How to Make a Plastic Aquarium Divider

Perhaps your fish are fighting, you want to prime them to breed, or you want to mix two incompatible types of fish in the same aquarium. You can do any of these things if you make a plastic aquarium divider. You can purchase dividers at most fish supply stores, but they may not be the right size or style to suit your needs. You can make a plastic aquarium divider with a few supplies and several simple steps.

Things You'll Need

  • Plastic piece
  • Suction cups with little hooks
  • Wire
  • Snips
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Instructions

    • 1

      Get the proper plastic. Find a plastic piece, either recycled from something you no longer use or at a home or hardware store, that will cover the area you want. The plastic should be rigid but not too thick, and preferably be clear or white so it doesn’t stand out like a sore thumb in your tank. You can use a plastic vent, grid or find a piece with holes throughout, as you want the water to be able to flow freely through the divider even though the fish won’t. If you cannot find a piece with holes that works, poke your own holes with a nail and your snips. Make sure whatever plastic you choose has not been sprayed, treated or otherwise holds residue of any chemicals and such that could harm the fish.

    • 2

      Cut the plastic to size. Use your snips to cut the plastic to the proper size to fit snugly into the aquarium where you want it positioned.

    • 3

      Hook up your suction cups. Use at least six suction cups, more if your plastic piece is large, and secure them to the divider. You’ll want one suction cup on each side of the plastic near the bottom, the middle and the top of the divider. Since you already have holes in the plastic, you can loop wire through the holes and secure it to the suction cups.

    • 4

      Place the divider in your tank. A good time to add the divider is during a water change, when the water is a little lower and you can position the divider without sloshing tank water all over the floor. Dig a thin trench through the gravel so the divider is secured at the bottom of the tank. Slope the gravel around it to help keep it erect. Stick the suction cups on the sides of the tank.