5.5 Gallons For Two Bettas

[shortymet55]

Is 5.5 gallons enough for two Bettas in a divided tank? Probably one male, one female. I guess Id use a small sponge filter in one of the back corners and a small clip-on light bulb. Few Silk plants. Would this be good? Over 2.5 Gallons per Betta.

Thanks

P.S. Do Bettas jump? I have a screen cover for like reptiles, if they do can I just use one of these?

 

[trojannemo]

well i'm no expert but i'll take a shot at your questions.

Is 5.5 gallons enough for two Bettas in a divided tank? Probably one male, one female.
technically yes, though some people frown on them being kept in "small" spaces like that. I currently keep a single male in a 2G goldfish bowl and he seems fine with his space. make sure it's filtered and HEATED.

I guess Id use a small sponge filter in one of the back corners and a small clip-on light bulb. Few Silk plants. Would this be good?
i would personally use a sponge filter on each corner, as you will have (i'm hoping!) a divider in the middle and the sponge filter wouldn't be strong enough to filter the other end of the tank/bowl through the divider.
if you weren't planning on having a divider, then GET ONE. you can not keep a male and a female together just as much as keeping two males together. this is only done for breedind [after they've been conditioned!

P.S. Do Bettas jump? I have a screen cover for like reptiles, if they do can I just use one of these?
everyone has told me that they do. i've had two (the one now and the one that it replaced) in an uncovered bowl for 3+ months and they've never jumped. however, taking into account just how many people say they are jumpers, i have my 10G male divided tank covered with a nice lid. it's just not an option on the bowl due to the shape and such.
I would highly recommend you put the screen on, just make sure it's got holes for air to get in

 

[Amunet]

Is 5.5 gallons enough for two Bettas in a divided tank? Probably one male, one female. I guess Id use a small sponge filter in one of the back corners and a small clip-on light bulb. Few Silk plants. Would this be good? Over 2.5 Gallons per Betta.

Thanks

P.S. Do Bettas jump? I have a screen cover for like reptiles, if they do can I just use one of these?

Yeah that should be fine. Try to get a heater for the tank as well. I'd also get some kind of small cave like thing for them too so they can have a place to hide in/explore. Alot of people use those orangy looking clay plant pots you can get for cheap.

And yes, bettas do jump. It would be a very good idea to have some kind of cover over the top if you plan on having the water lvl close to the rim of the tank.
Don't want to come home one day to see a wet trail from your aquarium leading to a poor dryed up little betta.

 

[ReMz]

Is 5.5 gallons enough for two Bettas in a divided tank? Probably one male, one female. I guess Id use a small sponge filter in one of the back corners and a small clip-on light bulb. Few Silk plants. Would this be good? Over 2.5 Gallons per Betta.

Thanks

P.S. Do Bettas jump? I have a screen cover for like reptiles, if they do can I just use one of these?

well i'm no expert but i'll take a shot at your questions.

Is 5.5 gallons enough for two Bettas in a divided tank? Probably one male, one female.
technically yes, though some people frown on them being kept in "small" spaces like that. I currently keep a single male in a 2G goldfish bowl and he seems fine with his space. make sure it's filtered and HEATED.

I guess Id use a small sponge filter in one of the back corners and a small clip-on light bulb. Few Silk plants. Would this be good?
i would personally use a sponge filter on each corner, as you will have (i'm hoping!) a divider in the middle and the sponge filter wouldn't be strong enough to filter the other end of the tank/bowl through the divider.
if you weren't planning on having a divider, then GET ONE. you can not keep a male and a female together just as much as keeping two males together. this is only done for breedind [after they've been conditioned!

P.S. Do Bettas jump? I have a screen cover for like reptiles, if they do can I just use one of these?
everyone has told me that they do. i've had two (the one now and the one that it replaced) in an uncovered bowl for 3+ months and they've never jumped. however, taking into account just how many people say they are jumpers, i have my 10G male divided tank covered with a nice lid. it's just not an option on the bowl due to the shape and such.
I would highly recommend you put the screen on, just make sure it's got holes for air to get in

appears shorty has that covered. we are talking about a divided tank. I would recommend a male/male tho.

forget a sponge filter. just get a whisper filter. often, the lowest you can find in a pet store is a whisper 10i. This will take some modifying to lower the current. search "current killer" for more info. I just posted up a response recently (as well as a lot of others) about lowering current.

5.5 gallons divided is fine. I have 5 bettas atm between me and my gf. 3 are in 5 gallon tanks alone and the other 2 are divided in a 5 gallon living happily. No prob with a 2.75gallon filtered/heated tank per betta. Just make sure you still keep up on water changes.

Decorate the sides however you want. caves are not necessary. just give them some cover. silk plants would be great.

And yes pop a lid or screen on that tank. unless u keep the water level really low. bettas do jump.. A LOT

 

[LauraFrog]

If you do use male/female make sure they can't see each other through the divider. If the female can see the male courting her on the other side she will get excited and fill up with eggs, and if not given an opportunity to spawn she could become eggbound. I have seen waaaay too many females die from this. I remember one that egged up so fast after being spawned that the owner didn't want to risk giving her another round with the male as her fins were still shredded from mating. She got eggbound and died. Horrible Just be careful if you do decide on a male/female setup. If you did male/female you could keep two females on the other side, but you would have to be really careful they got on. Usually females are best kept singly or in groups of four or more to reduce bullying but sometimes two (often sisters raised together) become quite chummy and like sharing a tank. If you want multiple females and skip the male, you could keep four or five in that size tank.

 

[Amunet]

Is 5.5 gallons enough for two Bettas in a divided tank? Probably one male, one female. I guess Id use a small sponge filter in one of the back corners and a small clip-on light bulb. Few Silk plants. Would this be good? Over 2.5 Gallons per Betta.

Thanks

P.S. Do Bettas jump? I have a screen cover for like reptiles, if they do can I just use one of these?

well i'm no expert but i'll take a shot at your questions.

Is 5.5 gallons enough for two Bettas in a divided tank? Probably one male, one female.
technically yes, though some people frown on them being kept in "small" spaces like that. I currently keep a single male in a 2G goldfish bowl and he seems fine with his space. make sure it's filtered and HEATED.

I guess Id use a small sponge filter in one of the back corners and a small clip-on light bulb. Few Silk plants. Would this be good?
i would personally use a sponge filter on each corner, as you will have (i'm hoping!) a divider in the middle and the sponge filter wouldn't be strong enough to filter the other end of the tank/bowl through the divider.
if you weren't planning on having a divider, then GET ONE. you can not keep a male and a female together just as much as keeping two males together. this is only done for breedind [after they've been conditioned!

P.S. Do Bettas jump? I have a screen cover for like reptiles, if they do can I just use one of these?
everyone has told me that they do. i've had two (the one now and the one that it replaced) in an uncovered bowl for 3+ months and they've never jumped. however, taking into account just how many people say they are jumpers, i have my 10G male divided tank covered with a nice lid. it's just not an option on the bowl due to the shape and such.
I would highly recommend you put the screen on, just make sure it's got holes for air to get in

.

forget a sponge filter. just get a whisper filter. often, the lowest you can find in a pet store is a whisper 10i. This will take some modifying to lower the current. search "current killer" for more info. I just posted up a response recently (as well as a lot of others) about lowering current.

You can actually get a whisper filter for a 1-3 gallon. They sell them at walmart for about 10 dollars. Comes with the little filter, filter cartridge and an air pump w/ some tubing to run it all. Works pretty well and creates very little current.
I would not use that 10gallon one in a 5 gallon tank for bettas, specially since you're going to be dividing it. We have one of those as well, and it creates alot of current in the water. With some modifying, it might be ok, but it would just be easier to get the smaller one imo.
http/www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752355

 

[eb2]

[/quote]forget a sponge filter. just get a whisper filter[/quote]
my betta both loves his whisper 3i ...(with biomax and a bit of floss)
each of my tanks has 2 filters
the larger has an ac30 with a modfied intank and a killer on current, and the 3i
and the smaller has a spong has a corner box (with biomax and floss instead of sponge) and a Nano (hob) with a current killer on it

 

[Kendalyn]

The air pump on those 3i filters is really loud though.

 

[ReMz]

I have smaller, HOB Whisper filters in my 3 All-in-one unit 5 gallons. they work great. I have looked for the 3i but never find it around here.

Smallest I can get it the 10i

not hard to modify at all. our 10i is just down to a trickle.

 

[bronzecat]

Hi
There's nothing wrong with sponge filters at all We run them in three 6 gallon divided tanks and have never had a problem with unfiltered water in the divided sections If you do go for a spoge filter, get the ones that you can swivel the outflow pipe around. Place the filter next to the divider and aim the outflow pipe straight at it

If you do use male/female make sure they can't see each other through the divider. If the female can see the male courting her on the other side she will get excited and fill up with eggs, and if not given an opportunity to spawn she could become eggbound.

Females will generally release the eggs if they dont spawn. We've had 2 girls recently do this and bettas do not generally get eggbound.