Another betta to 10 gallon?

[Fin35]

I have a 10 gallon with one male betta and 9 Ember tetras. I’ve heard that embers don’t contribute much to the bioload because they are so small. I saw this beautiful male multi colored betta at a local fish store and I really want him. petsmart has a divider for my 10 gallon, will I be overstocking if I added the divider and another betta? I do weekly water changes and I have a heavily planted tank.

Thanks
Ashlee

 

[KaylNeko]

Personally, I wouldn't due to the embers. Bio load is only one consideration. Swim space is another. Divide it in half and the embers either wind up separated (bad idea since they're a shoaling fish) or stuffed into a 5 gallon area, which is kinda cramped for them IMO. And bettas like having swim space, so dividing it unevenly to give the embers more territory would put the other betta in a cramped environment. Why not pick up a 5 gallon tank for the other betta you're looking at? That's what I wound up doing-- it lives on my dresser.

 

[Larougeraven]

I have always been wary when it comes to having 2 male bettas sharing the same water. I used to have a divider tank that each side had a betta, and one betta would somehow cause the other one to be sick, when my original betta died, I got a new one and was killed again by the second betta. But my parents also had a 20-gallon tank that 2 male bettas lived in with other tank mates.

I'm not sure about the Embers though.

 

[Fin35]

Ok, I may just always need to keep one in my tanks with other compatible tank mates. maybe when his out lives his life I can house two female Bettas with a divider. I’ve been doing research and some say hormones go into the water and the male betta can sense the other betta nearby even if he can’t see them. Not sure if it’s true but if yours were sick that could of happened. The embers and the betta are fine he ignores them.