Filter Pushing Betta Around

[eduller]

I got a new filter for my 10G tank. It's the home to 1 betta and 2 mystery snails. The snails are temporary residents, but they will probably be in there at least a month and I didn't think the filter I had in there was good enough for the added bioload of 2 big snails. It was just the 2-10G filter that came with the kit.
 
I got a Whisper 20 in-tank filter. It's huge, but I don't really mind it taking up room. It's really going to be just the 1 betta in there long term, and he actually likes to hide under and behind it. The flow does kind of push him around though. The flow is not mechanically adjustable. I put a nylon stocking over the intake which helped, and I made that water bottle baffle for the output which also helped a little bit. The thing is, I think he LIKES playing in the current. He's always over there swimming back and forth through it. Is there any reason to concern myself with baffling the filter further if it doesn't bother the fish? He's an elephant ear, but his fins aren't really elaborately long. You can see the ripple effect on him when he swims through the current, but he doesn't get stuck to the filter and he can swim through the flow easily. Should I leave well enough alone if he seems to like it, or could it be causing some unseen stress? 

 

[RRaquariums]

I personally think flow in a tank is good for the fish and helps build mussel after all in the wild they would be dealing with these currents so I think it's actually good to have a higher flow going in a tank as long as the fish doesn't show signs of stress or fatigue and there's some slower spots in the tank for them to rest.

 

[techen]

Normally bettas come from places with zero flow and high flow will stress them out if the entire tank has no resting spots. Am sure it's fine if the filter is rated upto 10gal as I wouldn't put a betta in anything less myself.

 

[eduller]

The flow is really only an issue in one corner of the tank. The other side is still. But the filter is rated for 20G. Maybe it's overkill. It says rated for 10-20 gallons.

 

[Wildbetta]

It sounds like you should be ok with the way things are right now.  If he was being thrown around or showing signs of stress (pale color, horizontal stripes, clamping of fins, lethargy) I would be concerned.  As is, he sounds like he is fine with the way the filter flow is right now so I would let him be.  While bettas do prefer water that is more still, they can be ok with some flow especially the shorter finned varieties.

 

[eduller]

I ordered a new filter because I'm totally obsessing and now all I do is walk by the tank 45 times a day and stare to be sure he isn't looking stressed or being blown around too much. I don't need that kind of stress, lol. I spend half the day worrying about these fish!

 

[eduller]

If anyone's interested, Lee's Triple Flow corner air-driven filter is actually really good in a 10G betta tank

 I got the small size. The medium would probably work too.