hey guys, I was thinking about dividing my 10g tank into maybe halves or thirds so that my three male betta can live together and I was just wondering how I should attack this project. Are there already pre-made dividers that I can just stick into my tank, or would I have to go to the hardware store and create it myself. And if any of you guys who already been through this situation and overcome it, what'd you do? any pictures? many thanks!
I do not divide my tanks but there are both pre-made & DIY dividers. You can google it or do a search on youtube, lots of info. As for the store bought, I have read too many horror stories that I would stay away from them.
I have three divided 10g tanks (with three boys each). My fiance did all the work, but basically what he did was take the crafting mesh and the bars that you use to bind reports. You can get the mesh for dirt cheap at Michael's. The report binders are a bit more expensive. They can be found in any office supply store.
We decided to go with black and dark blue mesh in hopes that it would make them less likely to see each other. He only used one sheet of mesh per divider, though I've heard people say they used two and criss-crossed them so that the holes were smaller. You just have to measure and cut the mesh and the report binders so that they fit snugly in your tank.
Pros: Cheap to make, simple to make, easily removable, adjustable
Cons: Flimsy/unreliable if you don't take the time to ensure a snug fit, the fish can still see through them, can be difficult to work around filter/intake
I haven't had any issues with mine. None of my boys have gotten into another's space and after the first day, they stopped flaring and now don't even pay attention to each other. You just have to be very diligent about the fit into the tank.
Edit: You can see that Tuffy is looking at the mesh in my avatar
Last edited by Melodica; 02-06-2013 at 08:23 PM.
Reason: Forgot a pic
I used the DIY mesh dividers in my tank, and never had any problems. You can also find colored mesh, or double up pieces so its harder for them to see each other.
Just be sure to put it in before your substrate to keep it in place.
Quick question for those of you with DIY mesh, how to you secure it to the tank? Is it just the snug fit plus gravel or anything extra?
While a snug fit and using gravel/decor to stabilize the divider(s) can be sufficient, I actually prefer to attach the plastic binder clips in place with aquarium silicone. The plastic mesh can then be slid in and out. Its a more "permanent" solution, so you definitely want to make sure you take the time to plan out exactly where you want them before siliconing, but its really not that hard to remove them if you decide to in the future--a razor blade and some elbow grease will remove all silicone from the glass, so it isn't irreversible.
Hrmm....I'm thinking about going to petsmart and trying out their dividers. And quick question for those whose done it. Can the dividers stand alone, or do we have to buy something else for it to be able to stand on it's own?
Check out the eBook Betta Fish Care Made Easy
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