# Betta fish up again filter intake



## Smudge369 (Nov 14, 2015)

Hi guys 

So I'm new to the forum and new to betta keeping and aquariums  

This forum has helped me so much with getting my tank set up!

Though it was hard to get a few things suggests as I live in Perth, Western Australia and our laws are ridiculously strict! 

Anyways, I just got my betta today  and he looks amazing and is called Pegasus.

I have a 29 litre (about 8 gallon) tank sitting at about 26/27 degrees Celsius (i think thats about 82 F?).

I'm doing a fish in cycle and have the API master kit to help me keep ammonia and nitrite levels low.

My question is this: I got Pegasus into the tank by acclimating him and he was so happy swimming around. He quickly found out that my filter output has a bit of a push and he spent ten minutes riding it down the front of the tank before swimming to the side to escape and then going straight back into it..... 

Then about three hours after i placed him in the tank, I couldn't find him! I freaked out and then after getting my dad to help me look we found him up against the filter box over the intake vents (he blended in so well!)

However, he seems to be able to swim away easy, he just don't want to....

I took some pictures. He can swim right in front of it and it doesn't seem to pull him in suggesting it's not sucking hard. And everytime I try to take a photo of him on the vent he swims away....

My question is: *is this normal?*
*Also how do I remedy this was a filter that is inbuilt like mine?*

Sorry I think my images are coming out sideways!


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## LittleStar (Oct 2, 2015)

Congrats on your new tank and friend - I don't know it its "normal" but wanted to share the type of filter I use for my fish including my female Betta - if you click on my link below you can see a picture of it, its totally submerged and runs off an air pump so its a filter and bubbler combo. I've had really great results with this little corner filter and if you've just got the one fish it should be enough to keep your tank filtered as long as you stay under 10 gallons. Just in case your current filter doesn't work out. Sending positive thoughts your way - good luck and have fun! : )


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## Smudge369 (Nov 14, 2015)

Thank you 
I'll have a look around for something similiar!
It seems Tetra items aren't sold here in Australia.... maybe on ebay i'll find it!

I also read somewhere to try zip tying a sponge filter to the intake, so might try that before buying another filter.

But i did do a test yesterday and found that when i placed a plant in front of it with long silk leaves, there seemed to be no to very minimal suction... so i'm wondering if it is any danger to my betta....

Also he seems to have given up on the intake and is now resting down on the gravel


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## hellobird (Nov 11, 2015)

My previous betta used to love resting by the filter intake too, I got pretty scared the first time I went in and saw him curled around the tube! But I think they just like the gentle suction since it means they don't have to fight any currents to stay put. I don't imagine it being harmful, as long as his fins don't actually get sucked into the filter somehow, and as long as he is able to swim away easily.
Finding stuff in Aus sucks, I only recently found a place that sells API test kits and Prime, I had to drive 30 mins but it was worth it! Everything else I've managed to find online with pretty reasonable pricing, so definitely have a look. :>


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## Darius359au (Apr 12, 2014)

My idiot EE has started sleeping against the filter intake in his part of my partitioned tank ,he's had no problems getting away from it ,The wife's halfmoon sleeps on the filter inlet and has since I added him and the EE to the tank:-D


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## Smudge369 (Nov 14, 2015)

Thanks guys for the replies!

Yeah I found my API Master test kit online....

I have been so worries since he started doing it but now realise he just likes it! Because when i watch he's swimming around happily and then he swims towards the intake, spins his body towards it, stops swimming and allows it to gentle pull him in. Very strange. and he likes swimming with the current of the output (which i recently reduced by putting stockings (as we Aussies call them) / "pantyhose" around the output. 

He seems really happy and I suppose its a different experience from being in a tiny bowl like he's used to.

Also did my first 25% water change - OMG my siphon was so fast I barely had time to think!!! Luckily my brother was holding the hose in the bucket otherwise i think it would have just gone everywhere!!

Also my API water test is really hard to see if it's reading zero ammonia or 0.25ppm ammonia..... anyone else have this problem?


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## Darius359au (Apr 12, 2014)

helps if you hold the test tube to the white part of the card and stand with your back to a strong light so its shining right on the tube.


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## Crash (Jul 19, 2015)

As long as he can easily get away from it with no struggle, I don't think it's really a problem. But if it looks like he's trying to wriggle away from it with difficulty, that's when you have a problem. Make sure you watch out for the little slots on the intake though, I had to cover my filter with a similar looking intake with a mesh because my double tail halfmoon's fins kept getting sucked into it when he swam by and got too close, making him have to struggle to get away from it.


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## Smudge369 (Nov 14, 2015)

Thanks Darius 359au  will make sure to try those suggestions

Crash - yeah he can definitely swim away from the intake as I've often stuck my finger by him and he moves away quickly. Also, I checked behind the grill to see what was there and it looks like a sponge (maybe a pre-filter sponge) so I felt confident that he isn't going to get his fins chopped off by something behind the grill. I might try and place some plants in front of it to try and deter him - also my fake coral, more plants and more hiding places are coming soon so it should give him more options to rest on than the filter!


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