King (Or Half-Giant) Betta In Divided Tank?

[jewelcolors]

Hello. I'm new to the forum, but not to bettas. I am, however, sadly lacking in experienced advice for a question I'm currently facing! I'd appreciate feedback from anyone who's successfully kept larger bettas, in particular the oversized plakats that Petco and some other retailers market as "king" bettas.

An opportunity has come up for me to give one of these king bettas a home, and I'd be happy to take him in, but the only permanent space I have for him (if he passes quarantine in a hospital tank) is on one side of a divided 10 gallon currently occupied by a normal delta male. The tank, like all of my betta tanks, is well-established, covered, heated, cycled, planted, and divided into two five-gallon sections.

Has anyone here ever successfully kept a happy, healthy king betta in a divided tank? One of my concerns is, certainly, space! I've seen varying estimates of maximum size for these guys, and if Petco's website is correct that I can expect this fish to reach 4", I worry that only half a ten gallon could be a bit cramped. I'm also somewhat concerned since I have no idea what sort of bioload a king betta brings with him. I find my ten gallons remain quite stable with just two standard size bettas in them, but I have no idea how well they might handle one standard size fish and one oversized!

My other concern is that the divider may not hold up to the king betta's size and strength. The divider is basically a standard PennPlax divider, but I've exchanged the clear plastic sheet for the plastic grids you can purchase in the craft store for cross-stitching. I learned this trick from other betta keepers who've had great success with it over the years, and I'm glad to say I've had the same. However, the only thing holding it in place is tension. A normal betta doesn't have the weight/strength/momentum to push the divider out of place. I'm concerned, after reading various escape tales posted to fish forums, that a king betta might be able to pop the grid out of place.

Any opinions or input from those of you more familiar with larger bettas? The last thing I want is to endanger any of my current fish or the potential newcomer.

Thanks for your time!

 

[Better is Betta]

Hello. I'm new to the forum, but not to bettas. I am, however, sadly lacking in experienced advice for a question I'm currently facing! I'd appreciate feedback from anyone who's successfully kept larger bettas, in particular the oversized plakats that Petco and some other retailers market as "king" bettas.

An opportunity has come up for me to give one of these king bettas a home, and I'd be happy to take him in, but the only permanent space I have for him (if he passes quarantine in a hospital tank) is on one side of a divided 10 gallon currently occupied by a normal delta male. The tank, like all of my betta tanks, is well-established, covered, heated, cycled, planted, and divided into two five-gallon sections.
Has anyone here ever successfully kept a happy, healthy king betta in a divided tank? One of my concerns is, certainly, space! I've seen varying estimates of maximum size for these guys, and if Petco's website is correct that I can expect this fish to reach 4", I worry that only half a ten gallon could be a bit cramped. I'm also somewhat concerned since I have no idea what sort of bioload a king betta brings with him. I find my ten gallons remain quite stable with just two standard size bettas in them, but I have no idea how well they might handle one standard size fish and one oversized!

My other concern is that the divider may not hold up to the king betta's size and strength. The divider is basically a standard PennPlax divider, but I've exchanged the clear plastic sheet for the plastic grids you can purchase in the craft store for cross-stitching. I learned this trick from other betta keepers who've had great success with it over the years, and I'm glad to say I've had the same. However, the only thing holding it in place is tension. A normal betta doesn't have the weight/strength/momentum to push the divider out of place. I'm concerned, after reading various escape tales posted to fish forums, that a king betta might be able to pop the grid out of place.

Any opinions or input from those of you more familiar with larger bettas? The last thing I want is to endanger any of my current fish or the potential newcomer.

Thanks for your time!

Hi ya
My opinion with king bettas.....they are no different to the normal size ones. Their size may be daunting but they are pretty normal and just as sweet as any other kind. I have 3 guys and I've bred one with a normal VT female and the mating rituals were pretty much the same as all the others. As for space....I think you can divide your tank off to accommodate him. The rule is 1 inch of fish per 1 gallon of water as a safe measure. I wouldn't go smaller than 2 1/2 gallons per fish. I don't know what type of filter you have but I always say you can never over filter your fish tank. I have an AquaOne 200 hang on filter on my 30 ltr tank and that cycles the water at 200ltrs per hour. If I had enough money I would have gone much bigger but thats just me. This one does the job well and I've had no problems with introducing extra fish. Just check your amonia/ nitrate levels when you introduce your betta and make sure you change 25% of your water on a weekly basis. As for your divider I wouldn't worry too much as you can hide plants near it so he cant see the other male next to him. He may look like the Incredible Hulk but I really don't think he will smash through the divider to get to your other fish. I would prefer clear plastic for a divider with very small holes drilled into it for water ciculation but thats just my preference.

This Ali and he is a real sweety and the one I mated with a VT female.

This is Tyson He was in a 5ltr tank when I took this pic but now hes in a 20 ltr tank. I haven't got a pic of my 3rd male but if you are interested to see I can download one later.

 

[Better is Betta]

Hello. I'm new to the forum, but not to bettas. I am, however, sadly lacking in experienced advice for a question I'm currently facing! I'd appreciate feedback from anyone who's successfully kept larger bettas, in particular the oversized plakats that Petco and some other retailers market as "king" bettas.

An opportunity has come up for me to give one of these king bettas a home, and I'd be happy to take him in, but the only permanent space I have for him (if he passes quarantine in a hospital tank) is on one side of a divided 10 gallon currently occupied by a normal delta male. The tank, like all of my betta tanks, is well-established, covered, heated, cycled, planted, and divided into two five-gallon sections.
Has anyone here ever successfully kept a happy, healthy king betta in a divided tank? One of my concerns is, certainly, space! I've seen varying estimates of maximum size for these guys, and if Petco's website is correct that I can expect this fish to reach 4", I worry that only half a ten gallon could be a bit cramped. I'm also somewhat concerned since I have no idea what sort of bioload a king betta brings with him. I find my ten gallons remain quite stable with just two standard size bettas in them, but I have no idea how well they might handle one standard size fish and one oversized!

My other concern is that the divider may not hold up to the king betta's size and strength. The divider is basically a standard PennPlax divider, but I've exchanged the clear plastic sheet for the plastic grids you can purchase in the craft store for cross-stitching. I learned this trick from other betta keepers who've had great success with it over the years, and I'm glad to say I've had the same. However, the only thing holding it in place is tension. A normal betta doesn't have the weight/strength/momentum to push the divider out of place. I'm concerned, after reading various escape tales posted to fish forums, that a king betta might be able to pop the grid out of place.

Any opinions or input from those of you more familiar with larger bettas? The last thing I want is to endanger any of my current fish or the potential newcomer.

Thanks for your time!

Hi ya
My opinion with king bettas.....they are no different to the normal size ones. Their size may be daunting but they are pretty normal and just as sweet as any other kind. I have 3 guys and I've bred one with a normal VT female and the mating rituals were pretty much the same as all the others. As for space....I think you can divide your tank off to accommodate him. The rule is 1 inch of fish per 1 gallon of water as a safe measure. I wouldn't go smaller than 2 1/2 gallons per fish. I don't know what type of filter you have but I always say you can never over filter your fish tank. I have an AquaOne 200 hang on filter on my 30 ltr tank and that cycles the water at 200ltrs per hour. If I had enough money I would have gone much bigger but thats just me. This one does the job well and I've had no problems with introducing extra fish. Just check your amonia/ nitrate levels when you introduce your betta and make sure you change 25% of your water on a weekly basis. As for your divider I wouldn't worry too much as you can hide plants near it so he cant see the other male next to him. He may look like the Incredible Hulk but I really don't think he will smash through the divider to get to your other fish. I would prefer clear plastic for a divider with very small holes drilled into it for water ciculation but thats just my preference.

This Ali and he is a real sweety He was the one I bred with an ordinary VT female. I was fearful at first for the female but everything went normal to plan and the girl didn't suffer any worse than if she was with a regular male.

This is Tyson This isn't a real good pic of him.... hes a real sweety too. He was living in a 5 ltr tank when this photo was taken. Now hes in a 25ltr tank. I also have Yeshe thats in the 30 ltr tank with an ordinary female. I haven't got a photo of him as yet but the both of them have been together for a month and they are not fighting...quite amazing to see.

 

[jewelcolors]

Thanks for the feedback! I have roughly forty fish of various species in my keeping right now in all sorts of setups, and I've been looking after these guys for nearly a decade, so I'm pretty familiar with the general guidelines. I still like to learn about new fish I'm hoping to keep from people with firsthand experience since the guidelines don't always hold true.

For the bettas, I use Marineland's BioWheel 100 filters, and they work very well for me. Ammonia and nitrites remain at 0ppm and nitrates about 10ppm with regular water changes. The tanks are pretty heavily planted with java fern, crypts and anubias, which is a huge help. I'd have loved to custom design a clear plastic divider with drilled holes that could be fixed in place with aquarium sealant when I was setting up the tanks, but that wasn't an option at the time. If only it weren't such a headache to tear them down and restart them.

Your boys are absolutely gorgeous. Love seeing well-cared-for bettas. If only more people knew how much they're missing out on by not giving these fish the setup they need! Ali especially looks splendid in that picture you posted. Thanks also for the feedback on their temperament. The king I'm looking at seems to be one of the more docile boys, but he's also not mature yet, so who knows? I've had everything from a VT who was so shy he had to have his tank partially covered his entire life to reduce his stress, to a double tail who was so aggressive he'd attack just about anything.

 

[Better is Betta]

Thanks for the feedback! I have roughly forty fish of various species in my keeping right now in all sorts of setups, and I've been looking after these guys for nearly a decade, so I'm pretty familiar with the general guidelines. I still like to learn about new fish I'm hoping to keep from people with firsthand experience since the guidelines don't always hold true.

For the bettas, I use Marineland's BioWheel 100 filters, and they work very well for me. Ammonia and nitrites remain at 0ppm and nitrates about 10ppm with regular water changes. The tanks are pretty heavily planted with java fern, crypts and anubias, which is a huge help. I'd have loved to custom design a clear plastic divider with drilled holes that could be fixed in place with aquarium sealant when I was setting up the tanks, but that wasn't an option at the time. If only it weren't such a headache to tear them down and restart them.

Your boys are absolutely gorgeous. Love seeing well-cared-for bettas. If only more people knew how much they're missing out on by not giving these fish the setup they need! Ali especially looks splendid in that picture you posted. Thanks also for the feedback on their temperament. The king I'm looking at seems to be one of the more docile boys, but he's also not mature yet, so who knows? I've had everything from a VT who was so shy he had to have his tank partially covered his entire life to reduce his stress, to a double tail who was so aggressive he'd attack just about anything.

Sorry I didn't realise you were so well experienced in fish keeping.....maybe you can give me a few pointers as I am still learning and making mistakes. Thanks to people on this forum I've been able to rectify a few problems. I'm unfamiliar with the Marinelands Biowheel. Heard people talk about them but I don't think I've seen one. I found the waterfall filter was real good for bettas at it doesn't cause strong currents like most fiters. So is it a definite with getting your new betta? I really like them more so than the exotics. I still love the exotics but the king PKs are my favourite.....and I think they are tough when it comes to problems. I very rarely get any health issues with these guys.

 

[fuzzynicki]

I've got 3 giant betta females in with my female sorority tank. They are all gentle and quiet natured

 

[jewelcolors]

Sorry I didn't realise you were so well experienced in fish keeping.....maybe you can give me a few pointers as I am still learning and making mistakes. Thanks to people on this forum I've been able to rectify a few problems. I'm unfamiliar with the Marinelands Biowheel. Heard people talk about them but I don't think I've seen one. I found the waterfall filter was real good for bettas at it doesn't cause strong currents like most fiters. So is it a definite with getting your new betta? I really like them more so than the exotics. I still love the exotics but the king PKs are my favourite.....and I think they are tough when it comes to problems. I very rarely get any health issues with these guys.

No problem! I didn't list all of the fish/setups/etc. that I have! Marineland may be primarily a US brand? I'm not sure. The BioWheel filters can have a pretty strong output that some bettas dislike or can't cope with if they have delicate or particularly large fins. I've found that myself and other people who use them in their betta tanks sometimes need to devise some sort of baffle that lessens the current without compromising the filtration. It also helps encourage the boys to blow bubble nests since they have some pockets of still water to work with. What I do love is that the BioWheel helps support the beneficial bacteria. I also love knowing that if I'm away from home and my power goes out, there won't be any water backing up onto the floor, and I don't have to be there to add water to keep the motor from burning out when the power comes back on, because the filters are self-priming.

I have to admit that the shorter fins are an attraction! All of my current fish have pretty heavy finnage and almost all of them have blown out their fins at least once. It would be nice to have a betta whose fins aren't in danger of tearing under their own weight. The king betta's not a definite for me yet, though. I want to be sure he's the right fish before I commit.

I've got 3 giant betta females in with my female sorority tank. They are all gentle and quiet natured

I've always wanted to set up a sorority tank, but I've never had the chance. Most of the females I bring home are usually more aggressive than my males. I'd love to get some sisters who were raised together and never jarred one of these days and have a girls-only community.

 

[fuzzynicki]

I have 22 females, including 3 giants, so far. I've got another 2 juveniles reserved for August too None of mine shown any aggression towards each other. You may see them shoo each other off,- but there's no animosity and I've not seen any with any nipped fins!

 

[Better is Betta]

I have 22 females, including 3 giants, so far. I've got another 2 juveniles reserved for August too None of mine shown any aggression towards each other. You may see them shoo each other off,- but there's no animosity and I've not seen any with any nipped fins!

Yes all of my females are good with each other. The only female that I couldn't mix with the girls was Q-T (she passed away with dropsy)She was one of my fry that survived and was the only one left out of a spawn. She lived on her own for 12months and I think being a loner was the reason she never got on with other females...plus she was spoilt rotten. But yes all my females get on very well together and with males as well.

 

[Better is Betta]

Sorry I didn't realise you were so well experienced in fish keeping.....maybe you can give me a few pointers as I am still learning and making mistakes. Thanks to people on this forum I've been able to rectify a few problems. I'm unfamiliar with the Marinelands Biowheel. Heard people talk about them but I don't think I've seen one. I found the waterfall filter was real good for bettas at it doesn't cause strong currents like most fiters. So is it a definite with getting your new betta? I really like them more so than the exotics. I still love the exotics but the king PKs are my favourite.....and I think they are tough when it comes to problems. I very rarely get any health issues with these guys.

No problem! I didn't list all of the fish/setups/etc. that I have! Marineland may be primarily a US brand? I'm not sure. The BioWheel filters can have a pretty strong output that some bettas dislike or can't cope with if they have delicate or particularly large fins. I've found that myself and other people who use them in their betta tanks sometimes need to devise some sort of baffle that lessens the current without compromising the filtration. It also helps encourage the boys to blow bubble nests since they have some pockets of still water to work with. What I do love is that the BioWheel helps support the beneficial bacteria. I also love knowing that if I'm away from home and my power goes out, there won't be any water backing up onto the floor, and I don't have to be there to add water to keep the motor from burning out when the power comes back on, because the filters are self-priming.

I have to admit that the shorter fins are an attraction! All of my current fish have pretty heavy finnage and almost all of them have blown out their fins at least once. It would be nice to have a betta whose fins aren't in danger of tearing under their own weight. The king betta's not a definite for me yet, though. I want to be sure he's the right fish before I commit.

I've got 3 giant betta females in with my female sorority tank. They are all gentle and quiet natured

I've always wanted to set up a sorority tank, but I've never had the chance. Most of the females I bring home are usually more aggressive than my males. I'd love to get some sisters who were raised together and never jarred one of these days and have a girls-only community.

I had a real mean female years ago....I think she had issues.....she had a nasty streak in her. She took the eyes out of one of my little bronze cory. Anyway just to try and convince you to get your king betta this is a pic of Yeshe hes another big softy

 

[jewelcolors]

He's definitely a handsome fish. The kings are really winning me over. I'm considering finding space for a separate 5 gallon setup so I could bring home a king and another regular sized betta. Then I wouldn't have to decide between the two types. I'm just not sure I want to add more tank maintenance to my schedule.

 

[Better is Betta]

He's definitely a handsome fish. The kings are really winning me over. I'm considering finding space for a separate 5 gallon setup so I could bring home a king and another regular sized betta. Then I wouldn't have to decide between the two types. I'm just not sure I want to add more tank maintenance to my schedule.

Yes I agree I've fallen into that trap....you know the old saying.....the more you own the more it owns you. Heaven help me if I had to go away on holidays.

 

[Better is Betta]

Just to ease some peoples conception about king bettas. Its hard to believe sometimes how male and female can live together in harmony where the male is not trying to tear the female to pieces. This is Yeshe my king betta with a VT female. This pic isn't very good of the pair... they look rather dull. King bettas really are big softies