Can a Beta live with an algae eater?

[Marie410]

HI everyone! I'm going to provide some background and I hope someone who know's something about beta's can answer my question:

I've had a beautiful bright blue beta fish, Storm, who keeps me company at work. He lives in a large vase (aproximately a gallon) with a live plant that sits in a tulip shaped holder in the opening so the roots can dangle into the water. It has a fairly long neck and I leave about an inch of air at the top, before the neck area begins, for him to get his oxygen. (That's why the water space is only a gallon, it would be more if I filled it to the top)

I bring him home for the weekend every month or so to clean his water. I've had him for several months and usually his water stays quite clear between cleanings, but the past week or so there has been a sudden outbreak of algae in his home. It has only been two weeks since his last cleaning. The car ride home and changing of his water is quite stressful for him (he gets quite pale and sulks, I guess he doesn't like my driving;) ) so I try to do it as little as possible. I have another Beta, Raiden, who lives here at home (He's actually my husbands) and his water was changed at the same time as Storms and is still crystal clear. His vase is a little larger, just over a gallon.

I plan on upgrading Storms living area in the near future. From some of the reading I've been doing they don't mind larger environments. If he had a larger living space, could he co-exist with an algae eater? Would the Algae eater be a danger to him or he to the algae eater?

Thanks for any help and input!:)

[Fox-Gal]

No, you can't put a algae water in with your Betta. For one thing, you shouldn't have 2 fish in only a gal. of water. It won't solve your problem much, the more fish, the more waste and then the more you have to do water changes. Also Betta's are good living in a vase, but not most algea eaters. Then of course there's the problem of the Betta tring to kill the algea eater. :eek:

I don't where you keep your Betta, but if he's near a light, move him away, less light, less algae. Also, not to be rude here, But once a mouth for a water change is a little long and not real healthy for him.

Why do you have to take him home, you can't do a water change at work? It make his and your life a lot easier, I would think, if you could. Oh,well none of my Biz, I guess.

[Marie410]

Fox-Gal,

Thanks for the input. I didn't plan on putting them together in the vase, the question was, when I upgrade Storm to a larger environment would it be something that could be done.

He is in a very well lit environment, it's an office, but this is the first time I've had a problem with algae. As far as the water changes, if his water is clear, should I still change it? It really is stressful for him when he get's his water changed. And no, I can't do it at the office, I'm lucky they let me keep him there at all.

That's a good question, maybe I should have started a poll. How many people still change there fish's water if it's not cloudy or the gravel is not dirty?

[Fox-Gal]

Ok I guess, I didn't read to well, not like it been the first time for me. LOL

If you want to put them in a bigger area, you might be able to get away with a algae eater, depending on what kind you get. Never put any fish in with a Betta that has a fancy fins, they will chew them up. Some fish can live with Bettas as long as they are really plain looking and non aggressave. I use to have my guy in a 10 gal with other fish and never had a problem, but they where all plain looking, mollys. No fancy tail mollys. Ask your pet store what kind they think would be good or else there are some great Betta web sites that can tell you.

As to the water, I'm just funny that about it, it's like a galss of water to me. If you set a glass of water down for days and days, it still will look clear, but do you want to drink it? Without some kind of filter or movement, you know it will get stagnate. So as to your poll, I change the water every two weeks, clear or not.

I guess in your case, I can see only changing it once a month, the car trip alone has to be stressful on him. Thats why I asked about doing it at work, less stress on him. But thats out of the question for you.

Now I'm going to get noisy again, sorry. Who feeds him on the weekends when you are not at work? He goes without? I bet by Monday, he's ready to eat. ;)

[Marie410]

Storm nibbles the roots of the plan during the weekend. I feed him a couple of extra pellets Friday afternoon and first thing Monday morning. I bring him home for long (3 day) weekends. So far he seems fine with that. I can usually tell by his color if he's upset, his face is beautiful navy blue, almost black, and when he's upset (like when I drive :rolleyes: ) he get's pale, kind of grayish. I'm bringing him home tonight, I don't like this algae :mad: and I'll keep him home until next Monday at least, to lessen the trauma.

[lizzielou742]

I have a beta, Swimmy, that I keep on top of a bookcase in an approx. 3/4 gal. bowl. Do you all think that's too small? Anyway, I've had him for a year and three months now and everything's been fine so far. I change his water every 2 weeks or so. I don't travel with him at all though. I moved last year, about a 60-mile move, and Swimmy almost died. I really thought I was going to lose him. I had him in a large glass, bigger than the ones you see betas in at the pet store, with a few holes in the lid. I think the bumpy ride was what got him. He turned extremely pale, almost white, and was floating on his side, barely breathing. As soon as I got to my new apartment (about an hour trip, he got bad really fast) I put him back in his bowl with fresh water and just let him be for about two days. I didn't bother him, move him, or anything. I just fed him a little. He floated at the top for two days, borderline dead, then on the third day I woke up to find him colorful and bright and alive like nothing had happened. So who knows? Maybe he just got an extreme case of car-sickness. Anyway, my point is, traveling is never that good for a fishie of any kind. Do you take him home in a bag, or do you have a lid for the vase? How long is your commute? As far as the algae in the vase, I can only suggest getting some different water treatment stuff - like the little drops you put in the water to take out the chlorine and stuff. Maybe they lose efficacy after a while?

[Marie410]

My ride home is short, about 15 minutes, and I put his vase in a cooler that holds it steady and upright, no lid. I brought him home and washed every single stone in his home by hand to get rid of the algae and gave his water a complete change.

The whole process took two days, because I always leave the water I'm going to change him to standing next to his home for 24 hours to make sure the temperature is going to be the same.
I left him home for the change, but I missed him too much. I really enjoy having him at work. I have a stressful job, Customer Service at a Hospital, and Storm is a bright spot. I could leave my desk for less than 5 minutes and he'll swim out from behind his plant to greet me as if I'd been gone all night. He has a lot of personality for a fish.

I do think 3/4 of a gallon is small, I think Storms vase is probably too small, too. I'm shopping around for something bigger for him and I will probably upgrade him the next time I change his water.

This last time I brought him home it didn't seem to bother him too much at all, I was surprised. He didn't get pale or sulk like he usually does. I put him on the floor in the back seat with the cooler wedged in pretty tightly. Maybe he's getting used to my driving :D