

How to Make an Aquariums Current Less Powerful for Your Fish

And then the current is too potent for your Betta. Here is what you can do. Yous must baffle the tanks filter to reduce the forcefulness of the electric current. I saw this quick and easy fix somewhere online and it stuck with me. It shouldn't price you anything which makes it even better. That is one of the benefits of a DIY filter baffle.

Let's just touch on what a Baffle is quickly. A baffle is something that regulates and or restrains the menstruation of water. That's basically it for this awarding.

What You Will Demand to Accomplish Inexplainable Your Aquarium Filter is;

A clean used water bottle (yous could fifty-fifty employ a plastic pop bottle if you have one that is less than a liter).
A pair of scissors or a utility knife will be required to cut the bottle open up.
You might need packing tape (or another potent tape, painters tape probably won't work for this awarding) just only if the bottle doesn't sit down where you desire it too.

Yes that is all you need. You might not even need the tape if the plastic bottle will sit nicely on the filter without falling into the aquarium.

The next step is to cut the lesser and the bottle neck portion of the water canteen off. Exist conscientious with those scissors.

Subsequently that is done cut through the bottle lengthwise so when looking at the bottle from the end it looks like Pac Human.

Once you lot have all of your cuts done merely make sure there are no small-scale loose pieces that could fall off ending upwardly in a fish'due south mouth.

To install your new aquarium filter bamboozle yous should probably plow the power off to your filter to avoid making a mess. With h2o bottle baffle in hand horizontally accept the open up finish hooking it nether the bottom of the filter spout or mouth then placing the other side of the baffle onto the peak portion of the filter or where it volition rest without pulling away.

You might need a dissimilar size canteen depending on the size or your filter so this will be a trial and mistake type procedure. If yous notice the bottle fits nicely on your filter you lot might want to place a piece of packing tape on the top slice ensuring it stays and does non fall off once you plough your filter dorsum on. Just utilise your ameliorate judgement when selecting the size of bottle to utilize for this project.

Now that you accept your baffle installed turn your filter on and watch how the water now flows out of both ends of the water bottle baffle thus reducing the current.

You're Betta or whatever fish you have will be much happier now.

How to Tell if the Water Current is Too Strong for Your Fish

If the flow in your freshwater aquarium is also strong it should exist very obvious unless you are such a newbie to the aquarium hobby and accept not really spent much time watching fish swim in tanks. Fish should be able to swim at whatever speed they want without being flopped over vertically or horizontally. When a fish has larger fins this can be an consequence when water current is a chip strong. The mode to easily identify if your water electric current is too stiff is to await at how your fish is swimming. Does information technology look like the Betta is swimming on an angle or does it look like its rear end is existence pushed around to its forepart? In general if the fish looks like it is struggling at all then the current is probably too strong.

Some fish will hide out in caves or in plants considering swimming out in the open up is simply too challenging.

Other Ideas to Tiresome Down the Current

Buy quite a few live plants placing them strategically effectually the surface area that the h2o filter pours the filtered water back into the aquarium. Recall that y'all desire to slow downward the h2o and not stop it so that the aquarium does non go filtered properly.

Buy a big aquarium decoration placing information technology under the surface area that the h2o is poured back in to the tank. Make certain the decoration is at least a couple inches under the water. If the water level drops enough it will start splashing on the superlative of the decoration spraying out onto your flooring. If the decoration or rocks are large enough the water will disperse over the expanse slowly down the current in the water but allowing the filtration system in your tank to practice its chore.

Dorsum to my buddies aquarium. We made a plastic canteen baffle as well as taking out the power caput at the other end of the aquarium from the filter. His Betta fish (Thor) looks to be very happy and settled now.

Just call back when looking at your ain aquarium that if the water electric current looks to strong for your fish then it probably is.

Curious to how much food you should be feeding your betta fish?