# 10 G divided tank?



## akjadestar (Mar 19, 2010)

Well, Venus has passed away.. And now my parents said once schools over, (since they're all paranoid with my final exams and don't want me to get distracted) I can get three bettas. I plan on getting two males and one female. I already have a 2 gallon tank that I'll use for the female. Anyways, I also have my 3 gallon Venus was in, and I would put a male in there, but then I'd still need one more tank, so I found a solution where I won't have to buy new tanks, just a lot of decorations and do some research, but I think it'll pay off.

My sister has a 10 gallon tank that used to have a lot of guppies in it but so many have died now there's only one left. So I offered to her that she could have my 3 gallon with all the decorations to put her guppy in if I got the 10 gallon. She was all for that idea because she's always been really envious of my tank. So, I get her 10 gallon now, and I really wanna divide it for my two future males. So I have so many questions about dividers. Like, if you have one, do you need a separate heater, filter, and thermometer on each side? And where do you buy them, and is there non see through ones, so that the bettas aren't intimidating one another? Thanks


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## SaylorKennedy (Aug 11, 2009)

Ah, sounds like a good plan. No, you do not have to have a seperate filter or heater. As long as the water can travel through the divider, it's fine. You can buy a divider at Petco or Petsmart. I've never found bettas seeing the other bettas a problem, eventually they will get used to eachother and won't care as much.
You could also save some money and make your own.
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/diy-aquarium/diy-aquarium-tank-dividers-21866/
All you need is plastic mesh, (I just bought some in the stiching aisle at Walmart, several sheets for 1.97) and report binders.


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## akjadestar (Mar 19, 2010)

Hmmm... I never thought of using plastic mesh. I did a bit of research and thought the only options were a glass one, which would mean two heaters and filters, or net, which just didn't seem like a good idea to me. So that's really good... hmmm should I have the filter and heater both on the same side, or the filter on one side and heater on the other? 

Also, I'm planning some of the decorations.
I'm thinking on one side I'm gonna put this bridge and this pretty decor and then a variety of silk and live plants, as well as moss on the bottom and maybe a couple ghost or cherry shrimp? And on the other side, exactly the same, only no bridge, and a waterfall cliff decoration and then live plants and silk plants, maybe some live bamboo and then moss and shrimp. And river rocks as the substrate


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## SaylorKennedy (Aug 11, 2009)

Yep, they're a cheap way to divide. 

That sounds like it's going to look nice. Shrimp are excellent tank mates, but be warned, your bettas might make a snack out of them. That's fine though, lol. With bamboo it only likes the bottom of the stem wet. You can't put the whole thing in water otherwise it will rot. So just make sure you have anything above the leaves out of the water.


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## Adastra (Jun 18, 2010)

SK is definitely right about the bamboo, many stores sell a variety of plants as if they were aquatic when they are actually not. Bamboo is a major culprit along with ribbon plant, brazilian sword (peace lily), purple waffle, and mondo grass. I used the craft mesh and report cover binding technique to divide my tank--I love the results. I put the filter and heater in the middle so that the spray bar from the filter would disperse the heat, then I put a thermometer in the section that gets the least amount of current. 

Here's mine: 










It has since gotten more plants and I've added a background. I just like that picture because the boys are nesting away~


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## akjadestar (Mar 19, 2010)

Not long ago I was putting together how much this tank would cost, with the lights and filter and decorations and plants... It was gonna total up to around $300... for a 12 year old like myself that is WAYYYY too much. So, I was looking through Craigslist and guess what I found. A 14 gallon tank, comes with lid, light, filter, and a few decorations, for only 10 bucks! I'm thrilled, I'm not for sure getting it, I need to ask my parents, and they usually don't like me ordering stuff online, but if they can get it, that makes it so much easier... That takes off like, 70 bucks that I could have spent...! And the bettas each will get two more gallons of space 
I'm so excited, if I can get it, that means all I need to buy, is the fish, plants, gravel, a few other decorations, divider, and probably a new heater since mine isn't the best heater in the world, it's 2-15 gallons and barely heated up my 3 gallon, let alone a 14 gallon. So I'm really really excited! Now I'm thinking about what fish to buy... I really want a double tail... and if I can find one, a butterfly. And then maybe a crowntail. I'm also not so sure if I'll be getting a female anymore... I don't know why, I think it's cause I'm gonna feel tempted to try and breed her with one of the guys. And I think with even two, my hands will be full. I'm so excited!


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## dukie1346 (Mar 22, 2009)

Everything sounds great 

Hope everything goes well with getting the tank. I can tell you are real excited about this. Congratz on finding the 14g tank!


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## akjadestar (Mar 19, 2010)

Thanks, now to just make my parents agree! I have a question though, it's something I realized that I've been kind of uneasy about... With a divided tank... they're sharing the same water... So if one gets sick, the other would catch it's disease too... and I am just so bad at finding out if my betta is sick until it's too late, so before I even realize I need to quarantine it, the other might get sick too.... :/


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## Lion Mom (Jun 14, 2010)

That is certainly a risk with divided tanks. Another thing - when I first started keeping bettas a couple (or more) years ago, I did the divided tank thing for some. In my experience the bettas in individual tanks seemed to have longer life spans. I came to the conclusion that the constant stress of having a neighbor probably had something to do with it. 

Don't know for sure, of course, but that's what I think.


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## akjadestar (Mar 19, 2010)

Yeah... I think I might just buy one betta to have in a 10 gallon, I also figured out, that on Craigslist, I looked at the persons phone number and it's not my area code, so they probably have the same city name, in a different country... Too bad...

Anyways, I might do a 10 gallon tank for each fish, look what I found on Kijiji... I think it's 10 gallons what do you guys think? 

http://edmonton.kijiji.ca/c-pets-accessories-fish-tank-W0QQAdIdZ213484470


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## Lion Mom (Jun 14, 2010)

I think that looks PERFECT!!!!


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## akjadestar (Mar 19, 2010)

How big do you think it looks?


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## Lion Mom (Jun 14, 2010)

Tried to look at the ad again to get the measurements, but when I click on the link it says the ad is no longer available. Does that mean somebody else got it? 

If I could remember what the measurements were, you could go on an aquarium calculator & find out. Moot point now, though.


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## Lion Mom (Jun 14, 2010)

Here is a 10 gal. on that site. It's $35.00, but has everything except a heater:

http://edmonton.kijiji.ca/c-pets-accessories-Aquarium-W0QQAdIdZ213907503


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## Lion Mom (Jun 14, 2010)

Here is another 10 gal. - $50.00, but comes with everything INCLUDING a stand:

http://edmonton.kijiji.ca/c-pets-accessories-10-Gallon-Fish-Tank-w-stand-W0QQAdIdZ213845625#


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## akjadestar (Mar 19, 2010)

Thanks Lion Mom! Both those sound great, I'd really like to get the second one, but I really don't NEED a stand, and right now I don't have the extra money, so I might get the first. But I still need to save a teeny bit of money.


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## Lion Mom (Jun 14, 2010)

You are more than welcome!!!!


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## akjadestar (Mar 19, 2010)

Well guess what? My mom doesn't usually let me take money out of the bank but she had promised me once schools done if I did good on my exams, I can get my two fish, and she said maybe I can take money out of my savings to buy the second tank with the stand! It's still only a maybe, but I ALWAYS get my hopes up, and I think she will let me! I'm so excited!


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## Lion Mom (Jun 14, 2010)

CONGRATS - sounds like a plan!!! 

Now, do well in school & hope the deal is still available. 

GOOD LUCK!!!


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## akjadestar (Mar 19, 2010)

Well, thanks. I'll get an idea of how I do tomorrow.... Awards ceremony, hoping for the honor roll! Or at least honorable mention... I really hope I get that tank before anyone else, haha!


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## akjadestar (Mar 19, 2010)

Anyways... Now I'm just... not totally sure, whether I want a 5 gallon or a 10... I know a ten is nice and big but I need to take money out of the bank... which my parents probably won't let me... I found a tank though, a five gallon and comes with everything except a heater. I think it might be the one... it's 15 dollars.... But I do still want a big tank...only not too big... What do you guys think?


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