Betta playing in filter current?

Yesterday I set up a ten gallon planted tank for my betta. It's currently still cycling but that's another story. Today, I noticed the Betta getting pushed/floated by the filter flow which I haven't seen him do before. So he gets pushed away and up, but then decides to swim back and have the same thing happen again. Partly, I think he's going to that corner of the tank because he can see his reflection in the glass just a little, which I assumed he'd get used to. I'd never seen him do this in his previous tank, with which I used the same filter. It's just a sponge filter with an air pump and if anything, it's a little undersized for a ten gallon. In fact, I was planning on watching my parameters and potentially buying a second one if this one didn't seem to do the job. The filter bubbles in the corner and causes light surface rippling which dissipates by the time it gets to the other end. Do I need to be concerned about him getting hurt?

 

Haha, I love this. My wife's Betta does the exact same thing. He loves the current and is constantly playing in it. I tried different ways to baffle the flow. One way was putting driftwood near the outflow, it worked too well. .and let me tell you that he wasn't happy with me about doing it, and showed his displeasure. He would actually try to bump the driftwood out of the way. Everytime he couldn't do it, he would come to the front of the tank, flare, shake his body, then try to find the current. After about an hour or so, I moved the driftwood, and he was happy.

 

Haha, I love this. My wife's Betta does the exact same thing. He loves the current and is constantly playing in it. I tried different ways to baffle the flow. One way was putting driftwood near the outflow, it worked too well. .and let me tell you that he wasn't happy with me about doing it, and showed his displeasure. He would actually try to bump the driftwood out of the way. Everytime he couldn't do it, he would come to the front of the tank, flare, shake his body, then try to find the current. After about an hour or so, I moved the driftwood, and he was happy.

That's hysterical! Maybe he is just playing. He never did that in the 2 gallon, but then again there wasn't much room for it with the sponge filter right in the middle. I guess if it were hurting him he'd probably figure out to stop doing it.

 

Well, I was concerned that my betta would get hurt, so I made a water bottle baffle (my filter has the waterfall-type outflow). I feel better, but I am not kidding you, my betta goes out of his way to swim directly under the waterfalls.

You should probably watch for signs of stress, but yeah, some bettas like to play in the current.

 

My betta totally plays in the current! It's very entertaining to watch. She swims up to the top where water comes into tank and then goes limp and let's current take her to bottom and does this over and over.

 

Since it's a sponge filter he swims into the current and let's it float him up and then wiggles to get out of the current at the surface and does it again. But that's really funny they do it!

 

Lol! I have my guys in little indoor ponds, which requires frequent partial water changes. Whenever I am refilling the crowntail's pond he darts over to play in the current. I love watching him wait for it! Like a tiny thoroughbred on a tiny treadmill!

 

Lol! I have my guys in little indoor ponds, which requires frequent partial water changes. Whenever I am refilling the crowntail's pond he darts over to play in the current. I love watching him wait for it! Like a tiny thoroughbred on a tiny treadmill!

Can you post pics of the ponds? I'm confused and intrigued as to your set up.

 

Can you post pics of the ponds? I'm confused and intrigued as to your set up.

Sure thing!
1) Comet pond. I was ignorant about goldfish and ill advised by an employee. The three comets in here will be moved to an outdoor pond. They are all still under two inches. Some snails, some plants, yada yada.
2) The new betta. Was free and mostly dead. Now feisty and has nerites.
3) Crown tail and co.
4) Plakat and and co.
Betta water parameters before water changes are:
GH: 90-120
KH: ~90
Ph: 6.6
NO2: 0
NO3: 0
Amm: 0
There is a long term plan in place to connect them via a filtered waterway/waterfall.
Obviously could I prattle on with more specs, but won't. Just feel free to ask questions.

 

Sure thing!
1) Comet pond. I was ignorant about goldfish and ill advised by an employee. The three comets in here will be moved to an outdoor pond. They are all still under two inches. Some snails, some plants, yada yada.
2) The new betta. Was free and mostly dead. Now feisty and has nerites.
3) Crown tail and co.
4) Plakat and and co.
Betta water parameters before water changes are:
GH: 90-120
KH: ~90
Ph: 6.6
NO2: 0
NO3: 0
Amm: 0
There is a long term plan in place to connect them via a filtered waterway/waterfall.
Obviously could I prattle on with more specs, but won't. Just feel free to ask questions.

That's super cool!! I've not seen anything like it before. Are they somehow sunk into your floor? Is the part where the water is like a teensy plastic pond mold or just some kind of bucket or what? This is super intriguing.

 

That's super cool!! I've not seen anything like it before. Are they somehow sunk into your floor? Is the part where the water is like a teensy plastic pond mold or just some kind of bucket or what? This is super intriguing.

Thanks!!
They are prefab ponds, a 10 gal and three 3 gals. They're just on, and banked with, slate field rocks (Which also help to maintain temp). Orchids, moss, and such are tucked in for humidity, and there are pitcher plants and other water plants, too.
Really they just kind of grew there, lol.

 

What made you want to do that inside? I feel like I'd be afraid of somehow making my house dirty. Though I know that's foolish because I have tons of house plants and a fish tank and they don't get things dirty so why would putting it together on the floor? Lol. Anyway I love it and I have the need to do this if I ever live somewhere that allowed it.

 

What made you want to do that inside? I feel like I'd be afraid of somehow making my house dirty. Though I know that's foolish because I have tons of house plants and a fish tank and they don't get things dirty so why would putting it together on the floor? Lol. Anyway I love it and I have the need to do this if I ever live somewhere that allowed it.

It's in my studio. I used to paint outside, so I started by putting plants in the large store windows to get a more natural feel. One thing led to another, and now there are over 200 plants. A water feature seemed like the next natural step, and I missed having fish.
Totally not foolish! Lol! The real dirt comes from the plants and watering them. The ponds themselves create no mess. The plastic is designed for outdoor use, freezing/thawing, etc., so I'm not concerned about them breaking. The rocks came from our property, and could have been cleaned nicely, though I didn't.
All told, it's a fairly easy and inexpensive project. The 10 gallon prefab cost ~$40, and the little ponds were ~$11. The rocks were free, except time, work, and travel expenses. Dried floral moss to fill in the gaps is ~$3 for a large sheet. The orchids are discount orchids (~$1-$3 a piece), and some of my own keikis. The water plants were my own cuttings and discounts. The stump/log was curb shopped. (Thank the cosmos for pickup trucks!)
That being said, our studio landlord is truly awesome. I'm not sure most would've approved.
The only real drawback is that the fish can really only be viewed top down. So, I have to make my bettas perform tricks to really see all their fins.