Tank at work

[kitszoo]

Hey, I have a small tank at work for my amusement. It's an approx 1.5 gallon hex (takes up little space on my desk) with one occupant ... a male betta named 'joe' :rolleyes:

It has a bubbler and a light, but no filter (no where to put one). I do about a 15% water change every friday before I go home for the weekend. Joe's eating betta food every work morning, no food on the weekends (my office is about 45 minutes from me). I like the betta for the work situation, since he requires very little ... of well, everything :D

This tank has been up and running for 3 or 4 months now, it replaces his half gallon gold fish bowl (he likes to jump + no lid = scary moments).

I now have an algae problem. It's hard to control the light due to the office atmosphere, but I only run his tank light when I am there, about 8 hours a day monday through friday.

Now, bettas being the PITAs they are, is it safe to put a small pleco in there, or something else SMALL that eats algae? Do I lug Joe home and scrub his tank clean? This tank has NO heater or filter, so something tropical and delicate will NOT work. The office stays at 72 degrees.

Thanks guys!!

[Swimmer]

Some of my betta's are in 1 1/2 gal. bowls, they get a 100% water change and bowl cleaned every TWO days. A 15% water change once a week isn't good, sorry. 72 degrees is a little chilly
for a betta also. And there is not enough room for anything else,
just the betta. I don't think betta's are a PIA, it's takes about
three minutes to clean their bowls. :wink:

[merlyn2221]

Is there any such thing as a small pleco?

I change my bettas water 100% also once a week. As for the temperature, I have had some that like it hot (78-85 deg) and others, like one I have now, who become listless and inert if the temp rises above 75deg. I think it is from them being bred in all kinds of conditions. They get used to almost anything! I always have at least 2 in 1 gallon little tanks with small Penn-Plax filters hooked up to an air pump. They love it.

[seered247]

what about a chinese algae eater that still isnt enough room though huh ever thought about getting a slightly bigger tank? I know its work though and it could be a delicate situation just having the tank! But hey you have fish at work with you that beats me i have to enjoy them at home only :(

[RedParrotBubbles85]

put a snail in it. i think they should eat the algae but somebody should correct me if im wrong.

[SGypsyMermaid]

Originally posted by RedParrotBubbles85
put a snail in it. i think they should eat the algae but somebody should correct me if im wrong.

or an otocinculus.

[ph34rtherats]

i had an otocinclus in my betta tank they only get an inch or two and they seem to ignore eachother and they are also farly cheap always a plus so that should be a good match.

[Tobeannounced]

well in a tank that small i would do 25% water change every other day and reduce feedings to every other day, the tank is way to small for any type of pleco or cat.

The beta will be happy in this above situation remember their primary natural homes are in rice patties and in oxen hoof prints on roads alond side wet areas in lower asia countries particularly vietnam and cambodia so any tank aint half bad for them.

[Tobeannounced]

also maybe but a binder or folder in box or somthing up next to him so natural daylight does no thit his habitat

[Seedy]

I agree on the snail option....I don't know of any cats that can chill in a bowl that small

[punkypuffer]

ditto the snail idea.. i think it would be too cold for an oto :/

[jasno999]

You need to knwo that in office spaces there are occupied and unoccupied times of operation for the air conditioning and heating systems. At night the heatign goes off and the tmperature can drop to 60 degrees before heating is again brought back on. YOu better wach out that this guy does not die due to low temperatures.

[Noelemac]

I've recently seen an algae eating shrimp for a couple of dollars. I'm not sure of any information for them, I was only looking at them to clean the plants of algae in my planted tank. They looked like ghost shrimp.

EDIT : Ehhh, could be food or a fix. They were a lot bigger than the ghost shrimp though.

[recycling goddess]

i have algae shrimp and you need lots of plants for them to hide in or they are dinner!

i suggest you get the biggest tank you can for your desk with a little heater and set the tanks light on a timer... cause honestly, shouldn't the betta have a good home and good quality of life in exchange for bringing you some serenity at work?