Filters and Water Changes Help for Betta's

[lisab53]

I had read here that you should look for an adjustable filter since Betta don't like current in their water. I found a Tom's Rapid Power Filter that is adjustable. It will filter up to 20 gallons and this is a 5 gallon tank. I have turned the flow adjuster till it looks like very little current but I'm wondering how well it will filter at such a slow rate. What filters do some of use use on your tanks?

I also have a question about water changes. I change 20% of the water weekly in my Goldfish tank. I add stress coat to the water I am putting back into the tank because it says it helps replace the slime coat om the fish as well as remove the Chlorine. Does anyone use this product and is it okay to use in the Betta tank? I also always wondered if I should continue to just treat the water I am putting back in or whether to fill the tank and than treat the who tank with Stress Coat?

I should have known that once I had the little tank up and running that I wouldn't be able to wait for the tank to cycle before getting my fish, so I am going over to Lancaster where they sell the Bio Spira. I'll add it to the tank and wait a few days to get my Betta.

Thanks so much for your help,
Lisa

 

[LZ Floyd]

I'm using 2 filters right now for our Betta.  One is the bio-wheel that comes with the Marineland Hex 5, the other is a sponge filter, which also aerates the tank.  There is enough current in the tank to give our Betta a fight.  But, it seems he enjoys battling it as there are places in the tank that are current-free, yet he spends his time riding the current flow. 

One thing you don't want to do is add the replacement water without treating it first.  With water changes, it is always a good idea to make up your water in advance of the water change to allow the dechlorinater to do it's job and to allow the water to expel any of the gases in it that just aren't good for the fish.  I use Stress Coat when I'm not trying to control ammonia levels in an uncycled tank (then I use Amquel+).

As for the Bio-Spira, wherever you get it, make sure it's been kept refrigerated.  If it hasn't, it may be no good.  When using it, put the Bio-Spira right in with the fish.  The bacteria needs ammonia to thrive and if there is no fish in the water, there's no ammonia source.  Typically, you'd want to put the Bio-Spira into the tank first, then put the fish in immediately afterward.  The claim is that the Betta is absolutely safe within 24 hours.  Though there will be spikes in the ammonia (and likely the nitrites not long after), it's safe for the fish.  Do no water changes for 7 days at which point a 25% water change should be done.  If you add the Bio-Spira to the tank with the fish already there, try not to dump the Bio-Spira on the Betta's head.

Hope this helped.

Mike

 

[chickadee]

Oh how great, you are going to get a little betta! We will have another little one to welcome and that makes us so happy.

I am also using Bio-wheels and have baffles on them all as they are a lot bigger than the Hex5 Bio-wheels and their output is greater but the baffles are so easily made with a bit of plastic canvas and a couple of large paper clips.



The larger tank I am getting is using the Eclipse 2 hood on a seperately purchased tank so it happily has the baffle already constructed on it.

StressCoat is okay to use in the tank and I only have one caution. It contains Aloe and that is good but when the water evaporates out of the tank and you add more the Aloe in the StressCoat does not evaporate too so you are constantly adding more and the concentration of Aloe goes up and up. Some day you will wake up and the tank will be covered with bubbles and it will be the Aloe bubbling up just like dish soap. It is a good idea to go with a different conditioner after the cycle is complete (the first 7 days with the Bio-spira) or at least part of the time. I would go with NovAqua+ or Amquel+ after cycling and use the StressCoat when they have a need to be soothed or have been medicated.

I would also plan on a 50% water change once a week after the cycle with your betta. They like things very clean and that with you gravel maintenance will be a good rule of thumb.

Congratulations and enjoy your little one. (Mike is right, the Bio-spira needs to be added right before the fish)

Rose

 

[Eskielvr]

I've always used Stress Coat after every water change and never had problems with the Aloe, and my tanks have never had bubbly dish soap things ( ???) either. When I'm doing a water change I use a Python and add the Stress Coat and other conditioners in after I've filled it. Again no ill effects with the fish, plants, or inverts from doing this for the past 8 years. If I'm just adding water to my 20 gallon I'll use a 1 gallon bucket and will add a different conditioner to take out the chlorine before putting it in my tank. (I only use 3 drops per gallon versus trying to figure out how to cut the Stress Coat dosage down to just 1 gallon at a time.)

 

[0morrokh]

Same, I use stress coat and have not had any problems (yet.....) But Rose does have a good point there. Stuff builds up expecially fast in Betta tanks because the temp is higher so the water evaporates faster.