Please welcome Van!

YAY!!

As most of you know, I adopted my friend's fish as they are moving to NY and didn't feel like he would make the move. I tended to agree with her so I agreed to take him in since I love bettas and have grown to love him!

Here he is. He is currently in Lilex's old tank as Lilex did not take well to him "sharing" his tank. There is a divider in the tank but it is see-through and Lilex was making it VERY clear that he was upset about this new "roommate". I will get this issue taken care of tomorrow and he will be in his new home for REAL.


Please excuse the photos as they are the best I could get in the tank that he is in! There will be MORE to come, you can be sure!!

 

He is a big boy

 

Yes, he is! He is VERY mellow, too... another reason that Lilex gets frustrated... he doesn't want to "play"

 

well we all know about the short people syndrome

 

well we all know about the short people syndrome

Should I add that to my diease chart? hehe

 

LOL

Kelly am I going blind or is Van red? In your signature you have him listed as a Blue Veiltail Betta. I just thought I was looking for a different fish. ;D

He is so nice...it would be nice to have him to cuddle with, Lilex...why are you being so stuffy?? Don't you like the idea of a playmate?

He looks like a very nice and fine betta in really good health. I am sure that he is going to love it there with you and do very well.

You mentioned getting the situation taken care of...are you still going to put him in the tank with Lilex with a divider?

Rose

 

LOL! Well, as far as the coloring goes .... The tank that he was in was VERY small (at my friend's house) and due to the poor lighting he looked blue. I do have to change my signature since the last time I fixed it I have also lost a snail and my frog. So, yes ... Van is red with some purple undertones!


Lilex and Van will share the tank with the divider. I am going to go the pet store this morning and get some of that aquarium background plastic and put it on the divider so that they can no longer see each other. Van doesn't really have the problem. It was Lilex that was having the spastic issues.


I wish the two would get along better but they are males and that is what they do, I suppose!! If you have any other suggestions, I'm open to them!

;D ;D

 

He is very beautiful Kelly. Van welcome home to your new home. I am sure you will love it there. Natalie

 

It sounds okay to me. They are going to be a little restricted but should be okay. Just be sure that neither of them can jump over as bettas are GOOD jumpers and many an owner has awakened to find both bettas on the one side of the tank.

He is very beautiful whatever he is listed as for color...and I do understand the lighting making red seem like blue...actually red is one of the colors most frequently overlooked for black or blue when it is dark.

Rose

 

Welcome Van!

Mike

 

Van thanks you all for your compliments. It makes him feel more and more comfortable in his new home.


The divider is working out SPLENDIDLY!! THANK GOODNESS!! I laugh when sometimes they are in exactly the same spot on the divider and don't even know it since they can't see each other. Lilex was VERY confused at the divider after I adjusted it. He's calmed down though.


Van is continuing to always look different colors. Now under this light he looks more purple. I have no idea. He's handsome and I guess that's all that matters!!

Thanks for all your welcomes. Here are some more pics!

 

looks like enough room for them, just some thing for them to explore ;D

 

  I am so glad that the divider is working for you.  I tried one in my 10 gallon to separate my girls, Belle and Bessie, but they kept getting into each others spaces. I finally gave up and put the second girl, Bessie, into her own 5 gallon.  Maybe the aquarium background divider helped because they couldn't see each other so didn't want to get into the other side.   ;D

CherryRose

 

Yes, the divider also goes all the way up to the hood of the tank so there is no room for them to get into the other side. Not that they would have any desire to since they can't see each other, but ...


I do need to get some more plants for them but that will work for now, I believe..

 

Welcome to the forum Van!!! ;D

 

Okay, now I have a question since I looked at the tank...are there two filters and heaters or do they share and how do you know that BOTH sides are being filtered well with the divider if there is only one. It does not look to me like there can be much water exchange and the water has to go through the filter 10 times an hour to be filtered. Usually filters in betta tanks are not working that hard to keep the surface motion down so there would not be a GREAT amount of pull. Now if I am just worrying for nothing, just consider me an old worry wort but I do not want one of your little bettas to go into an ammonia poisoning situation without you realizing it. If there is not a second filter, it may be a good idea to get a small sponge filter or something and put in the second side to just have as an insurance policy. As far as the heat is concerned, I see you have a thermometer there so you can see the temp in the tank. Like I said, I have never met a betta I did not get too worried about ... so please excuse my fussiness. Cannot help myself, I guess.

Rose

 

I do want you to "fuss" Rose ... It's the only way I'll learn what I need to be doing PROPERLY!


I have thought about the filter issue and was unsure what to do about it. I talked it over with my boyfriend and we discussed buying a second filter for Van's side. The sponge filter I guess would work but I'm not sure exactly how that works. Can you help me with that?

 

Just wondering, but is the paper in the divider made to be used as a divider underwater or as a tank background? It looks like the same paper I use as a background for my tanks and they go on the outside of the tank. Just worried because the ink could leech into the water eventually and poison the fish. Also, there are no holes for the water to flow through. I'm pretty sure those were never meant to be used underwater. Maybe a better solution would be to see if you can get a sheet of colored plastic used for embroiderey or something from a craft store. Without holes you would absolutely need a filter and heater on BOTH sides. I have two divided tanks and because they are all female and one male/female they are fine seeing each other. I find that the heater works fine for both sides if I put it right beside the divider and put an airstone under it to help circulate the water. I have thermometers on both sides and temp is always good for both sides. As for filteration, I put a small Whisper filter in the side without a filter just to help supplement the filteration. It's quiet, small and cheap.

 

Welcome to you Van!! Your mom divakeeks is VERY excited to have you. She will dote on you and smother you and we know that you'll just thrive because of it.

Divakeeks your excitement is contagious!!

Next Tuesday my life slows down dramatically (got a family...a stray and her litter...all homes...WOOHOOO) sooo... we can get back to the fish and Betta business and your excitement has fueled me cept...

I have to wait until Tuesday <sniff>

~neva happy are ya Karyn
~oh shaddup

(((Divakeeks))) (((Van and Lilex)))

 

Wow! I LOVE your set up... you made the divider look good, lol I didn't know that was possible. Welcome to the group Van!!!

 

You need an airline and an airpump or if you already have an airstone running you can just get rid of the airstone on the side of the tank that you want the sponge filter on and plug the filter into the airline. The airline plugs into the small clear tube at the top and that is all there is to it. The one in the link below is exactly what I use in my tanks, all of them. You just give the filter a bit of a squeeze when you put it in the tank to fill the sponge with water so it will sink and not float. Then you need to have a little valve in the airline to adjust the flow of bubbles. (second link is a package that will have 5 inline valves and some airline splitters "T's" to make one airpump do the job of two)




(the cheap one for $1.49 is the one I get shows up above in green with the suction cup)


This is for an example only, you should be able to get one cheaper at the petstore. But if you are not going for anything else order one if you are making an order. you will only save about $0.50.

It goes like:

airpump............check valve.......valve to control airflow.......sponge filter (...... is airline tubing)

Rose

 

I would think that you could just poke some discreet holes around the bottom or top of the divider.