# Water movement in betta tank?



## atc84 (May 18, 2013)

Planning a new walstad 10 gallon betta tank. 

Should i throw in my 29 filter in the beginning because of the soil?

After a while could i jsut take it out? i will only have a betta in there, so low bioload


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Depending on how you prepare the soil, you probably will need biofiltration at first to handle ammonia. Can you restrict the flow in your filter to a comfortable level for the betta?

I keep plakat (short fin) bettas, and they tolerate high flow well as long as they have dense planting to provide low flow areas. From my understanding, long fin varieties have more problem with current.


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## atc84 (May 18, 2013)

yeah, i can keep the water level higher so it doesnt splash, and you can turn it down nearly half.


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## Kerry (Sep 5, 2013)

I used to keep a full-finned betta s. in a 10g with an Aquaclear 50 running full speed. At first he got blown around a bit when he tried to cross the main stream from the filter...he came from Petsmart so probably spent his entire life in a 1/3 cup of water. After about a week he had no problems with the current and (in my opinion) was a much stronger and healthier fish for it. As long as there are some quiet corners with some floating plant to make a nest in, he will be happy! (...and happier still if there were a half dozen or more lady bettas to share his home with!)


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Kerry--Not to hijack the thread, but do you think one male and six females would be possible in a 10 gallon? I ask because I am getting read to remodel one of my tanks, and would like to keep a group like this in it. The tank is an 18 gallon tall--same footprint as a 10, but almost twice as tall.


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## Kerry (Sep 5, 2013)

I did it successfully, but...the males can be extremely aggressive to the females....which is why you need to have 6+ females to spread the aggression. With the male betta, the females are only welcome in his nesting area for one thing only...you know...'Wham! Bam! Thank you Ma'am...now get the h*** out!'  (typical male!) and he will attempt to keep them away from that area all other times (she is a threat to the fry) 

Some things that help are to have visual barriers like a thick wall of plants dividing up the tank space. Have some floating plants in a quiet corner of the tank where (hopefully) the male will take up nesting. Leave a little space around the nesting area and then some tall plantings to block his view of the whole tank. Make sure there are lots of thick plantings and places for the females to hide at the other end of the tank. The females will dive into the plants and wedge themselves into nooks and crannies when they are being chased, so, the more hiding spaces the better. My females stayed in good condition...none got beat up...they didn't hang around for that. 

If you are wanting to raise the fry, you might want to set up another tank and siphon the new wrigglers out with a length of airline to raise seperately. After they hatch, the male will try to keep them in the bubble nest but they will tend to fall to the bottom where the male will try to gather them up in his mouth and put them back. Your tall tank will be a bit of a challenge for him, but, if there are no other predatory fish in the tank he may do alright. Eventually, the fry will swim out of the nesting area where they will be at the mercy of the current and other fish. The females will probably eat any fry that leave the nesting site.


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## atc84 (May 18, 2013)

Thanks Kerry, that was an awesome respone, haha.

i dont mind michael haha


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## koala (Sep 18, 2013)

In case you feel your betta is exhausted or stressed, just find a way to baffle the filter's water output such as taking a rubber band and strapping an aquarium sponge around it(depends on what kind of filteryou have though)


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