Some like it hot?

[magunn]

My new tank is getting rather too hot during the day. I cannot site it elasewhere and the temp is getting near to 30C for a few hours a day. As this is temporary ( I live in the UK!) are there any fish that could not cope with this temperature for a brief period of the year.
I intend to set up a mostly Gourami tank.

As a side issue which small fish make the best algae controllers?

[OrionGirl]

As long as the temp change is gradual, it shouldn't be too much of a problem. The biggest concern will be the lowered oxygen levels, so make sure you have adequate surface agitation. With gouramies and other labyrinth fish, this isn't as big a deal, but if you have plecos, otos, tetras, and minnows, it can be a problem.


What kind of algae? Why so much?

[SBA]

As a fellow UK citizen, I've been having similar problems. How do people in Florida (for example) keep their tanks cool? We only have about 2 months a year when it (may) be a problem, but my tank is at 82F at the moment (heater set to 75F). Its not in direct sunlight (at least not when it warms up around 2pm).

I have cories in there, which I believe don't like it that hot. I do have a lot of aeration / surface agitation going on and the water params are fine, but even so I'd like it to stay cooler if possible.

How do people keep coldwater fish in hotter climates?

BTW not trying to hijack the thread...

[OrionGirl]

Easy--when you get to Florida, you'll be hard pressed to find many homes that don't have air conditioners. I think it's written into the construction codes for hotter places like New Mexico and Arizona (kidding, but you get the point--air conditioning is everywhere).

Having bottles of frozen water, sized to fit into a filter or sump, are an easy colution. As your tank water moves along the frozen bottle, it will cool down. This won't create a serious drop in temp, but it will lower it by 1-2 degrees (going with a 1 liter water bottle and up to a 55 gallon tank, placed in the filter). Make sure to turn your heater off or down--otherwise the swirls of cooler water may kick it on.

[SBA]

I think you're right, the difference is air conditioning.

Will these temps (82-85F) harm cories in the short term? I can't help thinking that in their natural environment they must contend with bigger fluctuations than that?

I have two SA puffers in there also, but I believe they are not too concerned by the higher temps (not all the time tho).

They all seem happy enough, the cories (5 assorted) probably take the odd gulp from the surface that they wouldn't if it were colder (and I mean the odd gulp, not all the time).

[OrionGirl]

I wouldn't worry much about it going up 2-3 degrees. My tank hit 87 last year, and while my plants all looked pretty sad, none of the fish seemed the worse for it. I started using the frozen water bottles the next day, to be on the safe side. I have cories, loaches, and plecos, in addition to gouramies and tetras.

[SBA]

Thanks Oriongirl.

For the record I meant the temp goes up to 82-85, not from 82-85. It's set at 75/76 so it goes up nearly 10 degrees some days.

Still, they seem fine, and knowing the weather here it won't last long anyway! But while it does :cool:

[Mulla]

OrionGirl Can I just float the frozen water bottle (with ice in it I presume) in the tank?

[brianfl]

Ya, in Fla, air cond is a must. Many nights during the summer, it never gets below 80.

[Cearbhaill]

One of my tanks is in a warmer part of the house- the water temperature drops down to around 81.6ºF at night and rises to near 84ºF during the day when we have the doors open going in and out frequently. The difference in Florida is it doesn't get that cool at night- my total fluctuation is less. I don't think the actual high temp is a problem so much as the wide fluctuation.
Maybe raise your base heater setting a bit higher so the swing isn't so wide?

[thom336]

As these heat waves are only for brief periods (I tell you its about 10am and im boiling) it is probably best to use the frozen bottled water, and also to run fans over the tanks. Mind you alot of my fish seem perfectly fine in the hotter weather - and it prompts alot of spawnings. But also when changing the water you could have the replacement water cooler than usual.

But one thing that is annoying me - all the heat and extra sunlight on my ponds has caused a bloom in algae! the wate rin one has gone so green you have trouble seeing the fish.

[SBA]

get the brits - if it snows the country grinds to a halt, if it's hot the nation's fishponds go green, and the rest of the time it rains!!

I might have been exagerating the swing (this morning it was 78, last night it was 83), but I might raise it just a touch.

thom336 - I thought adding cooler water could encourage ich (if present I guess)?

Thanks all.

[OrionGirl]

Floating the bottles is fine as well--just make sure the exterior of the bottle is clean (no matter where you have it!).

Cooler temps doesn't bring ich out. Sudden changes can stress the fish, which can cause a low-grade infestation to explode, but even then, you have to really shock the fish. I use water that is around 65F for my changes, and I have never had any negative reaction from my fish. Not saying the works for everyone, but it has not caused me any problems.

[Jhong]

Hey I'm a Brit but have been living overseeas for a few years. I really don't think you'll have a problem. It gets very hot here for 3-4 months. For 1-2 of those months the temp can get above 30 C and NEVER go down, even at night --I cool the tanks with computer fans and a small thermoelectric chiller -- but last year I didn't, and I don't remember any deaths I can attribute to the heat.

[SBA]

hi jhong

funnily enough it's been raining for the last two days and the tank is now at 76F all day! (it was a nice summer while it lasted :cool: )

wonder if thom's ponds are improving...