# stupid tank dividers



## dragonfair (Sep 21, 2010)

So, I get a wonderful little CT that I call Maximus cuz he thinks he's the emperor or something. He's extremely territorial in his 10 gallon tank. Clue #1 of things to come. At the same time I got a pink dalmation VT even though I didn't have a tank set up for him yet. Yeah, it was an impulse - I found that I couldn't leave him there. I named him Bravo. Since I didn't have anything set up for Bravo, I put a ready made tank divider in the 10 gallon for a temporary home until I could get him his own place. The thing totally stinks! It didn't fit well so I had to jury rig it... clue #2 of things to come. I put Bravo in and he immediately starts trying to squeeze through the bottom in the gravel and seeing if he can get over the top. Clue #3 of things to come. I had dinner plans so I left believing I had fixed it. Yeah. When I get back, Bravo is in Maximus's side and Max is going to town beating up on Bravo. I don't know how he got over there or how long he's been there, but he was definitely cowed. So I get him out of there asap and put him into a large glass pitcher with a little gravel and a plant until I can get him a proper home. He spent the evening staring at me reproachfully. I felt guilty so I kept telling him it was his own fault. The good news is he wasn't injured or his fins torn. He was back to his playful self in a couple of hours. Whew! I'm taking that stupid divider back to Petsmart asap.

Has anyone ever had this happen? The tank divider totally not working at all, I mean?


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## BlueHaven (Jul 17, 2010)

I got a divider from petsmart the other day when I got my crowntail male. I put him in with Autumn's and the divider in her 6 gallon tank and coming back later I found her on his side. They weren't fighting but she was trying to be the dominant one and was staring him down. It scared me though cause I thought they had hurt eachother. I had to leave them in there a couple days since his tank wasn't fixed up, so I put a sponge in the spaces she could possibly squeeze through and pushed the gravel rocks up more around the divider. It worked, but they still could almost touch noses on one side....I had to cut it down to size so I can't take it back, but I might just use it for a moss wall. If I figure out a way to make it safer, I might use it again, idk....haha o_o;

That's good your betta's are safe even though that happened.


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## Drift (Jul 26, 2010)

I have the crappiest jerry rigged divider, home made, in my one 10 gallon. Actually there is two. A piece of plexiglass and a very crappily done DIY one with report covers binding and craft plastic mesh. Neither of my CT's bothered to flare at each other or made any effort to look at the other side. XD I lucked out with them. 
I bought one the other day that has two really thick dividers pieces that holds the divider in place and has to plastic strips that run the bottom and top. I tossed the actual divider and used the plastic craft mesh, have about 3-4 inches of cravel piled on it and it reaches all the way to the top on my tank lid. My VT is on one side at the moment. He's very aggressive and annhilated all the snails on his side. He has not gotten over yet. Once my HM's fins are all healed and his popeye is gone I'm putting him on the otherside. That'll be the true test. I'm kind of nervous but pretty confident that the divider shall hold up to them. 

I think the key is putting them in when the tank is empty. That's how I did mine and it worked out much better.


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## dragonfair (Sep 21, 2010)

Update: Yay! Success! I trimmed a piece of ultra stiff plastic canvas and filed the edges smooth. I put binder bars on the sides for support and buried the bottom several inches deep in gravel (built the gravel up at the divider). It works perfectly! I also baffled the filter flow which helps immensely. Check it out:


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## CodeRed (Jun 11, 2009)

Mine works fine :S I never make mine, since I'm too much of a worry-wart. You have GOT to lower the water level, otherwise it's just not worth having the divider. Bettas can and WILL jump over the thing if the water level is too high. You have to take the extra couple of minutes every week to be sure the divider is still set up well. It's a pain, but it's worth it :3


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## dragonfair (Sep 21, 2010)

You can't tell from my photo but the divider goes all the way to the lid. It fits tight on all four sides.


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## nochoramet (Oct 2, 2009)

That's how I made mine, out of plastic canvas and report binder thingies... Mine has never *not* worked but I have made 2 stupid mistakes and I learn from them. #1 was not making it a wee bit bigger than snug, so it bends a bit. The first ones I made allowed the fish to push them over because they were just "snug" and not too big. So mine always are a little bit bigger and have a bend in them. #2 was cutting a slot for the filter and making it too big and saying there's no way a fish could get through that. They can!! lol. Never say never with a betta.
I also have the top of the tank covered in canvas so there is no jumping over.


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## Posaune (Sep 17, 2010)

I bought one from petsmart, it sucked trying to get it in. Little Guy looked at me like "Are you an idiot? How hard can it be?". But now it's in and working well  There's enough on top to stop any possible jumping (though the only jumping done is to get food from my finger) lots below underneath the gravel so they can't squeeze through that. The sides have a sliver open, but they can't get through it (the ghost shrimp can though)


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