Keeping Betta Fish Appart

[Finite Guy]

Hi All: I have a 21/2 Gallon tank for two Betta fish. The tank has one
of those dividers to keep them appart. The divider is clear plastic
and my wife is concerned that the fish will be able to see one another
and this will agravate them. Is this true? Is there a good way to
modify that seperator to be opaque. One of my colleauges suggested
using a mylar covering to render it opaque. Any other suggestions?
Robert

[blove]

get them each their own 2.5 gallon tank. seeing each other all the time
will stress them out. plus with 2 fish in one 2.5 ur gonna be having to
clean it more often.

"Finite Guy" > wrote in message
...
> Hi All: I have a 21/2 Gallon tank for two Betta fish. The tank has one
> of those dividers to keep them appart. The divider is clear plastic
> and my wife is concerned that the fish will be able to see one another
> and this will agravate them. Is this true? Is there a good way to
> modify that seperator to be opaque. One of my colleauges suggested
> using a mylar covering to render it opaque. Any other suggestions?
> Robert
>

[Finite Guy]

Sounds like a good idea and the tanks are about $39.95 at Petco.
The cost isn't the problem, it seems to bad that I will have two tanks
and only 2 fish.


On Mon, 10 Nov 2003 21:53:23 GMT, "blove" > wrote:

>get them each their own 2.5 gallon tank. seeing each other all the time
>will stress them out. plus with 2 fish in one 2.5 ur gonna be having to
>clean it more often.
>
>"Finite Guy" > wrote in message
...
>> Hi All: I have a 21/2 Gallon tank for two Betta fish. The tank has one
>> of those dividers to keep them appart. The divider is clear plastic
>> and my wife is concerned that the fish will be able to see one another
>> and this will agravate them. Is this true? Is there a good way to
>> modify that seperator to be opaque. One of my colleauges suggested
>> using a mylar covering to render it opaque. Any other suggestions?
>> Robert
>>
>
>

[luminos]

However, make *sure* they can see each other some of the time or buy a
mirror. Betta's, IMO, get
lethargic and uninteresting if they do not interact with another. After
all, that is their instinctive behavior.

"Finite Guy" > wrote in message
...
> Sounds like a good idea and the tanks are about $39.95 at Petco.
> The cost isn't the problem, it seems to bad that I will have two tanks
> and only 2 fish.
>
>
> On Mon, 10 Nov 2003 21:53:23 GMT, "blove" > wrote:
>
> >get them each their own 2.5 gallon tank. seeing each other all the time
> >will stress them out. plus with 2 fish in one 2.5 ur gonna be having to
> >clean it more often.
> >
> >"Finite Guy" > wrote in message
> ...
> >> Hi All: I have a 21/2 Gallon tank for two Betta fish. The tank has one
> >> of those dividers to keep them appart. The divider is clear plastic
> >> and my wife is concerned that the fish will be able to see one another
> >> and this will agravate them. Is this true? Is there a good way to
> >> modify that seperator to be opaque. One of my colleauges suggested
> >> using a mylar covering to render it opaque. Any other suggestions?
> >> Robert
> >>
> >
> >
>

[Eric Schreiber]

(Finite Guy) wrote:

>Hi All: I have a 21/2 Gallon tank for two Betta fish. The tank has one
>of those dividers to keep them appart. The divider is clear plastic
>and my wife is concerned that the fish will be able to see one another
>and this will agravate them. Is this true?

That is pretty much the point of this sort of betta tank - bettas are
most attractive when they're flaring at one another, so these tanks
come with clear dividers.

I'm sure that being on alert all the time isn't good for the fish,
though. When I had two bettas in a divided tank I made sure to give
them each areas where they couldn't see one another at all, using a
couple of pieces of slate. It worked pretty well - though they did
flare at one another regularly, it wasn't constant and they had places
to retreat and rest.


--
www.ericschreiber.com

[blove]

if its the 2.5 minibow tank, beware, the fish can jump over the divider, as
the divider does not go all the way up to the top.


<Eric Schreiber> wrote in message
...
> (Finite Guy) wrote:
>
> >Hi All: I have a 21/2 Gallon tank for two Betta fish. The tank has one
> >of those dividers to keep them appart. The divider is clear plastic
> >and my wife is concerned that the fish will be able to see one another
> >and this will agravate them. Is this true?
>
> That is pretty much the point of this sort of betta tank - bettas are
> most attractive when they're flaring at one another, so these tanks
> come with clear dividers.
>
> I'm sure that being on alert all the time isn't good for the fish,
> though. When I had two bettas in a divided tank I made sure to give
> them each areas where they couldn't see one another at all, using a
> couple of pieces of slate. It worked pretty well - though they did
> flare at one another regularly, it wasn't constant and they had places
> to retreat and rest.
>
>
> --
> www.ericschreiber.com

[Bob]

that's the case if you insist on only bettas in your tank.
otherwise they do not fight with other fish ime.


> The cost isn't the problem, it seems to bad that I will have two tanks
> and only 2 fish.

[Kay]

Finite Guy wrote:

> Sounds like a good idea and the tanks are about $39.95 at Petco.
> The cost isn't the problem, it seems to bad that I will have two tanks
> and only 2 fish.
>
>

I have those tanks for mine, I have two side by side and a peice of paper
inbetween each other. They like the room to swim back and forth , I put a
small cave in both and floated some hygropheila, in the cold winter I have
a small retile light that emits no light but 15 watts of heat, I check the
temp everyday and never had any flucuation problems, they are a joy and
they do know about each other.

Kay

[Finite Guy]

Jack: I think your right. Now that I look at the tank it does look a
liitle crapmped. We have a budgie ( as you know) and he gets a double
size cage. So, I guess I will get another tank. The're relatively
inexpensive. I shpuld get one that matches the other.
Thanks for your reply.
Robert


On 11 Nov 2003 13:28:07 GMT, High Flight > wrote:

>Finite Guy > says...
>> Hi All: I have a 21/2 Gallon tank for two Betta fish. The tank has one
>> of those dividers to keep them appart. The divider is clear plastic
>> and my wife is concerned that the fish will be able to see one another
>> and this will agravate them. Is this true? Is there a good way to
>> modify that seperator to be opaque. One of my colleauges suggested
>> using a mylar covering to render it opaque. Any other suggestions?
>
>Buy a second tank. What's the problem?
>
> Jack

[Eric Schreiber]

Finite Guy > wrote:

>Jack: I think your right. Now that I look at the tank it does look a
>liitle crapmped. We have a budgie ( as you know) and he gets a double
>size cage. So, I guess I will get another tank. The're relatively
>inexpensive. I shpuld get one that matches the other.

Jack's answer is, of course, the best one, but be warned - just as one
tank isn't enough, neither is two. You're traveling a road to fish
tank madness!


--
www.ericschreiber.com

[Lady Samsara]

Finite Guy > wrote in message >...
> Jack: I think your right. Now that I look at the tank it does look a
> liitle crapmped. We have a budgie ( as you know) and he gets a double
> size cage. So, I guess I will get another tank. The're relatively
> inexpensive. I shpuld get one that matches the other.
> Thanks for your reply.
> Robert
>
>
> On 11 Nov 2003 13:28:07 GMT, High Flight > wrote:
>
> >Finite Guy > says...
> >> Hi All: I have a 21/2 Gallon tank for two Betta fish. The tank has one
> >> of those dividers to keep them appart. The divider is clear plastic
> >> and my wife is concerned that the fish will be able to see one another
> >> and this will agravate them. Is this true? Is there a good way to
> >> modify that seperator to be opaque. One of my colleauges suggested
> >> using a mylar covering to render it opaque. Any other suggestions?
> >
> >Buy a second tank. What's the problem?
> >
> > Jack

WalMart has both 1 and 2 gallon tanks, the 1 is $10.00 and the 2 is
$20.00. They are hex shaped, contain a hood, light and a UGF. You'd
need to add a carbon insert to the filter. I've had several Bettas in
the 2 gallons and they seem to like it. All fixed up they look real
nice and easy to take care of, too.

Good luck and enjoy them...Bettas are amazing creatures!

[TYNK 7]

>Subject: Re: Keeping Betta Fish Appart
>From: "blove"
>Date: 11/10/2003 3:53 PM Central Standard Time
>Message-id: >
>
>get them each their own 2.5 gallon tank. seeing each other all the time
>will stress them out. plus with 2 fish in one 2.5 ur gonna be having to
>clean it more often.

Actually, it's not going to stress them like you would think.
It's actually good exercise for them.
They quickly become bored with seeing the same guy next door.
I do agree that... why not get the other it's own tank too. I would, however,
place them next to, or with in view of each other.
I have a couple males that get depressed without a flare buddy next to them.
It's a good thing. = )
Let your boys flare their little fins off.

>
>"Finite Guy" > wrote in message
...
>> Hi All: I have a 21/2 Gallon tank for two Betta fish. The tank has one
>> of those dividers to keep them appart. The divider is clear plastic
>> and my wife is concerned that the fish will be able to see one another
>> and this will agravate them. Is this true? Is there a good way to
>> modify that seperator to be opaque. One of my colleauges suggested
>> using a mylar covering to render it opaque. Any other suggestions?
>> Robert
>>
>