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I seem to continually go bigger and better with the betta setup, always trying to make their life more comfortable and mine simpler! Here is the latest setup... a 20 long with home made divider system, a Rena-Cal heater, and 2 sponge filters for maximum cleanliness. The substrate is a combination of white onyx and natural gravel, and they each have live java fern to play in. They seem VERY pleased with the move! Everyone colored right up when I put them in.



Stormy5 attached this image:

What a nice and professional looking setup! Your bettas are gorgeous and spoiled! They are very lucky!

Awwww, thanks so much! I worked really, really hard to get those dividers exactly how I wanted them! The pic does no justice for the bettas themselves. One day I will have to spend some time photographing them so everyone can see how pretty my babies are! Thanks again for your kind words!

I wish I was one of those bettas, good job

Whoa, Stormy, that is a nice set up. It must have taken you hours, and it looks professional.

Stormy5

Looks like you got the heater problem sorted out. Is it in the back LH corner, in the wider division?

Keith

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Thanks everyone! Yeppers Keith! You guessed it right, it is in the back L corner. The heater is pretty large. I was worried at first the heat would not spread evenly to the FR corner, but that is where I added a thermometer to keep an eye on it, and even before I got the sponge filters in the next day, the FR corner was perfect! The dividers took LOADS of time to create. The bettas are IN LOVE with their new home and it sure does beat the heck out of six 2.5 gallons, weekly full water changes on them all, and 6 25 watt heaters dropping the water levels dramatically fast. Plus, those were bare bottom, and this is more of a natural environment for them.

Sadly, after all my effort, I lost a female to being eggbound today! She was REALLY ready to breed the day before... full stripes and everything! She had been ready for months though, and I just did not have the space to do anything about it. I came home to find her with some of her insides pushed out her vent. She was an AWESOME HM female!

Oh Keith, I should point out that the female who has that double slot thinks she is quite the little queen of the castle now! LOL! It is REALLY cute!

Last edited by Stormy5 at 17-Apr-2005 02:13

Wow looks great!!

Stormy it looks great...you have more patience than i do, i went crazy with the 2 slots for the 10 gallon but it is so worth it on water changes and all...heidi

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

i want one, can u build me one? i have tried,but failed in makeing set-up like that with all the compartment. (too much work) someday, someday....

A very nice job indeed, Stormy. Also sorry to read about the loss of your female though. Those are certainly very cared for and spoiled bettas.

Jim

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Water, taken in moderation, cannot hurt anybody. -- Mark Twain

You guys are all so sweet! The dividers are not that difficult to make, just very time consuming and frustrating at times too. This sort of setup would work great with 40 gallon show tanks as well. The length and depth on those would be great for it. If you look at the edge of the stand itself (a little hard to see, but visible), you will see I only had a spare 2 inches of room to work with, so a 20 long was the biggest setup I could do. It works perfectly for my needs though. If anyone decides to do one of these, take a little advice and spend the extra money to buy the extra stiff craft mesh instead of the regular stuff. On a tank this size, it is really needed.

It's great... I love it!

Is there a bottom to that or did you just stick the bottoms of the dividers into the gravel?

I've used plastic canvas as a background, covered in java moss... it looks cool (or will when it fills in). I need to get me some of those lil thingies you have on the ends... the stupid guppies and danios think that BEHIND the background is like some super secret playground or something!

~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~

LOL! That sounds like an idea I may have to implement on a future aquarium! Maybe one of my little ones. There is not bottoms on them. It is just made to fit so snuggley and securely that it holds itself in place. I think it will be easier to explain the building process if I catch you in chat... I am sure it will help solve your problem of sneaky fish though!