Split Betta Tanks Controversy

[SakuraX64]

I was thinking of buying a 2.5 gallon tank thet divided in the middle to keep my two male bettas; but is it bad to keep them so close to gether? Does it stress them out?

 

[hornet]

That is exactly what i wanted to post. Will that setup stress the bettas as they will be flaring at each other most of the time?

 

[SakuraX64]

I hope not. I realy like it when they flare like that.

 

[Kossy]

Many people keep bettas like that. Its ok keeping bettas next to each other. However if one of the bettas tends to hide the whole time...then that means he is really stressing out badly. But normally when you keep two bettas next to each other its ok...perhaps a bigger tank? then you can add a plant and a cave for each betta which is a necessity.

 

[SneakBetta]

Yeah, um, that's fine but you do need a bigger tank to do that. There's no way you could keep 2 bettas (divided) in that small of a home. Also, this isn't a must, but you might want to think about having a filter. It would keep the tank cleaner.

Good Luck!

 

[MAM]

i keep my bettas in separate tanks. i had two in tanks side by side, and they would occasionally flare at each other (usually during feeding time), but i had one in a tank on the opposite side of the room and he started to sulk and just lurk in his little cave and stopped swimming about. so i moved him next to the other two and he's a completely different betta. seems happier. these bettas are kept near other bettas probably for most of their lives up to the point you buy them off the shelf of little plastic cups at you lfs (where they are surrounded by other bettas in cups), so i don't believe this would bother them to share a divided tank. jsut be sure it has a filter and you regularly change water, and that each betta has plenty of plants and some sort of cave thing to hide in when, as alien anna put, they have a garbo moment and "vant to be alone".

 

[wuvmybetta]

all of my betta live near a few others,mostly male/female/male combos here & there & they're never dull or sulking,always very active but it's mostly flirting between the guys & gals,everybody has a plant to hide between when they need that alone time, none of my boys can really see each other clearly, I think it would be more frustrating if all they saw were guys that they would want to fight, try a female neighbor instead of a male, they're just sooooo cute when they fan themselves at each other .Bettas easily become depressed and lonely and actually prefer to see others of their kind.

my only lonely betta is one who I found trapped in a speciman cup with a dead male ,he'd obviously been in there like that for quite some time & I think he'd be happy living the rest of his life without EVER setting eyes on another betta

 

[SakuraX64]

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.

 

[FlareBettaGuy]

I think you're lucky to have the chance to put two bettas toether. I only have one, so I have to use a mirror to entertain Firebolt....

 

[gi4get]

i know a company makes a 2.5 gal. with a divider. does that same company make a 5 gal. with a divider? if not, how hard is it to rig one?

 

[gadazobe]

Contrary to what most of you have said, I don't believe that it's healthy for a male betta to flare all the time. Oh, it's true, it looks nice and pretty but is it really necessary? Do we only buy bettas to see them flaring or because we appreciate a beautiful fish that we allow to live in peace. It's a bit like parading your dog in front of other dogs just to make it bark all the time. In the wild they live a very lonely existence, some of them never even seeing another betta all their life and only flare when another male approaches (a "get out of my territory or else" flare or when a female approaches (a "come and see my nest" sort of flare) I personally believe that flaring stresses them and fish that are stressed all the time sometimes sucumb to disease easier than others that are calm and stress free.
Most of you most probably disagree with me, and, as I stated at the beginning, this is just my opinion.

 

[MAM]

gadazobe, you are entirely entitlted to you opinion. its always good to hear both sides of an arguement before someone makes up their mind. its perfectly okay to disagree, that part what makes it a forum.

 

[lgreenmk]

I just use a mirror for mine occasionally. He flares pretty well, so I only do it for a little while every few days. I don't want to stress him out.

 

[SakuraX64]

O.K. I've decided to take my 5 gallon tank and split it to make three ways. The middle part will house a female betta and the two sides at the ends will hold one male on each side. That way thay will only see the female and not each other but still flare. What do you think of my idea?

 

[lauraswan26]

My bettas are all in their own environment, but close by to the other bettas, and contrary to what I've heard, they do not spend a lot of time flaring up at each other. Most of the time, they ignore each other, or check each other out (not flaring). Occassionally, they flare and go back and forth with each other, but that is not the norm with mine. They are healthy, gorgeous, and not stressed in the least.