# Filter Help for 10 gallon tank



## wobbles (Jul 4, 2011)

I have a 10 gallon tank with 5 mollies and 5 platys. Currently I have an Aqeon power filter that keeps the water clean, but it has killed 3 of my fish by sucking them against the sides where the water gets sucked in. 

What is a good filter to buy that would keep the water clean, but doesn't suck up the fish?


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Welcome to the site.

AquaClear makes good hang on back filters and I would recommend the AC30. 

How long have you had your tank and fish? Have you tested for ammonia and nitrites? Generally, fish can swim away from filter intakes if they are healthy. This is true for fry even if they are about 2wks old. So for an adult fish to be sucked up to the filter intake suggest that the fish was probably already in a weakened state and possibly close to death. Hopefully you didn't run out and buy more fish because the deaths put you about where you need to be as far as stocking goes...close anyway. You were a good deal overstocked with 5 of each species in that size tank.


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## Pigeonfish (Jun 23, 2011)

I agree with jrman, it's strange that happened to the fish. Which of the Aqueon filters do have?


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## wobbles (Jul 4, 2011)

They didn't get sucked "up" they got sucked to the side of the filter. I have an Aqeon 10 Quietflow power filter. I am probably going to get a 20 or 25 gallon tank soon, as far as the overstocking goes.


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## wobbles (Jul 4, 2011)

Also, I tested the ammonia and nitrate levels and they were fine. I added some aquarium salt and changed the water completely last week. I'm going to do a partial water change tonight.


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## Pigeonfish (Jun 23, 2011)

wobbles said:


> They didn't get sucked "up" they got sucked to the side of the filter. I have an Aqeon 10 Quietflow power filter. I am probably going to get a 20 or 25 gallon tank soon, as far as the overstocking goes.


Well it isn't the filter unless its malfunctioning. I had my ten gallon with the Quietflow10 with Platys and that never happened to me.

Don't know what to tell ya :/


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

wobbles said:


> They didn't get sucked "up" they got sucked to the side of the filter. I have an Aqeon 10 Quietflow power filter. I am probably going to get a 20 or 25 gallon tank soon, as far as the overstocking goes.


That is what I meant....pulled to the intake and can't swim off of it. Usually the sign of an unhealthy fish.


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## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

typically the intake isn't that strong enough to suck a fish to the side of it and hold it unless the fish is already sick and weak to begin with. usually the fish either dies and then gets sucked onto the filter and that's when you'll find it, or the fish will be terminally ill and be too weak to swim away from the intake and get held against it and die...


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## wobbles (Jul 4, 2011)

Ok thank you for your responses, I guess I was puzzled since they seemed healthy before it happened.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

You could try putting a piece of foam over the intake to act as a prefilter. I rubber-banded mine over my Tetra Whisper 10.

Oh, and we generally don't recommend you change more than 50% of the water at a time or you run the risk of messing your fish up pretty good. Are you dechlorinating your tap water?


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## wobbles (Jul 4, 2011)

I use water conditioner when I change the water, and I did a 25% change a few days ago. One of my balloon mollys is very listless now, and barely moves at all. I can't tell if it is pregnant or not.


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