My office betta tank

[Justikanz]

Tsk tsk... Managed to have my office in more shape than usual... So, took some pics for comments...

The tank:

The smallest betta:

Getting ready for the sparring:

Tank water temperature can reach 23C in the afternoon... Probably the reason why new bettas will die from ich and sometimes the old ones are also affected... Now only 3 female Betta splendens, 1 khuli loach and 3-4 Mosquito shrimps are staying in the tank, together with some ramshorn snails and nerite (land mine) snails.

Plants include Hornwort, Java moss, Hairgrass, Blyxia japonica, Echinodorus tenellus, Marsilea sp., Pennywort, Willow moss as lawn

Tank lights is a 9W PL and the water is not changed, only topped up.. Had the tank for 2 months liao. Only fertilization is an occassional dosing of Seachem Excel, Tetra FloraPride and Plant Gro...

Thinking of upping the tank population to ~8 bettas, 2 Hillstream loaches, a couple of Florida Flags and more shrimps...

[brianclaw]

Justikanz,

How long has that tank been set up, or at least how long has the moss been in the tank (2 months seems a little long for the moss to still be in that state)? Don't you have aggression issues with that many Bettas in one enclosure?

It looks cool, by the way... It should rock even harder once the moss grows in.

[Justikanz]

The tank had water in it for ~2 months liao... But the moss only ~1month... And it is DAMN slow growing... Maybe Willow moss is slow growing and I had been used to Java and Taiwan moss...

The aggression issue I can handle... They just chase each other aound... With the hornwort and the Java moss clump, they can hide if the aggressor gets too excited... But I have problems with the fish dying...

I'd tried to introduce 6 the first time. Ich sets in due to new environment, aggression and low water temp (~24C) and 3 survived. 2 weeks later, I introduced 3 more, now only 2 left! The small one just kicked her bucket this morning... Ich appears on ONLY 1 of the dead this time...

I'd love to have the female betta theme but at this rate, I might just wanna transform it to a shrimp tank!...

[kenny]

cute female bettas, one of my faves.:P
do u think the bettas are sick because of that low temperature ?
23C sounds abit too low for them....

[Justikanz]

I think so too... I am now seriously wondering whether I should give up keeping them in the office tank and do shrimps instead...

Then can start a new setup for female bettas at home after CNY...

[benny]

I think so too... I am now seriously wondering whether I should give up keeping them in the office tank and do shrimps instead...

Most office shrimp tanks are successful due to the lower temperature and low bioload. Can consider. I'm tempted myself.

Cheers,

[Justikanz]

Haizz... All bettas died! I am REALLY suspecting that bettas are sensitive to low water temperatures but can tahan higher ones.

Oh well, will try to find some space for a female betta tank at home then!

Will convert this tank for shrimps...

[yampeck]

Hi,

just a qns abt shrimps tanks... i realised the temperature in my office's 1ft tank seems to flunctuate quite alot. (from 25 in the day when aircon is on to abt 29 over weekend or at night when the aircon's off) my office's pretty small and enclosed so not much air circulation when aircon's off so tends to get stuffy and hot.

will shrimps be able to take the change in temperature??

[Justikanz]

Strange for you to ask this question here... Anyway, since this is going to be converted to a shrimp tank and I am going to face the same problem...

I have a shrimp tank at home and it is currently in this situation. The tank water starts the day at 25C and then will increase thru the day think to ~29C. By the time I return home ~7-9pm, it will be at ~25-27C. I will then switch on the aircon and the water temperature will slowly drop to 22-24C. Cherries and Red-nose seem ok. Some CRS, blues and bees able to survive... So, I dun see why not.... Just may be the shrimp population will never explode to the level that they can be offered for sale...

[Fei Miao]

Would you consider small rasboras sp?

[Justikanz]

Hmm... Not really... I am expected to be out of office half the week... So, I am worried about the rasboras not being fed... Maybe after some time... Just to have some form of fish life... But I really dun like Boraras sp. in 1ft cubes... They usually just 'hang' around and do nothing...

[ahkarboy]

Hi,

just a qns abt shrimps tanks... i realised the temperature in my office's 1ft tank seems to flunctuate quite alot. (from 25 in the day when aircon is on to abt 29 over weekend or at night when the aircon's off) my office's pretty small and enclosed so not much air circulation when aircon's off so tends to get stuffy and hot.

will shrimps be able to take the change in temperature??

29C should be ok i think. I'm currently keeping them at a 28C tank. (i think tahts the highest temp already in the tank)