Splitting a 20 gallon

[NeptunesMom]

About a month (maybe longer) ago I posted about a snail infestation. I bought a 2.5 gallon for the snails... but they all died. Well at least the ones I put into the tank did. So, I allowed the others to stay in the 10 gallon with Neptune (betta) and Charles the Snail the Short a.k.a Charlie (Mystery snail). With the empty 2.5 gallon sitting and looking so lonely I brought home Eponine (about 3 weeks ago). She is my little feisty girl and I am 100% in love. Anyway, she looks totally content in the 2.5 gallon, but at the same time... I saw a 20 gallon today at work (I work at Petsmart) and was thinking I might get it and divide it in 1/2. Let the stupid snails have the 10 gallon to themselves, and give Eponine a bigger tank.

If Neptune and Eponine are in the same tank, just divided, will either be able to sense the other and get stressed? Neptune is a male, and Eponine a female.

Also, can anyone suggest a photo site? I would LOVE to share pictures of my fishy babies. I figure I have been a member long enough, I should bore you all with pictures. hehe

Also can anyone tell me pros and cons of getting a 20 gallon and diving it?

[shellieca]

If you can get a non see through divider you'll be fine. Make sure that it is secured really well & not short enough they can jump over or you can put in 2 dividers creating a space in between for the filter & heater so its not on either side plus if one should jump over he or she will be in the empty space.

[babystarz]

If they share the same water they can send out hormones and cause them to go into breeding mode. It's a good idea to heavily plant the whole tank to help filter the hormones and do frequent water changes. Double divide the tank so the filter is in the middle and there are two dividers on either side of it, so if a fish gets over or under one divider there will be another one to keep them separated.

[aemaki09]

Cons: sometimes dividers become loose after a water change so you have to keep an eye out.

I have had a 10 gallon divided into 3 sections for quite a while, I normally keep a female in the middle and they seem less stressed that way than they would 2 males side by side, so I think you should be okay as long as your fish arent the type to get stressed easily.