# Any advice for a fish tank in the office?



## Rarzipace (Apr 4, 2008)

Summary of the below: I'm hoping for advice on fish I could add to an eight gallon freshwater tank in my office that already houses a goldfish and receives a suboptimal amount of maintenance. I have been given $15. Is there any hope, or am I just asking for trouble?

My workplace has an eight-gallon tank with a little light and a charcoal filter that, when I started working here a little over two years ago, was home to five goldfish and a couple of fish I can't identify that I believe were intended to keep the algae under control. And yes, I'm pretty sure I've already made a number of you more experienced fishkeepers wince.

As you might imagine, as office fish they don't really have a dedicated caretaker with a strong sense of responsibility for them. I set up a feeding tracking sheet so we can make sure they're not fed too often and so we can tell when they haven't been fed recently enough, and occasionally I or someone else will top off the water with tapwater that's been left to settle for a few hours or overnight, or at best as far as cleaning goes someone will remove something like two thirds of their water and replace it. In short, and perhaps in understatement, they were not really in an ideal situation.

They stuck it out surprisingly well, but as you might imagine we've experienced a bit of an elevated fatality rate over the past year or so. As of a few weeks ago we're down to a single lonely goldfish (and a prolific algae farm).

I have now been asked, as a favour to the office and our office manager, to acquire some new fish for the tank. From my previous readings, I know that an eight gallon tank is not really considered sufficient for the single goldfish in it, and I'm wary about adding more. However, I don't think my concern about the amount of space the remaining fish has is widely shared in the office, and if I don't do it, it's pretty likely that eventually someone will just pop a handful of new goldfish in there. So I was hoping I could find some advice on something to add that would satisfy my office manager.

My sad little $15 budget isn't likely to increase much unless I contribute my own cash. It's coming out of the office holiday party fund as it is. I can't really afford to buy a larger tank for the office on my own, either.

I'm not really too keen on adding more fish to this situation, but as I said I suspect more fish will be added one way or another, whether I do it or not. I did some reading on fishkeeping earlier on in my stay here, but my knowledge is limited. So... what, if anything, could I add to the tank to keep my office happy but minimize fishy suffering?

Thanks for your time, and I appreciate any advice anyone can offer (even if it amounts to "No, there's really nothing reasonable you can do in that price range").


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## bluekrissyspikes (Apr 16, 2009)

i suggest taking the goldfish out and telling them he died then giving him to someone who can give him a good home. then you could do a school of small, hardy fish like zebra danios or white cloud mountain minnows. may i also suggest that you set up some sort of water change chart to set up a gravel vac for every other week or so and getting some declorinator for the tank? good luck


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

if no one is into caring for fish....why have a tank?


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

bluekrissyspikes said:


> i suggest taking the goldfish out and telling them he died then giving him to someone who can give him a good home.


A good suggestion.



bluekrissyspikes said:


> then you could do a school of small, hardy fish like zebra danios or white cloud mountain minnows.


Zebra Danios need a long tank (perhaps a 20 gallon long), as they are very active fish and need the space to swim.



Riceburner said:


> if no one is into caring for fish....why have a tank?


I also agree with this.


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## Rarzipace (Apr 4, 2008)

Riceburner said:


> if no one is into caring for fish....why have a tank?


Same old story: people like _having_ the fish, but not necessarily _doing the work_. They're somewhere between art and a mascot. If you find that distasteful, I'm not sure what to say. Whether you like it or not--in fact, whether I like it or not--more fish will be going in that tank. I'm just trying to improve the situation over five goldfish in an eight gallon tank.

Getting people to feed them is never a problem; it's the tank cleaning that gets a little slack. I used to do that for them relatively regularly (probably still not optimally), but I moved to a desk where I don't pass by them as often. Out of sight, out of mind, I'm afraid. :-(

I can set up a second sheet to track their cleaning, like bluekrissyspikes suggested, and then I think the tank will be cleaned more regularly (by me and a couple of other people I can think of who would probably pitch in, given the right reminders and equipment). Also, while I cannot afford to buy a larger tank, I can probably pick up the dechlorinator suggested and some tools for cleaning the tank. Not on the $15, necessarily, but I can contribute some funds of my own. Any suggestions for what I'd need here would be welcome, but I can do some research myself.

I'll see if there's someone in the office who's equipped to house a goldfish. I don't know anyone outside of work into aquarium keeping, I'm afraid.

If danios are too active for the little 8 gallon tank I have to work with, what about the white cloud mountain minnows?


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

Awee I hear ya....people at my work all wanted to have a betta on the line (I work in a factory situation) I ended up being the one to care for it and eventually found someone to take it home. The ladies all ended up fighting over the poor lil guy lol.

Are you able to hire someone to come in just for maintenance? Or would that just not be in the budget? You can always try to PM Wtac and see what he can suggest to you as well. Wilson is a great guy and has set up some amazing tanks in the business place.


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## Rarzipace (Apr 4, 2008)

Sadly they have next to no budget; anything they get comes out of the office holiday party fund, and that's usually short to start with. They get enough money from it to buy their food and filters, but there's no money to have a tank set up or maintenance done.


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## Hitch (Apr 26, 2009)

possible things you can consider: 1 male betta (obviously), 3 female betta, red cherry shrimps, sparkling gouramies, Khuli loaches, a few guppies.


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## KnaveTO (May 13, 2007)

Hitch said:


> possible things you can consider: 1 male betta (obviously), 3 female betta, red cherry shrimps, sparkling gouramies, Khuli loaches, a few guppies.


A Betta would be perfect for the tank. So would RCS.


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## bluekrissyspikes (Apr 16, 2009)

all you really need to do tank maintenance is a small gravel vac, a bucket and some declorinator. the tank might also be big enough for a couple dwarf cories.


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## Calmer (Mar 9, 2008)

What is the temperature of the aquarium? 
White cloud mountain minnows can survive with lower temperatures.


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## Mr Fishies (Sep 21, 2007)

Calmer said:


> What is the temperature of the aquarium?
> White cloud mountain minnows can survive with lower temperatures.


My personal experience, for the sake of suggestion:

I kept a 7G bowfront in my office for a few years at my last job, with 6 White Clouds and 6 cherry shrimp. Just a small powerhead for circulation. I had a big mass of moss on a piece of wood as a low maintenance plant to help with waste absorption, hiding for shrimps etc.

2 small buckets, a small bottle of Prime and a few feet of 1/2 inch hose + a mag float scraper was the extent of the gear used to maintain it. Pulled the moss out and trimmed it every 2 months or so. 5 minutes or so every 2 weeks to drain and add a bucket of water that sat out for a day. Fed daily, fasted on weekends.

White clouds are very underrated little fish IMO. The longer they were left alone in that tank, the happier they were, the more iridescent and impressive they looked. The WCs spawned many times (and ate the fry), the shrimp never did (or I never saw young before they were eaten), but everybody was very happy...on both sides of the glass. It was in my office and people tended to wander by to have a look in at least weekly.


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## bluekrissyspikes (Apr 16, 2009)

i agree that white clouds are under rated. i really enjoy mine, and they are interesting to watch. they chase each other and have some interesting behaviours with flashing their fins at each other. they are also very, very easy to breed. the young have blue stripes rather than black. when i first saw them and asked what they were i was surprised that they were white clouds, because i had heard of so many people using them as feeders and whatnot.


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## Rarzipace (Apr 4, 2008)

Thank you all so much for all the advice and suggestions! I've managed to get my stocking budget increased a little and I'll make up the difference if I need to. I have a coworker who might be able to take the poor old goldfish. I'll set up a schedule for cleaning the tank and do my best to see that the fish are well cared for.

Just have to actually do it now.  Thanks again!


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## Calmer (Mar 9, 2008)

If you are close to Pickering and want free plants like java moss, small java fern or some cryptocorne wedentii's then message me.


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## Justin (Jul 26, 2009)

*Black Molly*



bluekrissyspikes said:


> all you really need to do tank maintenance is a small gravel vac, a bucket and some declorinator. the tank might also be big enough for a couple dwarf cories.


I would say Black Mollies would go great with the goldfish. My Dad's office has some. There pretty easy to take care of!


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## Hitch (Apr 26, 2009)

Justin said:


> I would say Black Mollies would go great with the goldfish. My Dad's office has some. There pretty easy to take care of!


I would highly advise against putting molly and goldfish in there. The tank is too small for the goldfish, plus, the molly would bully the goldfish to no end.


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

Rarzipace said:


> I can set up a second sheet to track their cleaning, like bluekrissyspikes suggested, and then I think the tank will be cleaned more regularly (by me and a couple of other people I can think of who would probably pitch in, given the right reminders and equipment). Also, while I cannot afford to buy a larger tank, I can probably pick up the dechlorinator suggested and some tools for cleaning the tank. Not on the $15, necessarily, but I can contribute some funds of my own. Any suggestions for what I'd need here would be welcome, but I can do some research myself.
> 
> I'll see if there's someone in the office who's equipped to house a goldfish. I don't know anyone outside of work into aquarium keeping, I'm afraid.
> 
> If danios are too active for the little 8 gallon tank I have to work with, what about the white cloud mountain minnows?


Just a suggestion to help stretch that dollar. This idea just came to my head suddenly while reading that. Total quick DIY with avaliable items on hand. Fully functional and not too ghetto looking for an office setting.

1. Take a 500mL water bottle.

2. Cut the bottom off it.

3. Keep the cap intact.

4. See how much airtubing slack you have. If you have enough slack say 2-3
feet then cut that off.

5. Punch a hole in the cap (be careful with a xacto knife or use a plus (+) head screwdriver or corkscrew. Try not to think bad thoughts while making the hole..stabby stabby... Also you don't want to over enlarge the hole. It should be a force/compression fit.)

6. Stick airtube into top of the cap (say 1/2" into the cap to keep it firmly in place)

Viola.. you now have a small substrate vaccum for pretty much nothing. If you want to increase the waterflow out and not wanting to buy a larger diameter hose then poke 2-3 holes into the cap and stick more of your airline tubing in. Then again that relies on if you have that much airline tubing laying around. I'd opt for a larger diameter personally and use a flow control if I wanted to get fancy about it. Home Depot is your friend there. You /MAY/ be able to if lucky get some small cut off plastic tubing off Home Depot if you ask around. Much like how some people with smaller projects have gotten some small wood end cut offs from Home Depot for free for thier projects. Saved you ~$10 there on this build which pretty much all offices have at least one plastic water bottle. IIRC it's fish safe as it held human consumable water in it before.

I'd echo the thoughts of previous posters before this post (haven't read all the posts yet so forgive me if it was answered already) that if you can remove some of the goldfish and go with the white cloud minnows or zebra danios. I'm assuming that the office does not have a heater in the tank being goldfish as I don't recall you mentioning it. IIRC white clouds eat the same food as goldfish and also pick a bit at the algae.

Just a heads ups on the pricing I've seen so far.

White Cloud Minnows $2.99 @ Petsmart, $1.99 @ Luckys Aquarium (IIRC from what I saw yesterday it was buy 6-7 get 1 free)

Zebra Danios $0.79 @ Petsmart, $12 for 15 @ Luckys Aquarium (1cent more per fish then Petsmart but you may be able to talk them into 1-3 extra fish as you're buying bulk and reference the pricing at Petsmart to get a better deal)

Rosy Red Minnows $0.17 @ Petsmart (they have silver ones mixed in but those are 'fathead' minnows but not bad to mix/match. ~2-3" max size with females 1-2" max. Eats same feed as goldfish and seem to have a big appetite for that little fish.)

Also check Craigslist for fish tanks. But at $15 you'll probably find a larger tank but no extra budget for the fish unless out of pocket.

AquaNeko

Edit: If the office party hards.. .. LOL this thought just came to mind. Wash out that funnal & tube that is I think used for beer chugging (I don't drink sorry of rthe wrong term ) and use that for gravel vaccum. Yah.. I think the bottle water vac is better without a the jaw drop look there. LOL.


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## Rarzipace (Apr 4, 2008)

Once again, thanks to everyone for all of the kind advice.

Calmer: I very much appreciate the offer, but I'm on the opposite end of Toronto from you and I think I'll have to pass. I will PM you to ask about it if I change my mind.

AquaNeko: I may try constructing the gravel vac as you suggest. Water bottles are indeed in plentiful supply. Airhose less so, but I will see what I can find.

You are right that we don't have a heater. I like the white cloud mountain minnows for that reason as I've read they're more tolerant of lower temperatures. I don't think it ever really goes below room temperature in the office, although it's possible it's turned down a bit at night.

Thank you also for the pricing information!


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

Rarzipace said:


> AquaNeko: I may try constructing the gravel vac as you suggest. Water bottles are indeed in plentiful supply. Airhose less so, but I will see what I can find.
> 
> You are right that we don't have a heater. I like the white cloud mountain minnows for that reason as I've read they're more tolerant of lower temperatures. I don't think it ever really goes below room temperature in the office, although it's possible it's turned down a bit at night.
> 
> Thank you also for the pricing information!


Rosy Red Minnows can go pretty low just before freezing as well. 33F is thier lowest temp I've read about. I think offices dip around 10-15C when no one is around. On extended building closings probably the lower of the temp. I think the airhose I got at Home Depot was ~$5 for a 1/4" x 10ft. At the same place here is a protip for you go to the sprinkler irrigation area and look for the 'drip irrigation' section. Any of those couplers will work with 1/4" airhose so you can one stop shop and I think they're cheaper then going to a pet store. It's a clear soft tubing. If if you want something harder the black drip line can be used as well tho I found both works shoving into the cap. Mind you I have a rotary tool here (clone Dremel at Can Tire) which made life easy. You may want to pick something like that up on those Can.Tire sales for the small kits for like $20ish. Obviously not using office funds for that unless you want to be the office go to fix up person.

BTW I'm not sure where you are in the city but Luckys Aquarium (no affliation or kick backs for name dropping here) has White Clouds for $1.99 which is $1 cheaper then Petsmart. They are located just around eye level around the second last row on the right ride of the store.


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## shrtmann (Feb 15, 2009)

grab some RCS or Ghost shrimp and some moss and voila a little more interesting of a tank and the shrimp even do a little maintenance for ya


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## Rarzipace (Apr 4, 2008)

I was thinking of getting some of those shrimp as well. I'm worried about going over the little tank's capacity, though.

I'd like to get some java fern or java moss as well, but not sure how well they'd be able to grab onto the rocks in there. I'm getting some driftwood from a friend on the coast that might be more amenable (I'll boil it to sanitize it and put it through some soak cycles to leach the tannins out as best I can before it ever gets near the tank, of course). Hoping that would be a good anchor point for some plants.

Can rosy red minnows coexist with White Clouds? Or will my space be a limiting factor on that anyway?

No solid takers in the office on the goldfish yet, and one gent tried to lay a guilt trip on me about "getting rid of" him. Best offer so far is someone who has a big old tank at home set up for a turtle, but I'm not sure how much water is actually in there and I don't know how a fairly large turtle and a goldfish would get along. Anyone looking for a goldfish?


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## Calmer (Mar 9, 2008)

The fish would be supper for the turtle.
http://www.paw-talk.net/forums/f90/turtles-living-in-harmony-with-fish-38298.html


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## Rarzipace (Apr 4, 2008)

I was afraid of that. Well, thanks for the info!


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