Need freshwater help

[Anonymous]

I need some advice. I know nothing about fresh water aquariums. I've never even had a gold fish.

My boss just gave me a 4 gallon "sphere" aquarium. It is obviously not meant for salt water and I don't see how I could even convert it to be any kind of reef tank or FOWLR.

So I think a betta might be the best show piece for this thing.

It comes with a very small light (maybe 10 watts if I'm lucky), a sponge filter, air pump, a fake plant, and that's about it.

It doesn't even have a heater...and since it's a sphere, I'm not sure I could even put one in properly. :?



So could a Betta do well in there sitting on a desk in an office? Are there any plants that could live on 12 hours of that weak little light? How should I set it up? Put the sponge filter under some gravel and stick the fake plant in?

Without any filters or live plants, how often will I have to clean this tank?

Are there any algea eaters I could put in with a betta?



This is all so new to me. :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

you might take a look at this web page:

http://www.eco-sphere.com/home.htm

 

[Rob Top]

A betta would do ok in there if now well. Bettas get mistreated more than anyother fish around IMO. This is because they are so adaptable. In the set up you suggest you should get 1-2 good years of betta life. Most say bettas live a year, and most do because of the way they are treated. Longest recorded life is 5 yrs and that was at the AZ state collage in a lab. I use to breed bettas and have raise litterly thousands. Longest one I had lived for 4 years, and died due to a massive brain fart on my behalf, really ticked me off. If there is a way to heat the tank the betta will be happier, so better colors and perhaps live longer too. Look for a fish refered to as a flying fox or otto. Same fish, small 1-2" algea eatter. Live plants are always a plus. Hornswort floats and it nice, crypt wenti is a nice one too, this one is planted. SP might be off on the plants, as I stopped doing fresh water a few years ago. I have some betta books you can have if you want. Just flip me a few bucks for the posteage and they are yours.
HTH
Rob

 

[Anonymous]

A betta would do ok in there if now well. Bettas get mistreated more than anyother fish around IMO. This is because they are so adaptable. In the set up you suggest you should get 1-2 good years of betta life. Most say bettas live a year, and most do because of the way they are treated. Longest recorded life is 5 yrs and that was at the AZ state collage in a lab. I use to breed bettas and have raise litterly thousands. Longest one I had lived for 4 years, and died due to a massive brain fart on my behalf, really ticked me off. If there is a way to heat the tank the betta will be happier, so better colors and perhaps live longer too. Look for a fish refered to as a flying fox or otto. Same fish, small 1-2" algea eatter. Live plants are always a plus. Hornswort floats and it nice, crypt wenti is a nice one too, this one is planted. SP might be off on the plants, as I stopped doing fresh water a few years ago. I have some betta books you can have if you want. Just flip me a few bucks for the posteage and they are yours.
HTH
Rob

Hey Rob, that would be great. I'll send you a PM. I just got an extra 5.3 ounce jar of spectrum marine fish food pellets shipped to me with an order. I was going to offer it up to someone here. Would you like it in trade for the betta book?


As for heating, my office has a computer thermostat that cranks up to 78 at night. It turns down to 73 durring the days. I figured the tank light will be on a timer for the day and it will help keep the tank warmer while the AC turns on and then the light will kick off after hours and the office gets warmer at night to keep the water warmer. I'll get a heater if the water ever gets below 75, but I don't think it will.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Anonymous]

you might take a look at this web page:

http://www.eco-sphere.com/home.htm

i had one of those for like 10 years, no lie. i think the shrimp in it lived for about 3 or 4. wiggy!