To Divide A 5.5 G Or Not

[Katty]

I have a 5.5 gallon tank that I'm currently waiting for some green neon tetras to finish up their ich treatment and quarantine in it before I take them out. After they're done with that, I'll be switching them with the male betta (Attila) in my 10 gallon (he hasn't been treating my corydoras very nice lately). So it'll be Attila in a 5.5 gallon tank. I was wondering if I could divide the tank and place a female betta in the other side, or if there wouldn't be enough room for Attila since he's used to the 10 gallon. He's seriously grown big muscles from all the swimming around he does.

I really like the look of the female bettas - so dainty! - (I would have picked a female, but he was my mom's until I abducted him from the bowl), but I wouldn't want to compromise Attila with less space than he needs. Do you think half of a 5.5 gallon is enough for a betta, or does he need all the room he can get? He's also going on 2 years and don't know how old he was when we got him. Perhaps he won't need as much room as he gets older? I don't know. Anyone have any comments on whether or not I should divide the tank for two fish?

 

[flip]

i personally wouldnt divide it, it will really cut down on the room he has to move. especially once you get decorations in there, and him being used to having space to roam.

 

[BethK]

Tank is too small to divide it for 2 bettas.

You could add a female betta to the other tank, she should get on with the others.

 

[lilfishie]

As said you could have a female in the 10 Gal, depending on the other fish maybe a small group if you wanted

 

[loraxchick]

i used to have a 6 gal divided for 2 males. everyone was healthy and active in that setup. the option is viable if you chose to go that route.
good luck with the ich treatment!
cheers

 

[Jonty]

Yes you can divide it, but you can't use many decorations or plants as they'll need swimming space/

 

[kelly528]

Personally I don't see a problem with dividing a 5.5g but that is just me... I mean I recommend a minimum of 2.5g for one betta so why not right. If you would keep your betta in a 2.5g why not half of a 5. As long as the nitrates are under control (which they should be unless you are seriously overfeeding). If you calculate the difference between the footprint of a standard 5.5g and the footprint of a standard 10g it isn't dramatically different. Well to put it this way your betta will certainly not be getting double the footprint in a divided 10g as opposed to a divided 5.5g, even if the gallonage is double.

 

[silverrabbit]

I'm all for bettas having bigger living quarters, but as long as the tank has a good filter running and is maintained regularly with good water changes and gravel vacs, I think it'd be do-able. Have a little planted jungle area at the back and leave space for swimming around at the front

 

[Katty]

I think I'll try dividing the tank when he's in there before getting another betta to see how he does, and if he doesn't do well I can easily revert back and give him the full tank.

I thought about putting a female in the 10g but the problem with Attila is he figured out how to find the corydoras food, by watching their faces as they dig around, and will snap at them trying to get at the food. He's bitten off pieces of their fins and whiskers doing this. I feed them after lights out now and that seems to help, but it doesn't really fit into my schedule some nights. But I don't want a female to figure out the same trick, or get an aggressive female.

 

[Larkspur]

My 5.5 gallon is split in two with a male on both sides. They're perfectly content. They have such long fins that I think in a larger tank they'd stick to one particular area and not move a whole lot. Mine are lazy, but they still occasionally check out their side of the tank. I wouldn't go any smaller though. I think splitting a 5.5 in two sections is about the limit.

 

[Lacuna]

I thought about putting a female in the 10g but the problem with Attila is he figured out how to find the corydoras food, by watching their faces as they dig around, and will snap at them trying to get at the food. He's bitten off pieces of their fins and whiskers doing this. I feed them after lights out now and that seems to help, but it doesn't really fit into my schedule some nights. But I don't want a female to figure out the same trick, or get an aggressive female.

I have this problem, I have a betta in with pygmy corys and he always gets their food. He follows them around when they're eating and when they pause because they've found something he goes in and grabs it instead. I haven't seem him nip them, but I just end up with an overfed betta and underfed pygmys. I have a betta in another tank and he also eats the kuhli loaches' food, but he'll stop after he's had a couple of mouthfulls. I'm going to try your feeding after lights out method, but it kind of puts me off having bettas with bottom feeders in the future.

 

[Katty]

I have this problem, I have a betta in with pygmy corys and he always gets their food. He follows them around when they're eating and when they pause because they've found something he goes in and grabs it instead. I haven't seem him nip them, but I just end up with an overfed betta and underfed pygmys. I have a betta in another tank and he also eats the kuhli loaches' food, but he'll stop after he's had a couple of mouthfulls. I'm going to try your feeding after lights out method, but it kind of puts me off having bettas with bottom feeders in the future.

Yeah, usually he just grabs the whole wafer the size of his head and swims around with it. I haven't actually seen him in the act of biting a fin off, but I have seen him snap very close. I've tried smooth gravel, smooth sand, many water changes, salt, no salt, tea tree oil (don't ask), nothing really stopped the fins from periodically disappearing. I finally figured he was biting them off, and since I've started feeding at night they've been growing back well and they aren't loosing any more fins. I don't think I'll be putting bettas in with slow feeders like cory cats in the future.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

Nah, I wouldn't divide the tank. Maybe just let your betta enjoy the rest of his time and then when he passes on, bring in a female. I love female bettas too, so I know what you mean about dainty I have two girls and one boy betta. Each have their own tanks and do swim around the entire tank (regardless of size).