Update on my heaterless experiment

[BettaMomma]

Several days ago I opted to remove all heaters from my tanks except my (2) 10G divided and community tanks, cuz they're in the same room as my air conditioner... The rest are all 2.5G tanks. Here in Wisconsin, we've had several days in a row with steady temps in the hight 70w - mid 80s. But then yesterday the temps dipped and for the past few nights our temps outside have been in the 50s. The temps in our apartment dipped into the high 60s, and so did some of the fish's water. The 2 fish that have suffered from the temp fluctuations are right near a window that's pretty drafty. And that's Louis and Lucky.
Lucky has chewed a nice big ol' hunk away from his caudal fin, and he has a couple of tiny pinholes in his new tail! UUCK! and Louis is lethargic - he doesn't move around much at all when the temp dips below 75 in his tank.

Everyone else is doing pretty well w/out the heaters because they're in other rooms with no drafts and their temps aren't fluctuating that much. Everyone has stopped bubblenesting except Archie - but he's in one of the 2 10G tanks that's still heated.

This experiment has been really interesting. They all seem to do fine with the slight fluctuations but when they're major in a short time period, it seems to be really hard on them. I think that some parts of the country also have different weather patterns - sometimes our weather here goes from 80 to 40 or 50 in one day's time. That might be a big factor.

I have put the heaters back into Lucky and Louis' tanks for now.

 

[Saucy]

That is so strange! Yes, I know Wisconsin weather... obviously. And I'm freezing right now! It was like 85 two days ago... hah. All my fish like warm water much better. Heaters = good.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Hmm... well, IMO you are right about the window being the cause of the problem. I think otherwise it should work out in the end.

 

[newfishies]

i feel your pain bettamomma! my apartment was at 90 F on monday when i got home from work and at 62 F when i got home from work on tuesday!!! i had unplugged or removed the heater completely from all of my tanks! needless to say there was a major drop in the tank temps while i was out!

everyone seems to be fine, except i found a little patch of white on jaws, so she is now isolated and being treated with anti-fungal meds. the heaters went back in and everyone is back in the low-mid 70's (the 10 and 20 gal tanks are back at 78).

i don't know what i will do when it inevitably warms up again. i am looking into buying an AC unit. my friends/family think that i am crazy to buy and AC for my fish (and cats). i don't mind the heat for myself!

 

[BettaMomma]

Hmm... well, IMO you are right about the window being the cause of the problem. I think otherwise it should work out in the end.

Well yeah - but it was sort of mocking up the temp differences in houses in the wintertime - especially for folks like us who live in apartments, and don't have the luxury of a furnace.

During the winter, there is sometimes a 10 degree difference in my apartment from morning til mid-day. Too much of a difference for fish to be comfortable.

Anyway - it seems to me like big swings stress them out immensely.

 

[mlee0332]

I live in sc, and keep my room at 68 o which is VERY hard to do right now... With temps in the lower 100s, my ac runs non stop during the day!!! Yesterday it was 103, and today it was 96. Phew it is hot around here and humid... Gosh its miserable...

Glad to know everyones okay, and that your experiment did good... My betta never nested until I put a heater in his 5 g, so i guess they NEED one to be that happy My FEMALE has built me a nest!!!! Its a litlle slaughtered b/c of the filter current , but it was there...

 

[50000_tears]

bettamomma do rember that louis is blind...he wont do much..everyday my granny swears hes dead...he rarely pops up but thats normal

 

[BettaMomma]

Yeah, I know.
But he's way more lethargic when it's cold. He just lays on the bottom of the tank.
When he's warm he swims around and actually comes up to the top.

 

[50000_tears]

buddy doesnt have the warmest bowl either im trying to find a good light to put over him

 

[OohFeeshy]

I live in England. At best, on a warm summers day, its about.... 30 degrees. But this is only for one or two days a year. Anyway, I have 3 betta tanks. Only one has a heater, and thats with the ill guy who's come from a very warm tank. IMO I haven't found them any less actice without a heater. In fact, the temp fluncs more with a heater than without. Obviuosly it will drop at night, but it does this in the wild as well (OK, I know they're NOT wild, but don't argue). All bubblenest, the only problem I've really had is Vespasian eating himself, but he's been in a heated tank for months. All are active. The only thing I'd change is trying to get a light for Vespasian as his tank is dark and he is a very pale yellow. Generally each betta goes through a cycle of-
1. In heated community (but this might change as theres danios in there now)-> 2. Heated 3g tank-> Unheated 3g

And no problems. Heaters are very expensive, the cheapest is about 13 pounds for a 25 watt.

 

[abstract]

Everyone has stopped bubblenesting except Archie - but he's in one of the 2 10G tanks that's still heated.

i basically performed the same type of experiment with my CT (that i mentioned stopped bubblenesting w/o the heater and started again with the reintroduction of the heater) - and i also have a similar testing environment (western new york) where the temp tends to fluctuate in my room because i like to sleep in the cold (mid-60s)...this just helps to reinforce that SOME bettas just really really prefer heaters, even if they can live fine w/o them...my next question is, why?

why do some bettas still bubblenest when its cooler (or even bubblenest more)?

why don't mine?

PS> my fish do not chew their own tails but do become much more lethargic as yours have..

thanks for reporting back!

 

[hello kitty]

oohfeeshy where in england are u at?? where i am in stoke today its about 25degrees which is so warm for england really it hardly ever gets to 30! and all these people are complaining cos its too cold theres no way u could not heat a tank in england

 

[OohFeeshy]

The South. A bit warmer than elsewhere. I want an electric thermometer (not to play with! Goodness, what do you take me for ) so I'll test tthe tanks, but every time I'me put the normal thermometrer in it says its in the 'green zone' for tropical fish. Like I said, they all do fine and I save a packet on buying heaters.

 

[BettaMomma]

Usually with heaters the temps dont fluctuate - that's the purpose for having one. The heaters I use are Neptune 25 watts from Marineland. They keep the tanks at a perfect 78 degrees.

I don't know why they bubblenest why and when they do, but the best thing I have been able to figure out is that they nest when there has been a change made in their life that they really like, or they're happy about something, for instance if they have a cool next door neighbor that makes their entire day fun, they will make one - or if the weather is weird outside.

I have 2 boys here at the office with me at work every day, and they've always been kept at a pretty steady 74 - 78 temp, with minor fluctuations every day and neither of them have ever nested except for one, on 2 different days when the weather was odd.

 

[OohFeeshy]

Well, I do have a rubbish heater. I might get a Hydor Mini or Newattino as a spare- any experiences with these?