# Bettas and filters



## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

Yesterday my betta splenden got stuck in my filter. (If you haven't seen him, check out the album splenden) What should I do? If I take the filter out then the water gets dirty. If I leave the filter on he'll drown. It's kind of weird thinking about a fish drowning lol.:fish:


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

You can go without filtration if you do daily 100% water changes. Its rare that a healthy fish will get stuck to a filter. Unless its ridiculously strong, its likely the fish was weak from another problem and should be in hospital tank until it improves or dies.


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

your right about him being weak. He is still getting over ick.


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## Mr. fish (Mar 8, 2011)

You could always put on a sponge filter.. But, yea healthy fish rarley get stuck to the intake.


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## Bettawhisperer (Oct 1, 2010)

Bettas are notorious for having that happen because of there extra long finnage even with healthy fish. Switch to sponge filters or no filter with 100% wc twice a week or what I do sometimes is wrap a fine mess netting around the intake tube held on with two rubber band and no the rubber bands do not hurt the water or the fish.


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## baileysup (Nov 25, 2009)

i've seen my betas tail wrapped 1/2 way around my intake once before. i think a sponge sounds like a great possible solution


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## Chard56 (Oct 10, 2010)

The girls in my sorority tank like to stick themselves on the plastic screen of the intake tube and take a break. I'm afraid it will suck their body slime off and make them susceptible to diseases so I shake them off of it everytime I go by and turned down the water volume. On some of my smaller filters I have placed a larger screen on the intake tube so there is less suction in one particular area.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

I do like sponge 'pre-filters'. Just remember to squeeze them out when you change water.


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

I can't afford a sponge filter but before he got sick, he didn't get stuck in the filter. He is slowly getting worse and he has finrot to.


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## Corwin (May 23, 2010)

There is an inexpensive fix for this problem. What you need to do is go out and buy a filter sponge (not a sponge filter, just a sponge for a regular filter). You can usualy buy them in packs of two or three.

Then take the sponge and using an exacto knife cut a incision into it on one side (make sure its fairly deep but not right through) then simply take the sponge and slide it up and over the filter intake. This should stop the pull from the filter being strong enough to cause issues for your betta, and at the very least it would be less damaging if your betta did happen to get caught again.


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

May Splenden rest in peace.:-(


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