# Aquaview 360 unsafe for betta!



## Punki (Apr 30, 2011)

Changed his water yesterday evening and put everything back perfectly. This morning i wake up and hes INSIDE THE TUBE WITH THE AIRSTONE! I always look for him as soon as i walk into the room and suddenly i saw his bluish purple fins waving in the current and thought the worst. He didnt get to come up for air for i dont know how long. Im not sure if the bubbler allows them to breath oxygen but i know they still need surface air so i was very lucky he wasnt dead  Hes shooken up, not clamped but tired, hes been swimming in the tube against the airstone for im not sure how long. Before i yanked the lid off i rationally looked to make sure it wasnt error on my fault and NOPE the plastic "guard" that is supposed to keep fish out of the filtration was in place, so he somehow still fitted himself into the round plastic guard that goes on the airhose at the top of the tube, now that i REALLY look at it it is super small but possible to squish himself into it...He had to try really hard i imagine..
and was stuck in the tube for, im not sure how long. Hes not too happy, but hes still begging for food :roll: so hopefully all is well, just quite a scare, he could have died in there  Hes a little limp. Hes been in there for 3 1/2 months and finally got too curious -.- I know a few on here use it and i just wanted to get this out there. Today ill be trying to somehow block the opening i suspect he went through without throwing the whole system out. >.<
For now the best course of action is to just leave him be right, let him calm down in the warm dark tank?Im not seeing any rips or scratches thankfully.


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## TonyK (Apr 4, 2011)

Can you remove the center piece from the tank?


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## TonyK (Apr 4, 2011)

Forgot to add I glad he is alright. Its never good walking in the room and seeing something like that.


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## Punki (Apr 30, 2011)

I could remove it but then hed be filterless and weve got a bit of a cycle going that id like not to lose, i took some screen mesh and put it under the guard to cover all the little triangle holes that he somehow fit though. Eventually i plan to get a 5-10 gallon once i get my water all situated, for now im buying jugs left and right so i cant upgrade.
Yeah thanks, it was such a shock! I lost my female this week, i would be terribly upset if i lost my male also. Hes just too curious for his own good!


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## Punki (Apr 30, 2011)

After googling for awhile ive found 3 other people who had their bettas do this. This tank is marketted for bettas so be careful if you have this and use the bubbler/tube filtration.
My boy is stressed, he still has his color but he isnt flaring as usual and his tail is a little clamped up, looked for tears and only the very edges look BARELY tattered in a couple of spots but it could just be the angle, i need to find my flashlight. Hes very lucky, i usually dont wake for another couple of hours but my daughter had a party to go to so i got up early and found him trapped. If id have gotten up normally i may have had a much sadder story =/


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## Littlebittyfish (Jan 5, 2011)

I would get some craft mesh..The kind people use to make dividers and cut it to fit over top of the tube and glue it in place..That way the air bubbles can still get through..but it would keep betta out.


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## Punki (Apr 30, 2011)

I think i know what your talking about, ill definitely look into that later today, now i need a nap, and the plastic screen type thing i am using leaves no big holes for him to sneak into. Its just not secured when i take the lid off and doesn't look too nice. Thanks for the idea. Hopefully by next month ill have a 5-10 gallon tank with a real filter and none of this worry, im just so thankful hes alright.


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## PewPewPew (Nov 26, 2010)

My roommate got this tank and I was concerned for the same, so we shoved a few fake plants into the top. If you can, consider getting some of the really long ones they sell, so it can drape over the top while covering the top enough for him not to go in. Bubbles can still go out fine.

Ones like this would be soooo great,and would look cool, too!!! :3 If it fans out too much, use some string or fishing line to tie to the column.
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3145583

If you dont use the stone (or even if you do), but dont want to remove it because of the light, get some clear marbles and fill that sucker up!  They sell gems that are square in clear, too, which would allow more air from the stone to escape easier.


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## Punki (Apr 30, 2011)

Great suggestions, ive got a big bag of gems and marbles that i have never used, but i think the plant idea would allow more of the water to current upwards with the bubbles o i think ill go that route. You all think of clever things, i was walking around in a panic looking for things all around the house to possibly keep him out. For now i just have a piece of plastic thats round and the same size as the guard but i burned lots of little holes in it. Hes been eyeing it all day, i guess once hes done it once he wants to do it always. Shocking that he could get down there all the way, be trapped without air, not tear a fin badly or go into shock. When i took the lid off to allow him to swim out he just slowely figured it out then swam to the front for food lol. I still covered him and let him "rest" but he played all day as usual, no worse for the wear. His curiosity is adorable but the image of his tail being blown in the current of bubbles in the tube was horrifying. They should have made the guard holes much smaller before they went advertising it good for bettas! I imagine it was a tight awkward squeeze but possible for sure, and a female would have an even easier time getting in. But i guess like all the other bowls advertised for bettas, 75% aren't really good for them. >.<
Anyways, excuse the mini-rant, thank you for all the suggestions, Ill be sure to use one and hopefully have no more issues. I swear, instead of spending 30$ on that tank i should have just gotten the 30 dollar 5 gallon setup. If only water wasnt an issue.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Whoa, can't believe that. I'd contact the manufacturer and let them know about this because this thing should be recalled, especially if it's going to marketed for bettas and other small fish (imagine a tetra in there!) Or worse, a larger fish getting its head stuck. I'm so glad your male is okay, Punki. *whew* That would have been too much coming right after what you had to go through with little Coraline.

PS - sounds like your male has a little of the thrill-seeker in him if he's still eyeing the thing.


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## Punki (Apr 30, 2011)

lol Yeah he loves that sort of things, water changes excite him ) Thats actually a good idea, i will write to them. I wish i had the receipt still. Either ways its worth it to inform them.


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

weiss used to get in there all the time. x: he'd actually come up thorough the tube, look at me while still in it, wiggle, and go back under the undergravel filter. >.> little bugger. xD Chappy used to do that, too, but she was teeny, so it wasn't a problem. i'm glad your boy's okay. do you not use the round thing that's supposed to stop them from going in the tube?


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## Punki (Apr 30, 2011)

I do, it was in place, but the triangle holes the guard has were big enough to allow him to squeeze in.


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

tiny boy. x: what i did, when i had Gackt in there for a bit, was get the mesh off a bag of oranges, and use a rubber band to hold it in place. he wasn't happy, but i was.


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