Guest Author - Jilly Florio

If you have a betta in your office as a "work pet", make sure you lavish the same care and attention on your little fighter fish that you would at home. He will pay you back by being an engaging little work buddy and lowering your office stress level! Make sure you read through my articles about betta parenting to give him the best possible office home.

The Pros to having a betta at work - He will probably get lots of quality time looking at his favorite thing - you - and there is probably lots of other neat activity for him to watch during the week. Bettas are a personable, curious fish and like stimulating environments. Make sure you provide him a little cave to hide in for those times he would like to retreat, and a nice silk plant to rest on and swim under.

You could use a live plant instead of silk, but those are more work. You will probably have enough to do with your betta in the office environment, so don't worry about live plants unless you are experienced and want them.

Also, they can survive not being fed over those long weekends (fasting clears out their GI tracts and keeps them healthy). You also don't have to worry about those vacation trips if you understand these concepts about absentee fish care.

The Cons - Offices are often unheated over weekends, which can be deadly for your betta fish. Temperature swings will make a betta prone to getting ich and other diseases. Also, office environments can be kept too low for a betta to enjoy life - he needs temps of at least the mid-70s. This can be alleviated with a small heater or portable light, a thermometer, and a large enough mini-tank to handle the heat.

Things to keep in your office drawers for proper care - fresh betta food (pellets are a great staple food), a small gravel vacuum or at least a turkey baster for cleaning up the bottom cruds, dechlorinator containing a slime coat additive, a new styrofoam work cup for moving your betta when you clean his tank, a small aquarium thermometer and a towel to wrap around the tank over weekends (if you are not using a heater).

Don't forget to give your betta a name, too, and let your coworkers know he is an honorary employee in the stress release division. Do not let coworkers feed your fish (too much food is actually deadly) or bother him too much (tank tapping, putting weird things in his bowl, etc). He is an individual, a real living thing, remember. You should take him home if you cannot ensure him a safe office environment.

I also do recommend you print this article out to keep in your desk, or to give to a co-worker who has a betta and wants to make sure his pet gets the best care! :) Print out any related articles you wish - I have linked to a few in the article above. In November, a PDF BellaOnline eBook on Betta Basics will be available for easy printing or PDA portability. Please sign up for the FREE Fish Newsletter if you wish to be informed of when the book is fully published and available for purchase.

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