Office Buddies

[**sarahp**]

I have just set-up and fishless cycled my main tank downstairs - its a 440 litre community tank.

But i seem to have caught MTS so i think I need some office buddies upstairs

I love the look of the bettas I have seen at the LFS but I'm not sure I can keep a single fish - I know they have to be single for their own safety but I know I would always feel sorry for him So I'm wondering about a 15 or 20 gallon wit some females.

Coupla questions though - do they prefer a high or a long tank or does it not make that much difference? Also I am concerned that as labelling in LFS's is notoriouosly bad - how can you be sure you are getting females and not wrongly labelled males and end up with carnage?

 

[Kaz1814]

Ive tried adding little friends into my betta's tanks but they really are much happier on their own. (new community tank additions now)
Each Betta is an individual, 2 of my boys have low 6 gall tanks, they like swimming backwards and forwards across the front while i work in the kitchen. My 3rd male is in a 10 gall aqua cube which is as tall as it is wide and he loves it.
I'm also in the process of stocking a 40 gall divided tank with betta girls. It has 3 sections and i only have a VT girl at each end at the moment. Am waiting for 6 CT girls to be delivered. The VT girls will be kept separate cos they are little bullies!
Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

 

[stang1]

Males should never be kept with females as they will be to aggressive towards each other, leading to shredded fins and stressed fish.
Bettas are best kept on their own as they are a solitary fish by nature and don't need tankmates. They are best in a low tank as they are labyrinth fish which means that they breathe oxygen and need to get to the surface for air. The less height, the better.
A tank of 5G+ will be ideal for a single male as this will give him swimming space. Provide a few plants and some decor as they like places to hide. Make sure that anything added to the tank doesn't have sharp edges as he will catch his fins on them.

 

[nemosworld]

long is better than high as they need swimming space and need to access the surface for air

 

[I Love my fishies]

I just got a new office buddy last week- a pink and blue betta his name is Cosmo is beautiful I have never had a betta previously because I thought they always looked sad on their own

but I decided to go for a betta in my office since its really the only fish you can keep in a bowl .... but I don't feel bad for him at all he swims up to me when i walk over to his tank and I hand feed him so he has me for company hes such a cutie.

 

[l.michelle]

I got an office betta!

Here are some photos:

When I first set it up:



Filled up and full:


View of the part of my desk in my office:


One thing to be very careful of, make sure there is no chance your tank will leak. I came in on a weekend and got my tank all set up, filled it, and it started cycling. I went upstairs for a tea for a bit, and just before I left, I decided to take one last look (i was really excited) it's a good thing I did, because the tank was leaking, and I just managed to get it up and emptied with only a small mess, if I had left it, I would have had 5 gallons of water emptied on my desk and computer and would have created a huge problem

Just be careful!

 

[dthoffsett]

Males should never be kept with females as they will be to aggressive towards each other, leading to shredded fins and stressed fish.
Bettas are best kept on their own as they are a solitary fish by nature and don't need tankmates. They are best in a low tank as they are labyrinth fish which means that they breathe oxygen and need to get to the surface for air. The less height, the better.
A tank of 5G+ will be ideal for a single male as this will give him swimming space. Provide a few plants and some decor as they like places to hide. Make sure that anything added to the tank doesn't have sharp edges as he will catch his fins on them.

I think she means she wants females instead of males so she can have more than one.

I believe females prefer longer rather than tall tanks. It will need to be heavily planted to cut down on aggression (even the girls can be nippy). As far as telling sex, just be sure to study plenty of pics of females (take some with you if necessary), and hopefully everything will go well. You do occasionally get a mislabeled one, but if that happends see if you can return it, or set up a tank of it's very own.

 

[I Love my fishies]

I got an office betta!

Here are some photos:

When I first set it up:
View attachment 46688


Filled up and full:
View attachment 46689

View of the part of my desk in my office:
View attachment 46690

One thing to be very careful of, make sure there is no chance your tank will leak. I came in on a weekend and got my tank all set up, filled it, and it started cycling. I went upstairs for a tea for a bit, and just before I left, I decided to take one last look (i was really excited) it's a good thing I did, because the tank was leaking, and I just managed to get it up and emptied with only a small mess, if I had left it, I would have had 5 gallons of water emptied on my desk and computer and would have created a huge problem

Just be careful!

Your set up looks great

It is so nice being greeted by Cosmo every morning I get into work he is very much a people fish and rushes up to greet me I never drag my self into the office anymore I look forward to going in a feeding him in the morning

 

[**sarahp**]

I think she means she wants females instead of males so she can have more than one.

Yeah I did

Huuuuum just need to persuade OH that another tank is absolutley necessary (we work together from home)

I like the pic l.michelle just the kind of thing I had in mind

now I need a strategy I reckon if I ask for another dog (we already have 2) then barter down to a betta in the office I may just get away with it

 

[stang1]

I think she means she wants females instead of males so she can have more than one.

Yeah I did

Huuuuum just need to persuade OH that another tank is absolutley necessary (we work together from home)

I like the pic l.michelle just the kind of thing I had in mind

now I need a strategy I reckon if I ask for another dog (we already have 2) then barter down to a betta in the office I may just get away with it

Sorry again Sarah...
I misread your post thinking you wanted a male with females.
I think lilfishie has a list of female tail types in her signature so might be worth having a look on there to get a better idea.
And I say go with the dog strategy, it's bound to work!

 

[Samphire]

I go back to work next Monday (school) really going to miss my fish wish I could have a boy on my desk at school.

 

[lilfishie]

I think lilfishie has a list of female tail types in her signature so might be worth having a look on there to get a better idea.

i sure do

 

[branjie]

3 dogs is definitely one too many. I've had three, and walking them is a pain, and when they all want attention at once it gets hard too. Definitely better off with the Betta. They have individual personalities and can be great company in their own way. Good luck.

 

[**sarahp**]

Sorry again Sarah...
I misread your post thinking you wanted a male with females.

S'ok - thats the problem with written posts - you lose the intonation