Betta Advice Please!

CatLover

CatLover

Rummy Nose Tetra Fanatic
Jan 4, 2006
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Texas
Hi guys, I'm not new to fishkeeping, I've just never had a betta so I figured I'd post under this category.

I just found a home for all my guppies, so I am about to have an empty 10 gallon tank. It's already cycled and has a mini penguin biowheel- creates very little current so I figure it will be okay.

Question: I just ordered a divider thing that is made to divide a 10 gallon tank into 2 sections. The divider goes from the bottom of the tank to where the hood is- so there would be no jumping space.

Could I put a betta in each 5 gallon half? The divider looks kind of like a clear thing with lots of tiny holes to allow water to flow through. The bettas would be able to see each other, but they would not have access to each other.

Do you think this would work?

Thanks! ;)
 
it should work. there are a few things to consider though it will take some time for the bettas to become accustomed to each other

you should be sure you have lots of foliage on either side of the divider and plenty of other decour so that they can be out of each other's line of vision

that will help keep thier stress level down

i had a tank set up like this the one thing i stuggled a bit with was that the circulation through the divider seemed a little low so i worried about the water being colder on one side as well as the water being filtered less

other than that it's a good set up. maybe you could possition the filter and heater close to the divider to increase the flow
 
i have the same thing going on. try switching the side of the tank the filter is on each time you do a water change, as well as the heater.
 
Oh, thanks. Good ideas. I may try to put some tall plants and maybe a little cave against the divider. I haven't got the divider in yet, so I'm not sure how well it will circulate. I'll have to test it out in the tank for a while before I bring home the bettas. Do you think I should bring home the bettas at the same time, or should I put one in and let him get situated for a few days and then bring home the other?

Like I said the tank is cylcled and has been established a long time, so it is very stable. The guppies will probably be going some time in the next week or so. After they are gone, I'll figure out exactly how I want it situated.

I have always wanted to have a couple bettas, I just hate the whole concept of the betta jar because they don't have much room to move. I'm hoping that 5 gallons each should be ample room.
 
Oh, I just realized I have a couple of rock formations in my cabinet that aren't in use. Maybe I'll use those.

As my tank is now, the filter is in the middle so I may have the intake on one side of the divider and the out on the other for circulation purposes.

Thank you so much for your replies!
 
oh god i forgot to tell you the most important thing about my divider

when i fist instaled it my water level was high enough that the fish could slip through the tiny spaces in the top corners

i didn't have a submersable heater so i had to have the water that high and ended up rigging it w/ other plastic materials to close the gaps

if you have a submersible good you won't have any trouble keeping the water below the top of the braces on the side that hold the plastic screen
 
Thanks Kyle. I have a submersable heater, so I can just lower the water level if I need to. Someone told me that I could keep a couple of small cories such as pandas with them. Do you know if this could work? Pandas get about 1.2 inches. I was told that if you cut a little gap at the bottom of the divider they can travel to both sides. Have you ever heard of this?

The kind of divider I ordered is really flexible so a little gap can easily be cut and then a little bitty rock arch could be placed to ensure that the betta can't get through.

Thanks for the advice.
 
If a cory could fit through a gap, so could the betta... mine swims at all levels of the tank and often swims through anything he can! It's a nice thought to have the whole 10 gallon for the betta and the cories if you really want the bottom dwellers, otherwise do not put the cories in the divided tank.
 
Thanks for the advice. Maybe I won't divide the tank and just have 1 betta.

Thanks!
 
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