[delagarza27]

Hello everyone. I have a question about my new tank. Its 10 gallons divided in the middle with two bettas, an African dwarf frog, and a black mystery snail. Everyone seems to be living peacefully with each other but they have only been together for a day or so. I have a blue double veil tail named Ryan who is about 2, and a new boy named Louis. He is red and a half moon I think. He wasn't labeled at the store because it was walmart. He was sort of a rescue fish because I had no intention of buying more fish, but the conditions that the fish at walmart were living in were heartbreaking so I couldn't leave him. So I spent 30 dollars on a new tank instead. So i'm wondering what you guys think I should do to maintain my tank. I have a filter but neither betta likes it and they flair and attack it. I was planning on doing 25 percent water changes weekly with the filter but if i have to do it with out then it would be more. I also have a heater that keeps the temperture between 77 and 81 degrees. Any suggestions?

P.s. I have had Ryan for a long time and am good with taking care of bettas so i don't need basic tips. I'm more concerned with how to keep the tank clean with his new tank mates.

 

[bettacrazygirl86]

I would suggest trying to find a more steady heater, preferably adjustable. I have an Aqueon 100 watt in my 10 gallon, and it works great. Heats exactly to what it's set to and it has a life time warranty! Definitely does its job.

I have almost the same stocking as you, put plus another snail and minus the ADF. I use the filter that comes with it. I'm going to assume you and I have the same tank kit, so we have the same filter. What I did to make it not so mean to the fish is I baffled it more. I got a Fluval Edge filter intake sponge. It's a cylindrical sponge that slips right over the intake (where it's sucking the water in) and it slows down the flow a bit. To redirect the flow from shoving them around, I cut the middle of a water bottle and used a rubber band to hold it in place to the filter lid. There's a tutorial on here somewhere about how to make the water bottle baffle. It slowed the flow down A LOT and now he can make a bubble nest wherever he wants without the current breaking it.

If you have a filter, the tank can cycle, which makes cleaning it WAYYYY easier. Until my tank is finished cycling, I do two 50% water changes a week, using a gravel vacuum to clean the gravel and suck out the water. I swish the sponge and filter cartridge in the old tank water and put them back, then start filling the tank up with clean water. Sometimes I rearrange everything, just so they don't get bored. I don't scrub the sides of the tank or any of the decorations. All I do is clean the gravel and take out the water.

 

[delagarza27]

thanks for the advice. I didn't actually get a tank kit. It was cheaper for me to buy them separately so I got that aqua tech 5-15 power filter. I forget what heater I have but it mostly keeps the temp steady. It has to get pretty cold in the room for it to drop below 79. I think I will baffle the filter, but i'm still concerned that my bettas will flair at the filter. I don't want them exhausting themselves but it seems necessary to have it. Do you think slowing it down will chill my fishies out?

 

[bettacrazygirl86]

That's the same filter that comes with the kit anyway. Same one I have. Baffling it should calm them down at least a little. They MAY just flare at it because it's a huge black thing invading their space. They should get used to it eventually. I don't think flaring at it will exhaust them too much. My boy flares at everything, just because he's territorial. He's like a greedy little kid that doesn't like sharing his stuff. If it moves, he flares. He flares at me, his food, his tank mates, his plants, the filter. He flares at nothing sometimes too. I'm sure they'll be fine.

 

[delagarza27]

I used the water bottle to baffle the filter. Its working out pretty well so far. I should still go get a sponge so i can slow it down a little. They don't really flair at it anymore unless they are swimming by it so I call this a success! Thanks so much.