Ok, so by now everyone knows that I have had bettas for a LONG time. For the first 5 years or so, I ran un-filtered uncycled tanks. Well, I was constantly fighting the tanks trying to cycle and decided to try to let them do what they wanted to do anyways.
So, In 1991, when I was but 11 yo...I built my first filtered tank...
Let me preface that by saying that in 1991, your filter choices were VERY limited.
I got a standard 10 gal. tank and I filtered with a whisper type intank filter and had divided into 3.
These worked pretty good, but often a betta in the filter section would get a little wore out and ragged trying to avoid the current... Enter the PVC cave. A nice little current free hidey hole.
This worked fine for quite some time... but I was looking for something different.
In 2000, I got back into bettas big-time and got a whole bunch(6) of 2 gals...
After my filtered experience, easier to maintain and healthier fish long-term (all the filtered fish lived to be around 4 yo.), I filtered these too, still running into the too much current issue...I started looking around.
I found a similar in-tank filter with an adjustable flow. I started them on the lowest setting... but here's something interesting... fish get used to currents, they built big bad muscles and become quite efficient swimmers learning how to lean into the current vs. trying to fight it.
Only problem with bettas is their finnage can get caught in the current before they learn how to swim into the current and not against it and tear or fling them across the tank... so I had to figure how to stop this until they learned about currents.
In 2003, I worked it out. Firstly, get a tank with a small trim or none, even better.
Get an HOB that flows directly into the water, not like a waterfall and keep your water level up, up, up. Nextly, get a few smooth big pieces of rock(do the pantyhose test and dremel anything sharp) to build a cave to right where the water enters the tank... this will diffuse the water, like the pop bottle idea only a little prettier.
I now run, on my 2 gal... what I think is the best "betta" filter ever. It's useless with other fish as it doesn't give them the current they love, but with bettas it's great.
The Red Sea Deco Art Nano filter. This sponge insert and bio-insert are very easy to clean and care for. Also this filter is adjustable down to a trickle. That is the setting I start new bettas on. This gets bumped up every 2 weeks by a hair, until they are at middle output... I never put the 2 gal. tanks on full-output... that would be not so nice, at least not for the boys.
My girl bettas, I don't bother to compensate, they learn quicker... it's a girl thing. :P
On my 10 gal. tank, I run 2 filters, one on either end in girlie sections. Plato gets enough current to make everything clean and him happy... He used to sit under the waterfall in the 2 and get a fishy massage though, so he doesn't really mind current.

My only BIG advice if you are going to filter and/or cycle a betta tank... go slow.
Think how fast you increase your exercise when you are building muscles and keep that in mind.
I generally get bettas used to filters over a 6 month period. So, at no point are they stressing or freaking out... just chilling.
Eventually most of them LOVE the fishy massage, and become good swimmers.
The ones that don't go in a bowl at work.

You are a fountain of information girlfriend! Thanks so much.

That is a good tip, which is why I moved it into tips and tricks.

I have now and in the past used both filtered and unfiltered setups. I agree that the filtered setups are easier and the fish are happier. They have something to do. I've had several bettas that enjoy 'playing' in the current. They have a choice to be in the current or not and sometimes just go play! Thanks for the info. Its nice to try new things. If we all share our experiences it will save us all some money.

labella
only think... i dunno if this is breeding advice really.
i don't think i would use an hob on a breeder tank. talk about a likely unhappy ending.

It is breeding advice and TIPS.
This being a helpful tip, I thought it appropo for this forum.

ok
:P

Yeah, this is mostly used for breeding advice, but it is SUPPOSED to be used for tips as well..
Goodness knows WHAT these people were getting away with while I was gone.
Yeevers was probably like, you guys wait until your mom gets home, while sitting in his barco lounger, reading the paper, wearing his slippers, and smoking a cigar, lol.