Pre-filter too loose

I got a new betta for my tank yesterday. Poor guy struggles by the intake valve. He's learning to avoid it but I don't want him to avoid any areas of the tank. I have a coarse sponge pre-filter on there already. I was discussing my issue on a betta discord and they suggested trying a finer foam pre-filter. Problem is, all the ones I'm finding on Amazon are going to be too wide for the intake. (To the point that several comments have been that my particular filter was too small for it). What can I do the tighten it that won't hurt the water? Can I use a rubber band? Or is there something to that which could mess up the water?

Also, the outflow is a LITTLE too high. This is a little guy, a crowntail. The filter with a cut water bottle in my other tank with a betta works beautifully. He has no issues. But he's twice the size and has a different tail. Hard to describe, really. But he doesn't get sucked in with the same pre-filter and doesn't have trouble with the outtake on low and the plastic bottle. I have the same set up with the cut water bottle in my tank with my new guy and it's not calm enough for him. I've tried putting sponge in there on the other tank before I got the fish and learned about the water bottle fix. I could never get the sponge to stay and actually baffle the water. The water just went under it. Am I doing something wrong with that?

I want to help make the tank perfect for him without just using a sponge filter. The noise of the bubbles and the air pump make my migraines go crazy. Please help!

what kind of filter are you using?

Remember, if he is a new Betta, he was raised in a stagnant jar. His muscle tone will be awful, as ours would be if we were that inactive and confined. Add the drag of his unnatural fins, and you have an unfortunate creature that has to build up strength to be able to function. It takes a few weeks.
No healthy adult fish should have trouble with a standard filter. He isn't healthy at this point.

Elastic bands will rot off. I would cut a piece of sponge and secure it with zip ties. I hate to suggest more plastic use, but they are cheap and they work.

BrianK said:

what kind of filter are you using?

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https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000260FVG/?tag=ff0d01-20
AquaClear 20

GaryE said:

Remember, if he is a new Betta, he was raised in a stagnant jar. His muscle tone will be awful, as ours would be if we were that inactive and confined. Add the drag of his unnatural fins, and you have an unfortunate creature that has to build up strength to be able to function. It takes a few weeks.
No healthy adult fish should have trouble with a standard filter. He isn't healthy at this point.

Elastic bands will rot off. I would cut a piece of sponge and secure it with zip ties. I hate to suggest more plastic use, but they are cheap and they work.

Click to expand...

He was thankfully from a LFS... brand new to our town. About time! He wasn't super confined, but it was maybe a 1 gallon with a sponge filter. Definitely the best set-up I've ever seen for selling bettas. Obviously not ideal, but the store has limited space. But it still doesn't give him a lot of room. He was one of the most active there. I was really into the colors of another but I could not get him to react or move, and neither could the owner. He appeared concerned when I pointed it out. He's treating another for a possible eye infection and said if took it he would insist I buy the medicine to treat it. He's definitely on the ball. I wouldn't have a possibly sick betta out for purchase, but otherwise the shop was amazing compared to Petco or Petsmart, the only stores I have to deal with without driving 90 miles. I agree with you that my baby can't be completely healthy though.

THe only thing I worry about with zip ties is when it's time to take it off to clean it. I'd have to get my hands in there to cut them off and then of course have to use more plastic to refasten it. Will the rotting rubberbands hurt anything? Those are easier to remove and reuse for a while, anyway. I spend half my time in my room watching him and of course feeding time at the zoo so I'd be able to keep an eye on them. Just curious.

Slaphppy7 said:

Stainless Steel Mesh Pre-Filter Intake Guards For Aquariums Shrimps Tanks

www.jungleaquashrimp.com

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That won't reduce the strength of the uptake, though. That's the whole point. I already have a rough sponge prefilter and the strength is still too strong if he wonders near it.

metropolis93fan said:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000260FVG/?tag=ff0d01-20
AquaClear 20

Click to expand...

maybe stuff some foam inside the intake tube to slow it down a bit?

This may work for you, and can be made out of stuff you probably have around the house. This is what I use in all my filters and works wonderfully. Plastic mesh screen and rubber bands. Examples shown for 3 different kinds of filter intakes (Penguin, Fluval FX6, Aquaclear)

FranciscoB said:

This may work for you, and can be made out of stuff you probably have around the house. This is what I use in all my filters and works wonderfully. Plastic mesh screen and rubber bands. Examples shown for 3 different kinds of filter intakes (Penguin, Fluval FX6, Aquaclear)
View attachment 305401

Click to expand...

Interesting... I take it that goes around the pre-filter? What exactly is it? Could you maybe give me a link to something like it on Amazon or Walmart? I wouldn't really know what exactly to look for. I'd really appreciate it!

BrianK said:

maybe stuff some foam inside the intake tube to slow it down a bit?

Click to expand...

What kind of foam would you use? Needs to be safe... and wouldn't foam keep the intake tube from... well... taking anything at all in? Just curious.

metropolis93fan said:

Interesting... I take it that goes around the pre-filter? What exactly is it? Could you maybe give me a link to something like it on Amazon or Walmart? I wouldn't really know what exactly to look for. I'd really appreciate it!

Click to expand...

I goes around the filter intake, no need of any other prefilters. It is a piece of plastic window screen that has been cut to an appropriate size and folded so that it surrounds the intake. It is held with a rubber band. It allows unrestricted flow to the intake, but it does not suck in pieces larger than the screen's mesh size. It impedes small fish (or weak fish) to be sucked in, and protects plants, and maintains filters much cleaner.
The pieces of mesh screen last months, but the rubber bands need periodic replacement. I remove the whole thing weekly during water changes and rinse them free of any debris accumulated. I consider them life saviours. The mesh screen comes from the hardware store; I bought a roll some 10 years ago, and it is still providing.
I have been using this for years, after trying sponges with a hole cutout and several other means, which I found bulky and unsatisfactory. And then, there are expensive things that can be purchased online...unnecessary.
This view might explain it better.... (applied to an Aquaclear 110 intake)
Cheers!

FranciscoB said:

I goes around the filter intake, no need of any other prefilters. It is a piece of plastic window screen that has been cut to an appropriate size and folded so that it surrounds the intake. It is held with a rubber band. It allows unrestricted flow to the intake, but it does not suck in pieces larger than the screen's mesh size. It impedes small fish (or weak fish) to be sucked in, and protects plants, and maintains filters much cleaner.
The pieces of mesh screen last months, but the rubber bands need periodic replacement. I remove the whole thing weekly during water changes and rinse them free of any debris accumulated. I consider them life saviours. The mesh screen comes from the hardware store; I bought a roll some 10 years ago, and it is still providing.
I have been using this for years, after trying sponges with a hole cutout and several other means, which I found bulky and unsatisfactory. And then, there are expensive things that can be purchased online...unnecessary.
This view might explain it better.... (applied to an Aquaclear 110 intake)
Cheers!

View attachment 305406

Click to expand...

I'm worried it won't impede the flow as much as a fine sponge. I hav a rough sponge on it now and it' still too strong. Albeit he seems to be having less trouble today, even... possibly gaining some strength from swimming around. The couple of times he's gone near, he got away a lot easier. But I don't want it to b an issue at all.

metropolis93fan said:

What kind of foam would you use? Needs to be safe... and wouldn't foam keep the intake tube from... well... taking anything at all in? Just curious.

Click to expand...

similar foam to the prefilter. It is going to clog up frequently.

FranciscoB said:

This may work for you, and can be made out of stuff you probably have around the house. This is what I use in all my filters and works wonderfully. Plastic mesh screen and rubber bands. Examples shown for 3 different kinds of filter intakes (Penguin, Fluval FX6, Aquaclear)

Click to expand...

I do something similar except I use the filter media bags with the draw string. Never thought to use window screening. I usually place a piece of pvc/abs or some other pipe that has holes drilled into it to increase the surface of the area water is being drawn from. The pipe is used to prevent the fabric from tightly surrounding the intake and the result is lower flow over the entire area. When I had a betta the AC 20 seemed a bit much for it but doing this helped. I would take a picture but I would have to take apart my decor, it is located all behind a hollow stump. You need lots of holes in the pipe.