MaddieLynn

My 10 gallon already has a filter & heater. My question is, if I divided it and put 1 betta on each side (you can do that, right?) would I have to get another filter to go on the other side of the divider? That would really be a pain...

Amanda

You have a few options:
1 - get another small filter
2 - rotate the filter each week
3 - get airstones for the side without the filter

MaddieLynn

Wouldn't rotating the filter each week be the equivilent of keeping a betta in a 5 gallon with no filter?

Amanda

No, because the water from the filter will still be going through the divider to the other side.

MaddieLynn

Oh... do dividers have holes? I didn't know that.

Amanda

Yes, they're mesh pieces of plastic.

CapeKateskid

hiya.. i have a ten gal. with 2 bettas and a divider. i dont have to filters and have only one heater.. like amanda said the divider has holes in it so the water goes threw just fine. i will say i do a 25 % water change atleast once a week bc the side without the filter does sometimes get a film on the top but dont mistake that for the nest he will build one

agabr123

it's possible to get solid glass dividers, but mesh is definitely better for this exact reason!

disturbedme

Hi. I have a 10 gallon divided. One betta on each side and my mystery snail on one side.

I did decide to get two filters though... because the one side does get pretty stagnant and the top of the water looks cruddy while the other side is like crystal clear.

The one side has the 10 gallon filter that came with the tank. And then the other side I went out and bought a Red Sea Nano Filter for it. I think that works best.

Also, I divided them using the clear divider you can buy at petsmart or petco. But the thing is - they'll see each other and flare and try to nip each other through the divider. I ended up going to Michael's and buying needlepoint canvas (decided to get a dark color, black) you can buy for really cheap - like .39 cents or something like that and putting that against the divider. With one needlepoint canvas and the clear divider, they could still see each other but not often and flared... so my hubby and I went back to Michael's and got another needlepoint canvas (a blue one) and put it on the other side. They couldn't see each other at all after that.

I was also told that something good to do and probably easier (than the needlepoint canvas idea) is to take the clear divider you buy and get sandpaper and sandpaper either side and it will make it so they will not be able to see it other. Also, rinse it really well before using it in the tank after sandpapering it!

I did not do this, but I did want to try. But since I had already had the whole tank set up and the needlepoint canvas in, I didn't feel like taking it all out and doing that.

Martinismommy

I have a divided 10 gallon with 2 of my pet boys in it....I rotate the filter weekly and they have been happy for several months now.....

Shawnie

I rotate in my 20 gal long as well as my 10 gal...the compartments that dont have the filter that day, has the airstone in each ..I also use the needlepoint mesh so the holes are big enough to let the water through it to the filter..the airstone is more to keep the top from being mirky