Betta at Work?

[wolfnature]

Hello everyone.

I have been considering the idea of keeping a Betta on my desk at work. I've heard of people doing this and wasn't interested in hearing from anyone on here who has (or does).

I was thinking of getting one and keeping it in a 2 gallon tank. The temperature stays pretty constant in the room (although I have an extra heater that I could use if it's a problem). I was wondering about lighting though. Should I put a light on the tank or just use the light in the room (it gets turned off at night). I'm also curious about how weekends would affect it. Would the 2 days without food be a problem? What about the 2 days without extra light (it would get indirect light from windows)? Would 2 days without seeing anything affect it (I don't want a neurotic Betta :) )?

If there are any other issues I should consider let me know. Thanks in advance for your assistance.

[ChilDawg]

Bettas are carnivores, and are adapted to not having food daily...two days without food should be okay...mine does that every weekend I go home, which is pretty often. The lighting should be fine...I use a light on the vanity in my dorm room for mine this year, but, next year, I'll use the room light for my betta. I sometimes don't turn on the light (Mo knows that as a feeding stimulus) on one of the fast days which I give them from time to time, and it doesn't seem to bother the fish if ambient light is available.

[Pam Lowrey]

My red male betta survived (& seemed to thrive) a year & a half in a bowl in my apartment. He grew really long, beautiful fins (which he subsequently ripped to shreds after I put him in a 5 gal tank w/ a tree stump decoration) & got kinda fat b/c I was unknowingly feeding him too much (I fed him what he would eat in 5 minutes once or twice a day). :rolleyes:

Anyway, my point is that I wouldn't worry about the lighting & temperature negatively affecting your betta (unless it's always cold in your office) or him starving to death over the weekend. :)

BTW: aside from shredding his fins, he's doing great in his new digs & sits on the leaves of the plastic Amazon sword plant a lot.

[VoodooChild]

Actually I think an office would be a good setting for a betta provided with heat. All of the one's I've seen, including at the LFS I work at (which means probably several thousand) don't like the hustle and bustle of the outside world, but a quiet place in the corner. The subdued lighting would probably help him out too. I wouldn't bother with the attach on light. I have a question though. I've always wondered this. Do you just take him into the bathroom to do water changes or how does that work?

[wolfnature]

I haven't really figured out the water change yet. I'm thinking maybe a plastic cup and bathroom sink:)

[ChilDawg]

Make sure to either use distilled H2O or some dechlorinator!

(BTW, that's what we do with our bucket goldfish at home...my mother's fish, so I don't really have a say...)

[tricksterpup]

Wolf,
I would not worry, I am on my 3rd betta here at my work place. I currently run a walmart starfish setup with a spunky paradise fish, he has nipped everyone here in my location. A 2 gallon tank with a betta and a 5 gallon Walmart Galaxy 5 filled with guppies.
I would not worry about the weekends, my fish are fed monday - friday and are fine over the weekends.
As for the light, i have a small halogen desk lamp for my starfish and turn it on only during the week. But when its on, it gives of a very pretty reflection onto the water and the shadows are out standing. A lamp like this runs about $10 bucks at target, so very resonable on the pocket book.
But if you are intrested in fish at the work place, i would say go for it. And I recommend a Paradise fish instead of a betta, they have more personality and color. And I got mine cheaper than a betta.
As for water changes, i keep 2 1 gallon containers in my desk of distilled water, and use a small siphon hose and small bucket (all kept in my desk)

[tricksterpup]

Ok, I have to give credit where credit is due for a member here, nvision has a neat setup for his work tank. Very nice..
http://www.jaudesign.com/aquaria/office_tank.jpg

jim

[delmore]

I have an office betta and feed him 5 days a week, and he is doing great. here's my set-up:

5 gallon AGA tank
glass canope
50w heater (25 is fine if you have one)
AquaClear mini filter with 2 sponge for media
temp at 80 degrees
Thermometer

Excessive water movement from the AQ is not a problem. I only have to change 1 gallon per week, so care is easier than a 2 gallon w/o a filter.

The betta spends most of the day staring in my direction "begging" for treats.

[GDominy]

Here is my Betta bowl at work. He's pretty happy, I change about 1/3 of his water daily with a mix of tapwater and RO water.

http://aquafiend.plantedtank.net/images/Mar3003/fishbowl_sm.jpg

[baxter]

I have a small 1 gallon aquarium with a little ugf in it on my desk at work. I have a male pineapple sword living in it right now. I had him in my 55 at home, but as a couple of tinfoils I had started growing, swords started disappearing at an alarming rate, so I rescued this one. I had planned on moving them to a 10g, but I wasn't quick enough. :(