[Deanna01]

Hi, all. I have an NPT Fluval Chi nano, and I just introduced a huge-finned male halfmoon to it on Wednesday. With this tank, the filter sits in the middle, and water cascades down around the filter box. It didn't occur to me that such a huge-finned betta might have an issue with it, but he seems to really dislike it--he spends most of his time either plastered up against the side of the filter box, or resting on the bottom.

I have the pebble box on top of the Chi, which definitely helps diminish the flow. I've read of people cutting pieces of plastic grass and placing around the pebble box to further help baffle, but I hate to put something plastic on an NPT.

I was thinking of buying a mat of this Riccia Fluitans and cutting strips of it to place around the pebble box. What do you think? Would it be okay to have water going past that and into the tank all the time? And would the mat stay alive?

Here's a pic of the tank and fish in question.

 

[Geomancer]

Living or not aside, I'm not sure how much that would help. The same amount of water would be moving. Baffling just redirects the flow in a different direction.

To reduce the force of the flow you either have to reduce the power of the motor (which you can't do with most filters), or distribute the output over a wider area (this is what a spray bar does).

Blocking the intake (for example with sponges or other media) can also reduce the flow since it takes more mechanical power to force the water through the media. Blocking the output doesn't really reduce flow, rather it increases the force of it. Think of a garden hose when you cover part of it with your thumb.

 

[redchigh]

A mat left floating around it might help.

I don't know how much it would help, but java moss would look nice growing on the plastic (where the water falls).

Java moss grows well emersed, so a mat could just be placed over it, and allowed to lay flat around it.

 

[Deanna01]

Thank you both!