Air Stones?

[MeganL3985]

I read somewhere that betta's don't like a lot of water movement....but then I read somewhere that they also enjoy bubbles from air stones?

[RobbieG]

Airstones create some movement when they spew ot the bubbles- but a lot of tanks have powerheads or (in may case) big old honking HOB filters that create a LOT of current.

Bettas will likely enjoy the first but not the second.

[tropfish]

i agree with robbie. Airstones don't create a huge amount of movement as long as you use the right sized one. My betta used to LOVE to swim throught the bubbles.

[Drumachine09]

You can purchase small floating plants that will reduce the current as well. So it would be a good idea to get one in conjuction with your airstone.

[MeganL3985]

I just found a airstone thats suppose to look like brain coral and releases a "fine mist" of bubbles. Do you think this sounds like a good one?

[RobbieG]

That should be OK - you can also control the amount of air going through it with a valve - they sell them at the stores for a couple of bucks - I use them on mine.

[MeganL3985]

Okay I bought it :) Hope its good!

[salman]

Megan if your betta is in a tank alone, then you dont need an airstone, filter or anything. Betta's dont require much oxygen, just do a water change daily or a 100% weekly.

[Nick_Pavlovski]

As RobbieG says - use a valve, and set it on low. Betta's are used to slow-moving or still water. Too much water movement can affect them.

[MeganL3985]

I think what i'm gonna do is, that I hear mini-bow's have an adjustable filter speed or something (?), so i'll probably set whatever it is to low to create the least amount of water movement....and then since I got the little fine mist airstone already, i'll probably pick up a valve for it as well. That way there isn't too much movement. Thanks guys :)

[Presten]

Because he is in a gallon size house, I split the acquarium air pump into two and Jeremiah gets just a little air, I had to clamp the air hose to cut the air down to what I wanted. He LOVES the bubbles and will rest on his plant and just enjoy the bubbles coming up to him.

Your little one will love it.

Best

[ashm5]

so bettas actually prefer bowls then? with no filtration? so putting them in a community tank would be a bad Idea then?

[SkarloeysMom]

Hmm, bettas perfer bowls? Well, they can live in a bowl but they do better in a cycled tank of at least 2.5 gallons. They can live in a community but my opinon is that they need to be at least a 20g or bigger to be successful. However, some bettas will not do well in a community and you can't really tell what kind of betta you have until you try them out with other fish. I think its best to keep them alone. They will tolerate bottom feeders like corys and otos fairly well though.

[Nick_Pavlovski]

They don't like lots of water movement, they prefer still water or water moving gently.

They may fight with other fish that they may think are too similar to them, and other fish that are known to bite fins of slower-moving fish may take pieces of your Betta's tail.

But they can be in community tanks, just depends how the tank is set up and who's in it.

[radiant sea snail]

I have a bubble curtain attached to the back of my 10g tank. It was mostly for the snail, as he likes to crawl on it and stick to the back of the tank while the bubbles cascade over him.

Last night my husband and I got to see something fabulous. Our male betta discovered the bubble wand. Oh how he loves it! He kept swimming down toward it and then would let go and let the bubbles push him up to the surface. He did this constantly.

I hear that's a game that snails play (my snail has yet to play this particular game, but then I think I have a dud). My betta seemed to be having such a blast. After a while he'd go back to the rest of the tank and swim or rest, then he'd dive back into the bubbles!