just got a new betta.

[guppy_man]

sry i havent got pics but he is a male delta.
hes a white with a tinge of green on the body, and blue and white fins.
and a bit of black on his head.

i was going to buy another betta for the same tank but i was going to devide it (by the way my tank is 4uk gal) but the man at maidenhead aquatics sead that its not a very good idea because the 2 bettas will constantly flair at each other and they will get stressed out by this and eventually die.

is he right or no?

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

The bettas will only flare if they can actually see each other through the barracks so as long as you have somthing solid and sturdy that they can't see each other through or get through in anyway you will be fine.

 

[wwestar2000]

I think that is extremely exadurated. I think maybe it will stress some bettas but not kill them. I had 5 bettas in a 20 gallon and no one even had stress lines.

 

[Karah's_Mommy]

What were you planning on using to divide the tank? I have several divided using plastic canvas. At first I thought they'd be able to see each other and constantly flare and I was worried about it, but my bettas have shown me different. 3 pairs don't even realize they have a neighbor, and the 4th pair know they do, but they hardly pay attention to each other. I'd go ahead and do it, but make sure to have a back up plan just in case. I've heard of people using background sheets (on top of the plastic canvas) and punching holes in it for water flow.

 

[guppy_man]

i dont think i will get another betta for now but the 2 bettas are in sepperate tanks next to eachother but ive put a book between the 2 tanks so they cant see eachother.
now they have no stresslines and they arent hitting themselves on the glass like my female was




im a bit worries about my male delta though i put in a google search for male deltas and they had pictures with the fins all up nicely but my betta are all floppy and they point down is this normal??

 

[Andie]

My bettas' fins only spread out like that when they were flaring. Breeders usually get their bettas to flare for photographing because you get a better idea of finnage and colouration, and of course it just plain looks more impressive. When your betta sees his reflection or another betta, odds are his fins will flare up too.

As to the divider, your lfs fellow was correct up to a point. If you get an aggressive/territorial pair of males then yes in a small tank it will wear them down after a while. However, in a large tank it is less likely they will encounter each other at the divider as often, and what's more, a little flaring now and then increases blood flow and is good exercise for them.

Finally, not all males will be so agitated to see each other- I kept a very docile pair of males in a divided tank with no problems at all. The most they did was settle down across from one another and stare at each other; I called them my old men at the backyard fence