Betta Condo

[BettaBoysGirl]

Hey Everyone!
Just wanted to get peoples opinions on this idea. I own two betta boys. Rainbow and Mr Grumpy gills. Currently Rainbow resides in a 5 gallon glass tank, and Grumpy Gills in a 4 gallon acrylic tank. I want to get more. However due to available room, I'm having to condense. I got this idea after reading several books/websites/blogs about how males thrive in a divided tank provided there's lots of hiding. Well what I want to do is take a 20 gallon long tank, and split it into 4, using plastic canvas and report cover sliders (got the idea from the dyi section.) Each section is 7.6"x12"x12". And roughly 5 gallons per betta. Think this is ok? And if so, any ideas on how to decorate? I'm planning to put several plants toward the rear of each tank and some sort of cave. Could use ideas on plants and structures. Other thought would be appreciated.

 

[Paradise3]

I think it might work you just need to make sure that the bettas can get away to hide ifanother 1 starts flaring.

Xxx~misscosmo~xxX

 

[BettaBoysGirl]

Yea, I was thinking of planting heavily towards the back, near the dividers in addition to a cave or hole like structure.

 

[BettaBoysGirl]

This is the Betta Condo I made. Think it will work? It has no rocks, water, or decor yet.

 

[flip]

looks good so far! what kind of filter do you have for the tank?

 

[Honeythorn]

Yes that looks fine, 5 gals per fish is good, and as long as the dividers almost reach the lid or condensation tray ( so they cannot jump over them ) and are well sealed with silicone with no gaps, then the structure of the divides looks good.

I'd suggest a smallish external filter, with a spray bar attatchment that will run across the length of all the dividers. The intake tube could be placed in any section, and the heater would probably be best in one of the central sections to distribute heat more evenly instead of being at one end .

Turn the spray bar so the holes face the back wall. This will deflect the flow of the water and keep disturbance to a minimum for the fish.

Pretty much just fill most of each section with lots of long tall plants, maybe some shorter ones for the front also, silk or real either is good. Coconut caves are pretty easy to make, and not much to buy either, or you could get each boy his own individual little hollow ornament to hide in if that's your style?

 

[OneOnion]

Coconut caves are a good idea, but some bettas ignore them. My betta used to squeeze under a small tunnel in a rock and when I came in he'd peek his head out for a second and come out and beg for food. They really like small spaces to get into.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

They really like small spaces to get into.

My bettas have terra cotta pots in their tanks and they never go in them. . .is that because the front of the pot is too out in the open? The pots are tiny ones.

 

[BettaBoysGirl]

Yep, its all sealed down with aquarium glue aka 100% silicone. The dividers (the white mesh) is removable for cleaning, an the fishes will be out when that occurs. Im building this tank from scratch so actual brand names of filters would be great. Im currently looking at an AquaClear power filter, 20 gallon size. It has an adjustable flow. I was thinking of modifying the middle section to place the filter there with a tight fit. As for lids and lights nad such, any recommendations there? Also, what sort of live plants?

Thanks
BettaBoysGirl

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

Coconut caves are a good idea, but some bettas ignore them. My betta used to squeeze under a small tunnel in a rock and when I came in he'd peek his head out for a second and come out and beg for food. They really like small spaces to get into.

I bought a pipe ornament (a proper aquarium one) and my betta likes swimming through those

 

[ellena]

How long is the tak? If you get a glass lid and have a light over the top, that would look great and make sure they can't jump. You'd have to rest it on the brace bars, if the tank has them (strips of glass on the inside?)
The aquaclear is a HOB right? You could have the glass cut to sit around it maybe? You're going to need a lot of flow to make sure all the sections are filtered, so a proper external might be better.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

Coconut caves are a good idea, but some bettas ignore them. My betta used to squeeze under a small tunnel in a rock and when I came in he'd peek his head out for a second and come out and beg for food. They really like small spaces to get into.

I bought a pipe ornament (a proper aquarium one) and my betta likes swimming through those

Do you have a photo of this?

 

[Honeythorn]

Im building this tank from scratch so actual brand names of filters would be great. Im currently looking at an AquaClear power filter, 20 gallon size. It has an adjustable flow. I was thinking of modifying the middle section to place the filter there with a tight fit. As for lids and lights nad such, any recommendations there? Also, what sort of live plants?

Thanks
BettaBoysGirl

No no I meant an external cannister like an Eheim , not a HOB, though indeed a HOB would work, you wouldn't be able to fit a spray bar to it, which means the flow would be plunging into one betta's section constantly.

With an external cannister, you could fit a spray bar to run the length of the tank and give all sections an equal (deflected) flow.

Plants depend on how much maintenence you want to do. Some plants need high light and CO2 plus ferts and all sorts.

But for basic plants I would reccomend the following :

Pond soil topped with aquarium sand ( 1 cm of soil plus 2.5 inches of sand )

Rooted plants and stems:

Elodia
Cabomba
Aponogenton
Echinodorus
Crypts
Hygrophillia

And for non substrate plants:

Java moss ( needs to be tied to something and not planted in the substrate )
Java fern (as above )
Moss balls


Floating plants:

Riccia
Frogbit
Salvinia ( only if in the UK)
Water lettuce

1-2 watts per gallon in terms of lighting should grow most of those just fine. Plants heavily from the start, not only do bettas prefer it, the heavy plant load will reduce your chances of alage ( the plants out-compete it for food )

 

[OneOnion]

They really like small spaces to get into.

My bettas have terra cotta pots in their tanks and they never go in them. . .is that because the front of the pot is too out in the open? The pots are tiny ones.

Yes, I have a terra cotta pot in my 5 gallon also, and it gets ignored. I think that maybe it's the shape of it that bettas don't like when it's turned to the side, with the openness and brightness like you said. They like to squeeze into things more, going through tunnels and in between the stems of plants. Like, when the terra cotta pot was against the glass, he would go in between the terra cotta pot and the glass, but not in the pot itself.

I'll use a petsmart ornament for an example of something like I'm describing.
http/www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752236&keepsr=0&clickid=prod_cs

Now, I'm not saying you have to buy that ornament or that it's a good ornament to buy, I'm just saying that a betta would generally appreciate an ornament shaped like that.

 

[BettaBoysGirl]

They really like small spaces to get into.

My bettas have terra cotta pots in their tanks and they never go in them. . .is that because the front of the pot is too out in the open? The pots are tiny ones.

Yes, I have a terra cotta pot in my 5 gallon also, and it gets ignored. I think that maybe it's the shape of it that bettas don't like when it's turned to the side, with the openness and brightness like you said. They like to squeeze into things more, going through tunnels and in between the stems of plants. Like, when the terra cotta pot was against the glass, he would go in between the terra cotta pot and the glass, but not in the pot itself.

I'll use a petsmart ornament for an example of something like I'm describing.
http/www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752236&keepsr=0&clickid=prod_cs

Now, I'm not saying you have to buy that ornament or that it's a good ornament to buy, I'm just saying that a betta would generally appreciate an ornament shaped like that.

I think I will end up with the cannister filter. Always thought they were for saltwater fish. I like the idea of minimizing the water disturbance. The tank is 30"Lx12"W x12"H. I've already have a glass top and light picked out(not bought). Can always be influenced. Can the light sit ontop of the glass top or is that a problem?
My biggest issue is a tank theme. Like do I want one solid color of substrate, or 4 different ones. Then a theme for the ornaments. Do I want different ones or something collective. Though finding something that's collective without repeating is hard. Any suggestions on this? Btw, I've never dealt with sand before. What are the pros and cons on that? I think it would be neat but I'm afraid it might get in their gills or something. I know I'm proably wrong. So sand compared to aquarium gravel. Pros? Cons? Opinions? Thanks! Btw... I'm cycling my first tank. (Knew nothing of cycling with the bettas. But the condo will be cycled before anyone moves in. But the tank I'm cycling is for danios... I'm excited! Got my nitrite spike today!