Newbie Betta Keeper - Oxygen Question plz help!

[Reece]

Hey everyone, tomorrow I will be getting my first ever Betta fish! The tank I have is a 10G (US) and has already been cycled by previous inhabitants. The problem is that when my tank is fully filled with water (to the point that the man at my LFS store said to go to) the oxygen pump seems to be under too much pressure and doesn't actually spit out any bubbles (it still delivers a steady current though). I have previously read before that Betta fish tend to go to the surface of the water for air, if this is true, does it really matter that there is no oxygen coming out of the pump, as they collect air from the surface anyway? Thanks in advance for any help that is given!

[Princess Penny]

Do you mean an airstone? If so, no, you don't need it. Bettas actually prefer a quiet water surface, and no currents. Be careful how full you fill the tank too, you don't want it filled all the way to the top. Bettas need to come to the surface in order to breathe.

[Reece]

It's not an airstone, it sticks out of the internal filter and blows air. Also, the water level isn't actually at the very top of the tank, because of what I've learnt in preperation for the Betta I have taken the water level down by about 2cm so that it will be easily able to be at the surface of the water, and for any possible nests to not get destroyed by the lid.

If they don't have currents, I could just take the oxygen thing off, that way the water will be completely still. (Obviously not dead still that's not possible, but you know what I mean).

omg I'd love it if my LFS has a betta like yours, the way it's face is white and then the body is black amazes me! One of the prettiest that I've seen. I hope they aren't all half moons though, I don't know why I just think that they look like a show fish and not a pet. Sounds odd doesn't it? lol

[Princess Penny]

Hmm, I'm not sure what that is but if it disturbs the water a lot you might want to consider taking it off. That's good that you are keeping the water level a little low!

And thank you, my betta was a very lucky Petco find :)

[Reece]

This is the oxygen pump thing attached to the internal filter. It comes off but I don't want to take it off at the moment though as because it still has some fish in it that I'm taking back to the LFS tomorrow if something goes wrong it could shock them. When I've got the fish out of the tank tomorrow I will take it off and see what happens...

[jman828]

Wierd, you don't need it. I'd take it off