Acceptable current for Bettas 7/21/2009
Hello Guys and Girls,
I have enjoyed searching things on your site and have found many answers
to my questions. However I have been trying to discover the acceptable
amount of water current for my Betta. My set up is a 5 gallon tank with
Eco complete and gravel substrate. I have a few true aquatic plants
including a moneywort that he like to rest in near the surface. I do
have a 25 watt heater and a compact fluorescent for the plants.
Tankmates include 2 ghost shrimps and 2 freshwater Nerite snails.
<Sounds a terrific little aquarium!>
The filter is something I have never been satisfied with. I have tried
to find the smallest hang on back filter. I currently have one rated for
up to 10 gallons. You can imagine the current from it. I have modified
the water outlet back into the tank with a strip of plastic to try to
distribute the water more widely as it flows back into the tank. . He
hangs out in the back and that is where he likes to stare at himself. He
also seems comfortable in his moneywort and also resting on top of a
fake piece of wood I have placed near the surface.
<I see.>
I turn off the filter when I feed him his frozen bloodworms (thawed of
course) otherwise they get away from him. and sometimes I leave it off
for a little while to give him a rest from it. Is this acceptable?
<Switching a filter off for a few minutes is harmless, but after some --
not really clear -- period of time lack of oxygen will mean filter
bacteria start to die. Aquarists commonly say 20 minutes is the cut-off
point where a filter starts to suffer, but whether there's any science
behind that I cannot say.>
Or should I opt for the sponge filter I have read about?
<These, and bubble-up box filters, are ideal for small tanks including
Betta systems; have used box-filters for small breeding tanks for many
years, with great success.>
He seems to be thriving. His finnage has at least doubled in size in the
few months I've had him.
<Then I wouldn't worry unduly.>
And one more question. I fed him some Hikari cichlid pellets a few times
and now he won't eat his Betta pellets.
<No big deal; all Hikari foods are excellent, and whichever ones he
consumes will contains lots of protein, vitamins and minerals.>
I would have to say though that the frozen bloodworms make up most of
his diet. Should I not feed the cichlid pellets and try to get him to
eat the other?
<Wouldn't worry in the least. If he's eating bloodworms, Hikari pellets,
and perhaps some live daphnia or brine shrimps now and again, even
cooked peas occasionally, he has a lovely, well-balanced diet.>
Thank you so much for your time and your dedication to responsible fish
keeping!!!
Lisa
<Glad to have helped. Keep up the good work with your Betta! It's a
delight to hear from someone keeping a Betta under such good conditions.
Cheers, Neale.>
Bettas, Filtration and Thank You's - 1/24/07
Happy hello from a freshly educated Betta keeper!
<And a happy hello from me, JustinN again!>
To JustinN and Bob F, I'd like to personally thank you both.
<On behalf of both of us, you're quite welcome.>
You've answered questions for me in the past and your wisdom has saved two of my
fish's lives. Bob introduced me to the possibility of an infection I didn't
even know existed and JustinN...what a palm-to-forehead moment! Cycling! The
last time I had a tank I was 18... ten years ago. I was shocked that I had
forgotten something so fundamental.
<No worries here, you remember now and that's the important part! Part of the
human condition is to make mistakes, and from the mistakes, learn and grow.
Chalk it up to education, my friend.>
I vacillated painfully about what to do to correct my unforgivable fishy
oversight, and ultimately settled on apologizing profusely to my four Bettas
(separate tanks--!), performing a 50% water change, picking up some nitrogen
booster stuff and praying to Poseidon.
<Hehe, a few frozen (then thawed!) blood worms or mysis shrimp will go a long
way towards an apology here... *grin*>
Now I've got my fingers crossed and my hands out of Kira's tank (being careful
Bob, I promise).
<Excellent>
So I'm singing your praises to all my friends and looking for a WWM
t-shirt. Amazon--? ;-)
<There is a link for such on our front page, on a link labeled "WetWebMedia
Gear" -- I'll also provide the link here:
http://www.cafepress.com/cp/store.aspx?s=wetwebmedia.0 >
One last question for the moment. Kira (the one with the crooked spine) is in a
2.5 gallon with a BioWheel. I unplugged his filter this afternoon to treat him
with bloodworm (freeze dried). The filter tends to stir up the surface so much
that he has a hard time chasing down the food. His fins are huge and I worry
for his bad posture.
<Ok... Can this filter be throttled down? (Sorry, I have no personal experience
with the Eclipse systems.) If so, this will likely help some all around.>
20 minutes later, I had a bubblenest.
<Excellent!>
The last thing I'm gonna do is drop my female in there. I know precisely squat
about breeding and won't risk fishy tuberculosis since I don't know if it's
contagious (or if he has it). But will there be any ill effects if I turn the
filter back on and obliterate his nest? I was hugely flattered at this
discovery after being convinced I'd made irreversible mistakes and I'm loathe to
mess anything up now!!
<Oh, no, no worries here my friend. The filtration is essential; if it can be
throttled down to not agitate the surface as much, it may help some, but do aim
to keep it running.>
Thanks guys.
Oh, JustinN, thank you so much for taking the time to correctly forward your
reply. I've requested that yahoo fix this silly reply-forward thing for years
and they can't seem to figure themselves out. I always come to the site to read
through the FAQ's whenever I can. Your dedication to ensuring that your help is
received speaks to an impressive commitment to your passion as an aquarist.
Pasada
<You're gonna make me blush! Seriously though, this is just what I feel is my
'duty' here.. I like to help, feel beneficial, as well as I like to know that
other people are receiving as accurate of a story as possible... If I wasn't
doing it here, I'd probably be on some message board around the net doing it
elsewhere! Likewise, you say you've been having issues with Yahoo's mail
service... May I offer you a (free) invite to Google's provided mail service? I
do believe you can arrange it to receive all your Yahoo email as well.. The
choice is yours, just let me know, my friend! -JustinN>
Bettas, Filtration and Thank Yous - an outsiders follow-up - 1/25/07
Good morning!
<Hello, Susan, JustinN with you today.>
I also have an Eclipse 5 gallon Hex with a BioWheel for my Betta. I have slowed
the current down by trimming every other spoke on the impeller. Trim a little
bit at a time and test. I also have a slim piece of aquarium safe sponge
inserted alongside the BioWheel and the outtake port. Also, if you place plants
around the intake tube that will help. Finally, floating some plants near the
outtake ports helps dissipate the surface flow. When it comes to feeding time I
still shut down the pump so he can eat more easily. I Hope this helps.
<Excellent suggestions here, Susan. We will post for all to see, and I will
likewise forward this on to Pasada. Cheers! -JustinN>
New Betta Home 5/25/06
I am looking for a 5 gallon aquarium that I can add an underground filter,
a small heater, hood, and light. I can not find anything around here. Can
you recommend someone I can contact? And, would the above be appropriate
for him?
Thank You,
Jean B.
<The system sounds fine for a Betta, although I'm not a fan of undergravel
filters. If you can find a tank with a powerfilter I think it would be
better. If the local pet shop/national retailer does not carry these in
house they should be available through many online retailers such as Dr.
Fosters Smith or Petsmart's'/Petco's web sites.>
<Chris>
Betta tank 8/26/05
Hi.
<Hello.>
I just bought a Betta after my last one died around 2 years ago.
<Welcome back to fish!>
In the past I have kept them in a bowl (about 1 or 2 gallons) and I now own a 15
gallon tank that is sitting empty and I was wondering if I should move my Betta
into there instead, or will that be to much room for 1 fish?
<Too much room? No, this 15 gallon tank would make an *excellent* home for
him. You could even add a few other small, peaceful fish, such as Corydoras
catfish or platies.>
Also I was wondering the price of a good filter and heating system.
<Depends on where you are, partly. In the US, a heater for this size tank might
run $12 to $25, and a filter (I prefer to recommend a hang-on-back "power"
filter) would run $10 to $30. Lots of options.>
And my last question is for now is there any place I could keep my fish bowl
where it could keep warm?
<Only if you've got a particular spot in your house that stays a constant 75-78
degrees Fahrenheit.>
It seems to drop around 70 during the night and then I have to warm it up again.
<Best to move him into the larger tank and add a heater. I can almost promise
that he'd be delighted with the extra space! Wishing you well, -Sabrina>
Betta Getting An Upgrade 9/19.5/05
I've attempted to maintain various kinds of fish off and on for many years
with little luck. I always get so confused about all the details and my fish
rarely survive too long. However, I bought a Betta (my third attempt at keeping
a Betta fish) almost a year and a half ago. His name is Otogi Banashi (Japanese
for "fairytale"). I call him 'Togi most of the time though. I am so happy that
he has lived for so long already! He's healthy, active, curious, always eats his
food, etc. I kept him in one of those itty bitty one liter bowls for about a
month at first until I could afford something better. I changed the water in
that little bowl every week. Then I got a two gallon acrylic bowl that is meant
to look like a bubble gum machine. I thought it looked pretty groovy so I got
it. 'Togi is still in this bowl and doing fine. Its a very simple set up with an
undergravel filter. However, there is no gravel in this bowl. <Then is it really
an "undergravel filter"?> I still use the decorative bubble gum-like round
"rocks" that came with it. I change the water 100% every month with the same
brand of bottled water. Since I got 'Togi, I've done all the reading I can on
maintaining a Betta and it seems that much of what I do is wrong. Only, when I
did attempt the "proper" form of fish maintenance with my other fish, they never
lived. I am afraid to change anything. <Good! I don't want you to change a
thing, yet> I've heard that gravel is the best thing to use in a tank. Is this
true? I've gotten mixed answers concerning water changes and this whole tank
cycle thing I read about still has me all confused. Is it bad that I change all
the water instead of partial water changes? If I switch to a "proper" gravel set
up, should I do only partial water changes then to maintain good bacteria? I'm
only so concerned now because I am planning to get a different tank for 'Togi: a
2.5 gallon acrylic tank with only an undergravel filter. But I want to use real
gravel this time and I don't want to do anything wrong. Can I still continue as
I have with complete water changes and all that jazz or can you recommend
something better? Am I just lucky that 'Togi has lived this long? After a year
and a half of coincidental success, I'd still be awful bummed if my fish dies
now.
-Shelley
<I think it's great that you are upgrading your Betta's home. A 2.5 gallon is a
nice size for a single Betta. But I would not add the undergravel filter (UGF).
Instead add a sponge filter. (And don't forget a heater.) Too much waste will
end up under the UGF plate, very hard to clean. The sponge will provide a home
for the bacteria, so the use of gravel is up to you. With a UGF the bulk of the
bacteria will live in the gravel, so you need it. But it will take time, about a
month, for the bacteria to become established no matter what type of filtration
you use. So get everything set up and running, but do not move him right away.
Continue with the same care you have given him. To understand cycling, or bio
filtration, you really need to be able to test the water for ammonia, nitrite
and nitrate. Simply put, when you feed the fish they will excrete ammonia. A
bacteria grows that eats the ammonia and excretes nitrite. Another bacteria
grows that eats the nitrite and excretes nitrate. Nitrate is removed during
water changes. The first two are deadly and must be kept at zero. Nitrate is
less harmful as long as it is kept below 20ppm. But without testing you can
never know when the new tank is ready for fish. And since we do not have any
fish in the tank, we must add an ammonia source to feed the bacteria. A small
pinch of food every day will work. I use a raw shrimp. It will last a week or
two without any other work on your part. If you don't have a test kit see if a
LFS will test for you. If you can't get the tests done, then let everything run
for 6 weeks, adding that pinch of food daily. Then a 50% water change and add
your Betta. Now that your fish is in a cycled tank you can go to partial water
changes. A gallon a week for a single Betta in a 2.5 would be fine. But without
those tests, it's all a guess. Good luck. Don>
Still a Little Confused re
Betta questions 9/21/05
I'm still a little confused. So its OK not to bother with gravel at all and
a sponge filter is an acceptable replacement for biological/mechanical
filtration. This part makes sense. But then I hear so many terrible
stories about fish dying cause their tank cycle starts over. Wouldn't
replacing the sponge filter cause the cycle to start over? And what if I
decide not to do anything different at all? What exactly is transpiring
in my Betta's aquarium now without the use of filtration and tank
cycling? The new tank I am getting for him is only slightly larger but
not in the form of a bowl like he is in now. It has an undergravel
filter plate and water pump just like the bowl I have now. So if I
decide to use gravel or a sponge filter then I have this bacteria stuff
and tank cycle thing to worry about. Does that mean there is no bacteria
growth like this in the current set up? Is it still a bad thing to use
something like the current decorative gumballs I use now and just clean
out the entire tank, water and all every three weeks? What if I set up
his new tank with gravel and the UGF is able to function as such. . . Is
it the presence of all that bacteria that makes it imperative to do only
partial water changes so as not to mess up any sort of cycle or am I
already messing up water cycles doing things the way I have been? I
guess I just want to know if its possible and OK to maintain a sinology
beta aquarium without using the tank cycle process. And also if the
presence of gravel or a sponge filter would make it imperative that I
use tank cycling. What if I had gravel and still cleaned out the entire
tank gravel and all every three weeks? Would that have the same effect
on the aquarium as it does now or is that something entirely different?
Sorry I ask so many strange questions, I just really don't understand
tank cycling and when or if it is required.
-Shelley
<OK. First read here.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwestcycling.htm This is a
paper written by Bob Fenner, the man who started and runs this site. It
is chock full off all the info you will need. But it will make much more
sense if you have a test kit and can watch it happen. The two bacteria I
explained in the last email do not live swimming in the water. They need
a surface to cling to that has a flow of water bringing them their food
(ammonia for one, nitrite for the second). With a UGF that surface area
will be the gravel, so you need to add gravel to get the best effect.
With a sponge filter the sponge itself provide the surface area for the
bacteria to grow on. So gravel is optional. The sponge will provide
little particle filtration but very high bio filtration. (There is a
great deal of surface area on and in a sponge.) Weekly water changes
will remove the particles. A UGF hides the particles under the plate. It
can get real nasty under there and is hard to clean without removing all
the gravel. A sponge makes clean up much easier. Just rinse in old tank
water when you do change. Never rinse with tap, the chlorine will kill
the bacteria. In a well established tank the ammonia and nitrite level
will always be zero. The bacteria will consume them as quickly as they
are produced. Will your current setup provide enough surface area for
the bacteria? I don't know. You need those tests to get the answer. But
if you are cleaning the "gum balls" when you service the tank, you are
also removing the bacteria. This will cause ammonia and nitrite levels
to rise. Not good. But with faithful water changes a tough little Bette
can handle it, for a time. But repeated exposure to these poisons will
shorten his life. If you establish a good strong bacterial colony in the
sponge, missing a water change will only cause the less dangerous
nitrate to rise. Far safer for your fish and less work for you. A win
situation. 100% water changes, meds, or any sharp change in your tank
can stress the bacteria and cause a spike (recycle). But as long as you
chill out and let them little buggers do their thing, all will be fine.
So, get a test kit, read Bob's paper, reread my first email and email me
back with any other questions or concerns. Your Betta will thank you.
Don>
Re: Additional questions about my first message - Bettas have almost
constant fin and tail rot
Hi everyone, I wrote a message Friday night; no, I'm not expecting an answer
so soon! I just have been doing some more research on the internet this weekend
and had some more questions. I asked about a Betta set-up with an Eheim system.
Well, what I've found
so far is that Eheim is for huge aquariums! T
<wow... quite the contrary, my friend. Do look at their full product line...
they have tiny internal canister/power filters, mini-externals, etc. Have you
been to their home site?>
that would be quite a lot of overkill for a Betta set-up!
<perhaps yes if the tank is really that small>
Right now I'm leaning toward a 5 gallon tank with a heater (I already have the
heater; a Visi Therm Deluxe, 25 watt) and partitions. (for my 2 Bettas). Would 2
partitions an inch or so away be better so there's no chance of them seeing each
other?
<may still be seen/stressful>
Or will this just impede water flow, with or without a filter?
<definitely will>
The filter I'm leaning toward is a Duetto Multi Filter, with a flow rate of 14
GPH.
<somewhat weak>
In my old Eclipse System 3, where I had the one Betta (who hated it) the flow
rate was 35 GPH. I'm wondering if the flow rate of
the Duetto is OK or will I end up taking it out?
<seems too small to me... what of just a good old-fashioned sponge filter (Tetra
Brilliant series or Jungle dirt magnets)?>
I know you can't really answer that; I just wanted your opinion on the Duetto
filter. I just saw it online and not in person.
Also, if I may ask Mr. Calfo a question: Do you know of any shops in the
Pittsburgh area (I live in the northern suburbs) that are fish-only, with no
dogs, cats, etc., for sale, or that come in for grooming or vet services? Are
you permitted to recommend such a shop?
<sure... we have nothing to sell... no biases...a free-info/content site>
My severe allergies to dogs, cats, birds, etc., do not permit me to visit pet
shops. I live very close to a PetCo and PetSmart but just can't go. (Not that
I'd really ask them anything!)
<most shops do at least have birds or small animals. Hmmm... I'm wondering if
Poseidon's in Greentree is animal free... they were last time I was there (a
year ago!)>
I do have on hand some BettaMax, Maracyn, and MarOxy, but I can't stock every
med for " just in case" and I would hate it if I needed something fast.
<agreed>
I would put myself at risk of going to the ER if I went into these shops. If
something happens to the fish, hopefully the meds I have will hold them over
until an online order comes. And I know that's not really in the best interest
of the fish, so once these fish go to fish heaven maybe the best thing is not to
get any more :-( unless I can find a fish-only shop. Thank you very much, once
again, for listening! Deb
<Deb... please also consider the fellowship and networking options (emergency
phone calls to fellow aquarists) of the local aquarium society: pmas.org
if you needed a medication or advice/support, you can e-mail the clubs mailing
list as a member or find help fast otherwise. Do visit their website. Kind
regards, Anthony>
Betta needs safe filter 10gal home
hi Chuck or whomever is on today
Pls answer this as soon as you can---I'm very grateful
just a few ques before I get my 10 gal tank today---for my adolescent Betta
splendens
I'm hoping its a good size for him ---that he won't get spooked by all the
space. I'm purchasing a 10 gal tank for my Betta---you suggested 50 watt
heater...should I get a submersible?
< Not needed. Just make sure it is a good quality name brand heater like
Ebo-Jager or Marineland. Make sure that you let the heater sit in the water
for awhile to let the temperature of the heater and the water equilibrate.>
is it best to get the long tank or is standard
just fine...re: depth of tank . don't want to tire him out when swimming
from
bottom to top
< The tank preference is totally up to you. With a few floating plants your
Betta will be happy in any tank.>
mostly concerned about filter....went to pet shop they recommend hanging
filter
w/carbon cartridges...would this be best I've read horror stories online Betta splendens fins or Betta himself drawn into the intake tubes of
filter...do I
need to make adjustments to the tube or do I need a sponge filter I'm
hoping these filters aren't noisy and if they are should I get whisper
one. if the
hang on carbon filter is best...do I need to put a live java fern to quell
water turbulence or to protect Betta from water forces...bottom line I'm
looking
for effective filter with minimum water turbulence/noise for my finny
friend.--hope this sounds like ideal setup for him--
< I would recommend the Marineland penguin series filter. The BioWheel
contain all the bacteria you need to keep the fish waste under control and
are easy to service. Get the model that will pump like 30 to 50 gallons per
hour. To protect your Betta I would get a dark colored prefilter sponge to
cover the intake tube. Another idea would be to cover the intake tube with a
larger clear tube and cut slots in the side to allow water in but not at
such a great force so that it will suck up your Bettas fins. Your Betta will
appreciate floating plants too. While providing cover they will keep the
surface of the water nice and calm. With this set up you Betta should last
for years.-Chuck>
PLEASE RESPOND ASAP MUCH APPRECIATED as I'm getting a lift to pet shop this
afternoon to buy tank/filter etc...by the way I'm also getting fluorescent
lighting so tank wont overheat
thank you again---Diane
