I keep my home temp about 60 to 65 in winter, and would really like to just get rid of the heater in my tank and run room temp.
Obviously the shiners, dace, and darters won't care(will prefer it I'm guessing), but what about flagfish and blufins?(java fern and java moss also, for the plant people here!). Will they retain their health at these temps? Survive them, even?
I know both species are considered subtropical..but how "sub" is that?
Any help appreciated, as online temp discussions and information for these fish seem to be severely limited(I can't find anything about minimum temps, only "suggested" temps which are the blanket "74-80" it seems like).
Flagfish temperature question.
Started by
Guest_Nightwing_*
, Feb 09 2008 08:40 PM
9 replies to this topic
#2
Guest_drewish_*
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Posted 09 February 2008 - 10:50 PM
I keep bluefin killies and flagfish in my basement unheated. The tanks are sitting around 64-65 and haven't had any issues with them. I've had the flagfish for just about 2 years now. The bluefins are an addition from this last fall collected from FL and have adapted well.
#4
Guest_Sean H_*
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Posted 12 February 2008 - 04:25 PM
I keep a group outside all year in a North Texas. The pond rarely gets even thin layer of ice across it. Temps in the winter usually sit around 40-45 at the surface. At the bottom of the pond I am unsure what the temps stay at, but it probably stays warmer. I would think in an aquarium inside the house/basement they should be more than fine unheated.
#5
Guest_Nightwing_*
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Posted 12 February 2008 - 10:12 PM
Thanks all.I keep a group outside all year in a North Texas. The pond rarely gets even thin layer of ice across it. Temps in the winter usually sit around 40-45 at the surface. At the bottom of the pond I am unsure what the temps stay at, but it probably stays warmer. I would think in an aquarium inside the house/basement they should be more than fine unheated.
At this point, I'm likely more worried about the plants, then the fish! I have mostly native plants...but I do have quite a bit of java moss, and java fern...and would hate to loose it(and..given the amount of plants..it would make a complete mess, should it die en mass!).
The tank itself is in front of a pretty poorly insulated window...so the back of it actually can get cold, and I'd guess the water temp could potentialy get into the upper 50's(although...that may be pushing it), so before I shut down the thermometer..I need to find out temp min's for the plants.
#7
Guest_devoneli_*
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Posted 13 February 2008 - 03:29 PM
I keep both java fern and moss in unheated tanks at about 60 degrees. The moss is doing great and the fern does well too, surviving, but not really growing.
I keep Java moss in the upper 50's and it LOVES it. Not sure about Java fern though.
#8
Guest_farmertodd_*
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Posted 13 February 2008 - 05:25 PM
Growth on these plant species stops somewhere around 50 F. Down to 45 totally melted all my crypts, but they're resprouting now (aquarium store acquired). I brought some flagfish and bluefin killies home from a shop and acclimated them over a day to 50 F water. They died. I guess it needs to be more gradual for them. I won't try that again until the tanks are back over 65. Not worth it.
Todd
Todd
#9
Guest_Nightwing_*
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Posted 13 February 2008 - 10:29 PM
Well, truth is I really have no burning desire to breed any of my fish(yet) so the winter down is I guess not really needed. The fish have thrived at temps in the low 70's(now) and show no "need" to be cooled down..so I'll likely leave well enough alone. What I really wish is to find a thermometer that goes down to like 50 degrees. That way...I could step them down just a few degrees per day. As it is, even though my thermometer goes down to 66, it keeps "kicking on" when the tank drops below low 70's...so it seems the calibration is off a bit.
I put a small "test tank" right near mine(really, just a gallon pickel jar full of water) and when I got home today it was only 54...so at this point I don't think I'll risk the semi-tropics by cutting off the heater. It's obvious that the location next to the cold window(and associated air flow) serves to bring the temp down well below room...so while the darters, shiners and mud minnows would thrive...I suspect I may have problems with the others.
Thanks for all the advice, though!
I put a small "test tank" right near mine(really, just a gallon pickel jar full of water) and when I got home today it was only 54...so at this point I don't think I'll risk the semi-tropics by cutting off the heater. It's obvious that the location next to the cold window(and associated air flow) serves to bring the temp down well below room...so while the darters, shiners and mud minnows would thrive...I suspect I may have problems with the others.
Thanks for all the advice, though!
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