We’ve had him for about two weeks. He is in a 5.5g tank. The HOB filter has a baffle on it, but the flow is still strong in one area (I have a better one coming in next week). I can’t tell if he’s enjoying this or not? He willingly goes back and forth like this all the time. Is it fun for him or is he stressed out? Water parameters are all in the normal range.
https://v.redd.it/sky22wmjvozf1
Posted by sneezybeetle
4 Comments
No the flow is too high. Your fish seems under stimulated and is seeking mental stimulation 🩷 I would recommend a mirror or some more hiding places for them to explore and “patrol”.
Flow is high but he is also choosing to be there. If it doesnt stop, its a concern but it looks like he is parasailing in the flow for fun to me
We have a very similar black samrairi with slightly shorter fins. He is still glass surfing after 3 weeks in our care in a cycled 10 gallon. He has a ton of entertainment so I think it’s the combination of new place to live, still stressed, and being very active because of his shorter fins.
I’ve read a bunch about this and everyone said it should calm down after about a month.
In my experience, bettas enjoy more flow than people think. It’s great exercise for them, as long as there are lots of places in the tank they can rest without using their fins. All of mine use their bubblers as reverse-slides in a way that only looks like play to me. Your betta has shorter fins anyway, and likely isn’t struggling with the water flow at all if he has places to rest. You could put taller plants in front of the filter if you want to break it up a bit, and in general a “cluttered” tank is more fun for the fish to explore. If you do offer him a mirror, it should only be for a few minutes at a time; thinking a rival male is always around the corner can also lead to unnecessary stress.