I have inherited a biorb..where to start?

[Essjay]

I have to agree with Nick.

Platies, whether it's 1 or 4, need a tank with a 60 x 30 cm (24 x 12 inch) floor, and this is usually 16 gallon (60 litre) with a rectangular tank. And spherical tanks should be stocked with fish that need less swimming space than a rectangular tank of the same volume.
Betta imbellis need a 45 cm (18 inch) long tank for a pair, and a biorb 30 does not have this length.


If the water is soft, a shoal of ember tetras may be OK, or one male betta on his own; if the water is hard a group of male only endlers. No bottom dwellers because the floor space of a biorb is very small and it has rough rocks on the bottom as part of the filter media.

 

[NickAu]

Hi Sue.

I respectfully disagree on the male Betta splendens, They are mainly top dwelling fish and that tank is more suited to small mid dwellers,

There is not enough surface area for a Betta when you take floating plants and some place for the betta to breathe into consideration.

This is a natural way for a Betta to sleep.

Thats a bunch of Riccia with an Indian almond leaf on it, I took that photo at night using a flash.

I have yet to see a Betta that wont use a bunch of Riccia as a bed. by bunch I mean a good hand full.

He also made bubble nests under the leaf, As you can see that leaf has been there for a while but the plants under it are doing great.

@Elliesx

Sorry for taking over your thread but I trully think the tank is not OK for a Betta and wanted to demonstrate why.

 

[Essjay]

Ooops I completely forgot that biorbs have a very small top as well as a small floor

Nick is quite right, it is not suitable for a betta.

 

[Colin_T]

If you want a Betta just drop the water level down a bit instead of having the tank completely full. Surface area issue resolved.

 

[NickAu]

What like a half a tank Colin?

 

[Colin_T]

2/3s full. that will provide sufficient surface area for the fish. And yes I know everybody's stand on Bettas, but they are kept in crappy little bottles and containers with 2 inches of surface area so a 6-8inch surface area is better than what they grew up in, and is ample for the fish to breath.

 

[NickAu]

Yet again more nonsense from Colin. Just because pet shops keep them in crappy conditions its OK for everybody to keep them that way.

 

[fluttermoth]

2/3s full. that will provide sufficient surface area for the fish. And yes I know everybody's stand on Bettas, but they are kept in crappy little bottles and containers with 2 inches of surface area so a 6-8inch surface area is better than what they grew up in, and is ample for the fish to breath.

We try, as a forum, to promote best practice, in both health and welfare. "Better than what they grew up in" isn't a good enough standard, IMO.

 

[Colin_T]

I appreciate the forum's position regarding wanting to do what's best for fish, and everybody is entitled to their opinion. And whilst the members on this forum would like all fish to have x amount of space, in the real world that doesn't happen. The OP was given the orb, they did not go out and buy it. So rather than suggesting they give it back, or throw it out and spend money on a huge tank, which they might not have space or money for, work with what they have. The orb holds a reasonable amount of water and certainly enough for 1 Betta.

Sure in a perfect world the smallest aquariums would be 6ft long and hold 1000 litres, fish would never get sick and everyone would know everything there is to know about water quality, diseases and keeping fish. This isn't a perfect world.

The OP was given the orb, then they came on here to ask for help and advice before they got the fish, which is what everyone on here tells new fish keepers to do. They did the right thing so offer them useful bits of information. Don't have a go at them because the orb is in your opinion too small for a Betta.

I must point out that Bettas and some other fishes are often confined to very small (5litres, sometimes less) muddy puddles in the wild and often live in these pools for weeks before it rains, or the water evaporates complete, or they get eaten by birds.

An orb that contains 20+ litres of water is in my opinion fine for a single male Betta as long as the water quality is maintained. And 20 litres of water is fine for a fish that only grows 2 inches long (not including tail) and is not an active fish.

 

[NickAu]

Nobody is having a " go" at the OP we are having a " go" at you Colin.

Whats wrong with giving the OP good advice on fish that are suitable?