tank divider/breeding setup

[Corie Dora]

I'd like to make a double breeding setup inside a 15g tank by putting a tank divider down the center. If possible, I'd like to make my own divider. I have a quantity of window screen which I've successfully used inside of aquariums for various things in the past. If I use this to divide the breeding setup, would babies swimiming through to the other side become a problem? Or are they likely just to stay with their respective mothers? Or if they did, would the other female foster them?

Thanks in advance

 

[Mike Wise]

I have a commercial divider in a 20 long right now. It separates 2 female A. cf. agassizii Madeira-Gold with fry. Somehow one of the females brood keeps getting bigger while the other gets smaller. I think the fry sneak between the divider and edge of the glass. I use the divider only because I wanted to keep the females from fighting. It is not a permanent divider. If you plan to keep 2 different species in the one tank, then expect to get mixed broods.

 

[Corie Dora]

Thanks Mike, that's very helpful. I was wondering if females of the same species would eat each other's broods, and I guess the answer is that they won't.

I plan to only keep one species....for now anyways, who knows what the future holds (some good auctions coming up too, hehe).

I think I managed to solve the problem by changing my design. Today I siliconed a long strip of hook and loop fastener (aka velcro) down both sides and along the bottom, dividing the tank in two. Tommorow I will sew together two squares of pantyhose to fit the tank (12" x 12") and then sew the opposite side of the hook and loop fastener around the edges.

I'll then have an easily removable tank divider, which no fishes can pass through. All that for $1.50 to boot!

 

[wickedglass]

I've also had the same experience with fry travelling between tank halves, but I wasn't so lucky that both the girls were with brood. The female without fry ate the ones that came through the screen. I've since siliconed a pane of opaque glass down the center of the tank which reaches to half the tank height and the top half is a fly-screen covered sump divider. The fry which will travel that high is rare and if you have a short tank, you can put in a slightly taller piece of glass divider topped with a shorter bit of mesh. This will enable you to still share the same water across both halves of your tank.

I gotta say, though, the panty hose/velcro idea is great!

 

[Corie Dora]

Well, the velcro seemed to work incredibly well.

I had to sew the top part to a piece of string to keep it tight....and it still gets a little lower in the center so I can only fill the tank to within an inch of the top; but that's no big deal to me. I can't see any gaps at all, so hopefully no fry will get through.

 

[wtpdosa]

I too have a commercial divider and have had some of the fry get through the sides only to be eaten by their tankmates on the other side of the same species.
Other than silicone, is there something one can put on the edges to fill-in the gap on the sides, maybe one of those swim noodles cut to fit?
I don't want the divider to glued into place as I would like it to be temporary.
Any suggestions?

 

[Corie Dora]

I've seen strips of the foam used to insulate pipes used in that manner in diy trickle filter chambers. It looks to be the same as pool noodles only smaller. Sounds like a good idea if you can figure its non-toxic.