55g tank POLL

[Miss Annamarie]

i have my 55g and I've been planning on making a divided betta tank for about a year, and have the dividers already custom made. I recently gained a new hyper fixation on hermit crabs and I'm obsessed with them right now, but dont have room for another tank. Should i make my 55g a divided betta tank or a hermit crab tank? Comment why you voted what you voted too!

 

[Feather]

Will the betta be able to see each other, or will the be afforded privacy? Even with that much space, a divided betta tank is a pretty stressful setup for such a territorial species.

I would caution against hermit crabs, most of the ones in the pet trade are wild caught and they don't fair well in captivity.

 

[finchly]

Voted for bettas cause I love them. If it's stressful as feather said, you could always place plants in a way they're blocked somewhat.

I used to keep multiple bettas in a 125 gallon planted tank (no dividers). They did great.

 

[Kiwi's Mom]

I think Hermit crabs if you can find them as rescues or from a responsible seller. If not, then betta fish.

 

[Kassiani]

I voted Beta...because I love them! I used to have one in it's own tank, and he would come up to the glass when I entered the room!

 

[BirdWorld]

The bettas are definitely winning, but I voted hermits because they’re so cute!

 

[Miss Annamarie]

Will the betta be able to see each other, or will the be afforded privacy? Even with that much space, a divided betta tank is a pretty stressful setup for such a territorial species.

I would caution against hermit crabs, most of the ones in the pet trade are wild caught and they don't fair well in captivity.

They are black acrylic dividers with TINY holes for waterflow, also itll be heavily planted

 

[Miss Annamarie]

Voted for bettas cause I love them. If it's stressful as feather said, you could always place plants in a way they're blocked somewhat.

I used to keep multiple bettas in a 125 gallon planted tank (no dividers). They did great.

Was it a community tank?!?! That's awesome! I swear bettas are one of my favourite animals, theyre nlt "just fish"

 

[Ali]

Voted both because it's up to you.

If you go with hermit crabs, then 100% should be rescued
If you go with betta then we'll need lots of pictures....

 

[Miss Annamarie]

Voted both because it's up to you.

If you go with hermit crabs, then 100% should be rescued
If you go with betta then we'll need lots of pictures....

I think I'm gonna do bettas but definitely do crabbies someday

 

[Ali]

@Zara It's a poll!

 

[Zara]

@Zara It's a poll!

I cannot vote.
I do not know anything about Bettas or Hermit crabs (apart from I remember reading about Kieras @SquawksNibbles )

 

[Miss Annamarie]

Will the betta be able to see each other, or will the be afforded privacy? Even with that much space, a divided betta tank is a pretty stressful setup for such a territorial species.

I would caution against hermit crabs, most of the ones in the pet trade are wild caught and they don't fair well in captivity.

Also oops I forgot to respond to the last part, I know how bad the hermit crab trade is, I would get rescues off of craigslist etc if I were to go that route

 

[elitys]

I know you have dividers, but I would also like to suggest a betta sorority. Haven't ever tried it myself, but it's something I've been interested in in the past. Females are super pretty even though they're less showy than the males. Especially if you get some kois.

I have heard of other people having multiple males in large tanks with community fish, and as long as it's heavily planted, I think it works.

How many divisions will you have in the 55g? I'd worry about the parts being too tall and narrow rather than short and wide as bettas prefer (for their surface breathing).

 

[Destiny]

Multiple male bettas in the same large tank without dividers can work ... until it doesn't. I've read many stories of people who attempt this and it looks like it is working, only to have it end in dead fish after a few weeks or months of uneasy cohabitation.

Juvenile males can be kept this way while young but the adults will get increasingly territorial, aggressive and stressed out by the presence of other males. You can try utilizing similar tactics as setting up a tank for aggressive cichlids. Lots of hiding spots or floating plants and other fish to distract the bettas does seem to help. Interestingly, two bettas alone in a big tank are more likely to death-match fight, compared with a larger group of bettas. They claim smaller territories and fight more frequently but less seriously due to the presence of multiple threats.

Personally, I don't recommend it. Divided tanks are safer.

 

[Miss Annamarie]

I know you have dividers, but I would also like to suggest a betta sorority. Haven't ever tried it myself, but it's something I've been interested in in the past. Females are super pretty even though they're less showy than the males. Especially if you get some kois.

I have heard of other people having multiple males in large tanks with community fish, and as long as it's heavily planted, I think it works.

How many divisions will you have in the 55g? I'd worry about the parts being too tall and narrow rather than short and wide as bettas prefer (for their surface breathing).

They'll be 4 divisions. I worried about being to tall and narrow but i realized it wouldnt be too bad with kt going to be so heavily planted theyll be lots of resting spots

 

[Miss Annamarie]

Multiple male bettas in the same large tank without dividers can work ... until it doesn't. I've read many stories of people who attempt this and it looks like it is working, only to have it end in dead fish after a few weeks or months of uneasy cohabitation.

Juvenile males can be kept this way while young but the adults will get increasingly territorial, aggressive and stressed out by the presence of other males. You can try utilizing similar tactics as setting up a tank for aggressive cichlids. Lots of hiding spots or floating plants and other fish to distract the bettas does seem to help. Interestingly, two bettas alone in a big tank are more likely to death-match fight, compared with a larger group of bettas. They claim smaller territories and fight more frequently but less seriously due to the presence of multiple threats.

Personally, I don't recommend it. Divided tanks are safer.

I wouldny personally put males in even an 120 g tank undivided but its very interesting to me when people do! I agree with you, it only takes one fight for it to be over

 

[Miss Annamarie]

They'll be 4 divisions. I worried about being to tall and narrow but i realized it wouldnt be too bad with kt going to be so heavily planted theyll be lots of resting spots

It wouldn't be completely full either