Are Mini Bow tanks good tanks?

[Juditko]

I used a cutout piece of plastic craft canvas to cover the hole at the back (someone else's suggestion here.) You can customize it and cut out for cords, etc.

[callistra]

Originally Posted by Fishehgobloop

... sucked in? No way. The filters are absolutely way too small to suck a betta in. MAYBE if you had fry in the tank, then yes, but even my smallest bettas never even got stuck to the filter to the point of not being able to get off. Like I said, the only problem I ever had was fin ripping. I just can't see that happening, Callistra, at all.

And Kithy, I have one halfmoon tank with my crowntail in it, and he has super long fins anyways, but sometimes I look over and at the right angle, he looks like a giant spider. But, he absolutely loves that tank, and his decorations actually look great (I tried really really hard to find good decorations for that tank). :P

Usually not all the way it but enough in to severely deform them and kill most. There are tons of threads in this forum alone about it happening.

Here's just the first few google reported:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...4094139AAxaFF4
http://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/fr...-my-betta.html
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=115777
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=121594
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=118921
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=114271
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=113398
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=113302
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=111875

Trust me I've seen a TON of those reports, and most have been from the minibow filters, and in most cases the betta didn't make it.

[Juditko]

Thanks for this info about the cheesecloth. I think I'll take care of that right now. Just a wrap around? Also if anyone knows how to rig a sponge on there, please share as that sounds more practical long term. What kind of sponge is safe to use?

[ChoclateBetta]

Yahoo does not count as a source. But the rest seem good.

[TheCheese909]

callistra, the Yahoo! link does not say what filter that fish was sucked into.

The 2nd link is for the AquaClear 20, which is not the filter that is used in the Bow aquariums.

The 3rd link says nothing about what filter was used.

4th, is a regular 5 gallon aquarium from WalMart which carries a much more powerful filter than the Aqueon filters.

5th is a filter from a 10 gallon starter kit, not the filter we are talking about.

6 says nothing about what filter nor does it say exactly how he was stuck.

7 the OP said he "I know he probably got sucked into the intake", note the key word "probably". This also does not mention what filter was used.

8 says their Betta darted under a huge filter for a small aquarium and his finnage started to get sucked into the filter, which happens if a Betta gets too close to a filter, actually it happens to any fish who gets close to a filter. It doesn't mean the whole fish was SUCKED into the filter like you keep saying happens all the time. If it happened ALL the time then no one would use a filter with a Betta.

9 also says nothing about what filter was used.




I don't know if you are aware but we are not talking about any old filter we are talking about the Aqueon Bow filter that comes in the MiniBow, 2.5 BettaBow and 5 gallon Bow. The filter looks like this:




There is no way possible unless the Betta was a fry for it to actually be fully sucked up into the filter like you keep saying, it's impossible. However, a Betta can get his fins torn in the filter intake, which is why we suggested the sponge or cheesecloth. The intake is not nearly strong enough for a Betta to not be able to free himself from so there would never be any fear of a Betta drowning because of the intake or having serious bodily injuries. It's completely impossible, please understand what filter we are talking about and don't post unnecessary threads that don't pertain to what we are talking about.

[Juditko]

I clipped off a piece of filter mesh to wrap around until I can get a sponge. On another thread someone mentioned a fluval edge prefilter sponge A1387 as being a good fit and help prevent fin damage. I'm going to try that.

[aemaki09]

It depends on if you have short or long finned fish.
I have a PK in a 2.5 with the filter on and he does perfectly fine with it, but my CT and VT in 2 of my others cant have it on because its too hard on them.
I personally wouldnt risk it at all and just use the tank without a filter, or replace the one that came in the tank with a sponge filter.
BUT these are nice tanks and I love them, just wish they chose a different filter with them.

[TheCheese909]

I've heard of the fluval edge sponge to be good too, i think they are almost the perfect size to wrap around the intake. Smart idea with just the little piece of filter mesh, i'm sure that will work for some time before it needs a change, it's alot more hardy than just cheesecloth.

Our HMs and CTs never had any issues with the intake or outflow of the filter in these aquariums. My HM loved to play in the outflow and never got pushed around by it. I say just watch your fish and make sure he does okay with it, all fish are different and handle filters in different ways.

[ChoclateBetta]

Carter usef to wrap around the filter. He could easily escape. Sometimes his fins weigh him down.

[Fishehgobloop]

Originally Posted by callistra

Trust me I've seen a TON of those reports, and most have been from the minibow filters, and in most cases the betta didn't make it.

callistra, NONE of those SPECIFY what filter. For a filter's intake to be strong enough to trap a small fish, it would have to be extremely powerful, and the MiniBow filters are not anywhere near that powerful.

I think we've used this particular filter in one way or another with all of our fish and never had any other problems. Just fix up the intake so there are no ripped fins, and you're good to go.