Betta in a Biorb- flow of water?

[Beckyx]

I just got a betta and a Biorb and help! My little guy hates the filter!

He has only ever lived in a tiny box before- he was kept by his breeder in literally less than half a gallon, tiny box nothing in it. However, he arrived (in the post!) happy and healthy.

I put him in his Biorb and switched the flow on (it’s a flow model FYI rectangular design) and after also being in my tiny and still tank for a week he FREAKED. I honestly, honestly thought he was going to die, he couldn’t swim in the current at all, he couldn’t straighten his top fin, he was being pulled upside down and towards the filter and couln’t even get near the surface. As soon as I turned the filter off he immediately calmed down and seemed very happy- checking out his new tank, swimming happily, displaying his fins, going in his betta cave etc. Turned on filter again some hours later again the same- utter panic could not swim.

ATM I have the airline clamped and filter only running on about 5% just a few tiny bubbles and even then when he swims anywhere near the bubbles (which to be honest he mostly avoids) he panics and his top fin goes near horizontal!

What should I do? Should I leave the filter off or continue to run at about 5%? And how does this affect my water changes should I treat it as an unfiltered tank and do 25% water changes three times a week?

Secondly the water in my Biorb LOOKS cloudy through the glass but is not in my old aquarium was crystal clear and in a glass looks clear is this a quirk of the Biorb?


Becky

 

[seangee]

I am no betta expert and I'm sure some will be along to chime in.

Betta don't cope well with high flow or current. You could turn the flow right down, but as it sounds like you already have an airpump why not just get a simple sponge filter and remove or turn off the main filter. Something like this https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01KRGMU36/?tag=

 

[Colin_T]

What sort of filter do you have?
If you have an air operated filter (an air pump blowing air through plastic tubing into a filter that sits in the tank) get a T piece and tap from the pet shop and fit that in the plastic tubing. The tap will allow you to reduce the air going into the tank without putting back pressure on the air pump, which will happen because you clamped the hose/ tubing.

If you put a length of tubing on the tap it will reduce the noise of the air coming out of that.

As long as the filter is bubbling away and there is more than 1 bubble per second, the filter will develop beneficial bacteria.

If you put some floating plants like Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides/ cornuta) in the tank, or even some plastic plants that float around and are planted in the gravel, it will help break up the water movement and provide some calmer areas for the fish.

 

[Tiffany Green]

hi there.

I also have a betta in the biorb.
this was what i did....

- added aquatic soil
- added water
- added anti chlorine
- let the current run
- added clarifying solution (to clear up cloudy water)
- let the water cycle for a day
- released my betta the next day

my oxygen pump did work 2 weeks into the use but i decided to not let the water bubble up anyway. so i placed a elongated pebble on the opening of the tube to prevent my fish from wondering into in and get stuck =)

my betta was ok with either the current or not. so i guess either works for me.
But i am intending to replace my pump and get the current flowing again.

 

[NickAu]

But i am intending to replace my pump and get the current flowing again.

Bettas do not do well with a lot of current, How do you know the current is too strong? Easy.

Your betta should be able to hover in any part of the tank without getting pushed around.

 

[Tiffany Green]

well, when i had that current running, my betta was able to over around the tank without getting 'pushed'
also cause my pump had a control turner knob to control the strength of the current.
i was initally skeptical with the current, but he seemed happy and swimming actively when the pump was in use.
so yeah...=)

 

[Beckyx]

The filter is just the standard Biorb one which has a sponge in it. Biorb says this needs to be running to grow the beneficial bacteria (but then says you need to change this filter every month )

Because the filter is so low does this mean I need to treat my tank as unfiltered and change water far more frequently? I’m concerned about algae and the like...

Thank you for all your help so far

 

[Essjay]

Biorbs of all designs have undergravel filters. The media is in 2 parts. The rocks on the bottom of the tank are the biomedia, designed to be a home for the bacteria. The other part is a box which contains a sponge and carbon granules, or possibly a mix of carbon and zeolite granules. It is the box that they say to replace because carbon gets full and stops working. Zeolite, if there are white granules in with the black, absorbs ammonia and that too gets full. But you don't actually need to use carbon or zeolite full time. Don't bother to replace the box once the carbon (and zeolite) get full, just swoosh it in old tank water to remove any goo in it. If you can get the sponge out of the box, give that a squeeze in old tank water to remove more of the goo on it.

If the water current it too fast, rather than a T piece, look for a 2 outlet manifold. Use the spare tap to vent some air to the room.