Suicidal Betta?

[Blubble37]

I think my Betta is suicidal.

This is the second time that I have found him stuck behind the filter with his tail stuck in the filter not doing anything and it is also the second time his tail has been reduced to shredded tatters or bloody stumps.

Is there ANYTHING AT ALL i can do to either heal him quickly or stop him going behind the filter without taking the filter out or blocking the filter in any way?

Any help of any kind greatly appreciated...

Blubble37

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Put a sponge over the intake, fitted to go over it. Cut the piece you need from a larger sponge, so that it looks like a quarter circle and the sponge fits perfectly into the corner of your tank, leaving no space for the betta to squeeze in. The sponge will also spread out the suction of the filter which will limit the chances of the betta getting stuck to it. Folks use this technique with fry. If fry don't get stuck to it, then the betta should be fine with it. Unless it is suffering from other ailments, I suppose.

 

[Blubble37]

thing is, the intakes are actually behind the filter itself so he cant get stuck there (or so they thought)

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Well, if you put a sponge there, there would be no space for him to squeeze in.

 

[Blubble37]

a quarter sphere around the filter inlet would do?

thinking about it - a pair of tights with holes in big enough to let waste through but not fish would probably be better...

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I don't think so. The suction wouldn't decrease, nor would it stop your betta from going behind it.



When doing a water change, you'll want to pull the sponge out and give it a squeeze in old tank water, but it would stop the fish from going where you don't want it to, and it would decrease the suction, by spreading out the surface area.