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When does a tank become overheated?


Caper

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My tanks aren't presently in that situation since it is still winter here. But I have seen threads regarding the increase in tank temps due to summer conditions. Now, I already asked the question but I think it was missed and I can't find the thread now so I just want some clarification.

When do you have to worry that the tank is getting to warm for the fish? At what point should you have to consider bringing the temp down? Do you understand what I'm asking :oops: Say you have tropical fish that can live in a temp range of 74 to 85, but you keep the temp in the tank at 74 what temp over that should you be concerned and start to cool the tank.

Caper

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And other stuff....

For example, my mudfish are pretty bad at extracting oxygen from the water (very short gill bits), so surface breathing is a natural thing for them (in the wild too).

Above about 15 degrees and they can't extract enough easily. Of course my tanks are way above that right now, so for a while they were all surface breathing constantly. Not ideal but in these species it is ok. Then I put in an airstone and within 24 hours they were not surface breathing at all!

It is now warmer than when I first put the airstone in, but there is more oxygen so they are able to extract enough easily.

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Say you have tropical fish that can live in a temp range of 74 to 85, but you keep the temp in the tank at 74 what temp over that should you be concerned and start to cool the tank.

If your fish are happy up to 85F then thats OK. The temp change will be gradual over the day, not a sudden shock. If the tank goes significantly over the max then you need to worry.

The local council has online measurments of the local river temp. It can vary 5deg C in a day, and 10C over the seasons.

Just try and keep the fish in their natural range. Some of us are keeping fish that struggle over about 22C, in weather thats hitting 30C. Hence all the running about with bottles of Ice.

Ian

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My tank gets up to 28 deg C on hot days - baseline is 24.5. The fish don't seem to mind. I was talking to Mark at World of Water about this last weekend. He had a good point that it might not necessarily be high temps, but the degree of change that could stress fish - it might pay to increase your tank temp to reduce the variance?

Advise is supplied as is, where is... :)

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