playing in filter stream

[thespiffymonkey]

Hi!

Been gone for a while, moved...new water...poor baby didn't make it despite my best efforts...but why I'm here now is that I recently got a new betta, beautiful, but had some fin rot issues (don't they all though...) So I figured that getting him out of the little cup into 5 gallons of clean, clear water in an established cycled tank would do him some good, and I think it did, say some regrowth. However, he (haven't decided on a name yet) has discovered that he likes to play in the stream of water that is comes from the filter, it's a tiny palm filter on the lowest setting, but it's still enought to push him around. I went to feed him a day or two ago and found that he had a huge nasty rip in his dorsal fin and some spines broken and a little rip in his tail. I think that this was caused by him battling against the "current," he was healthy and intact before.

So what my question is, does anyone else have this problem? How have you dealt with it? I was thinking I could attach a piece of sponge, or something soft to the waterfall area to spread out the stream at least...

Let me know, thanks

Laura

[amanichen]

This betta wouldn't happen to be in a tank with other fish would it?

[thespiffymonkey]

No amanichen, he's got his five gallon palace all to himself. though I've thought about getting two tiny corycats as a claen up crew...

[amanichen]

It's possible that he got caught somewhere, but I doubt the current did it. However, if you are concerned about it, you can use a sponge, or something similar to add a restriction to the filter intake. Just make sure you clean it regularly to maintain enough flow rate.

Can you post pictures of your tank?

[thespiffymonkey]

Hi,

I posted a few pictures, look in the picture thread under "new betta and tank setup."

Laura

[amanichen]

The tail wounds honestly look self inflicted.

I don't see anything in there that would cause that sort of damage (aside from maybe getting his tail caught in the filter intake.)

Watch him over the next couple days and see what his daily routine is.

[thespiffymonkey]

Thanks for your input amanichen. I've got new mommy anxiety, and it was such a horrible wound... The filter stream playing is the only behavior I've noticed that I haven't seen from any of my previous fish. I'll keep an eye out and just keep him clean...

It's really too bad he had such a beautiful crowntail dorsal before...oh well, I'm sure it will grow back in time

Laura