Fish Choices for Work Aquarium?

[lgreenmk]

Hi all, I was thinking of getting a small aquarium for my office desk (no room for more at home, LOL!). What types of fish might be good for a small (2 - 5 gallon) aquarium when I am not there from Friday at 3 pm to Monday at 7 am? I would come in every other weekend to do water changes and such.

 

[Eelzor]

I suppose bettas are quite reliable on there own in small tanks. It probably the most common, cheap, easy, small fish Ive heard on this forum.

 

[Kossy]

Yes great fish not that cheap in Australia but reasonably cheap yes there good however if they could be kept near something warmer that would be great...leaving him for the weekend should be ok however it would be nice to come in on the weekend and feed him a bit...

 

[MAM]

go with a betta. my coworker has one on her desk, he's doing great. thinking of bringing one of mine in as i'm running out of surface space at home too.

 

[akhtar]

are all those fish in a 3 gallon tank? (in ur signiture)???

coz i thought we couldnt do that?

are the fish happy?

 

[lgreenmk]

You're not supposed to, I wasn't asked what size tank I had when I got the fish. The three gallon was my first. Didn't have enough room at home for anything more than a two gallon in addition (had to move the betta out of his bowl as it was getting brown algae in it quickly) and these are my daughter's fish. I am thinking of moving the swordtail over with the betta if they get along.

The fish seem happy, although a couple of the neons were a little thin and not eating the flakes. I brought home some frozen brine shrimp yesterday and I think they are eating that. They keep together and everyone seems to have enough room for now. We shall see, the tank is only four weeks old.

 

[guppymonkey]

It would probably depend on if your office is heated on weekends. Many offices aren't and the tramatic temperature changes would kill any fish. Any aquarium without filtration and heating would be like a torture chamber for a tropical fish. I know people will say "Well I have had my betta in a juice cup for years and he is fine". Fish may live under adverse conditions, just like people will live in squalid conditions but neither will be living a healthy and happy lifestyle. I suggest being a humanitarian and not setting up fish as decorations and instead treating them as pets.

 

[lgreenmk]

I agree, I am talking about a 2, 3, or 5 gallon aquarium with filtration and lighting. Plus, I would be coming in every other weekend to do water changes. I also live in Central Florida, so it doesn't get super cold here anyway.

 

[Inchworm]

Hello Igreenmk

If you go with a 5 gallon tank you could have a really nice set-up. If the temperature could be a problem, just add a heater. If electrical outlets are limited, use a $3 power strip. No biggie!

With a 5 gallon you could have plants, a pair of guppies, a couple of cory cats, maybe even something else. It would be something that everyone else in the office would admire.

It sure beats having a plant.

 

[KimmyFishy89]

Mabye thet don't have it at your lfs, but at my lfs they have 5 gallon glass tanks. They are better than explorer tanks, because you can put a heater on it. That way you can keep mabye one or two platys or a pair of guppies