before someone asks, I used test strips and water parameters seem good, higher end alkalinity and ph but my attempts at lowering it all fail, fish has been fine in them for months though 🤷♀️
Fih seems to be acting a lil strange? (first time betta owners I’ve owned other types of fish though) he has definitely grown since the last time I checked on the tank, he’s already 2x the size as he was in the nasty petco cup. fins are a LOT bigger now so I’m wondering if they could just be weighing him down and causing this behavior. He likes to wedge himself under this plant and also hangs out sitting on the bottom (he has a leaf hammock but has never really used it). this is NOT all the time behavior though he is still pretty active around the top in the floating plants. It seems like he’s just chilling there resting on the bottom but I’m not big on betta behavior so I just want to make sure with the experts on here.
ALSO!! 3rd picture: he did this while I was watching the tank, not sure if his fins were stuck there?! I used my plant tongs to push him off the sponge but i’m wondering if I should get a different filter just in case. If so, suggestions anyone? tank is a 10gal
https://www.reddit.com/gallery/1ut97ff
Posted by Squirrel10987
2 Comments
Sponge filters are notorious for sucking up long fins, swap it for a gentle HOB like an AquaClear 20 or just put a prefilter sponge over the intake. Resting on the bottom sometimes is normal for heavy-finned boys, nothing to panic about
More experienced fish keepers might be able to say more on this, but my guess would be that once you have 10 gallons with plants and proper filtration and such you just get more fun and silly betta behaviour. Mine also likes to hang out at the bottom of the tank and sit under things from time to time.
But it DOES look like the filter might be too strong for his lovely fins. Slowing it down somehow could help