<--newbie need help please

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Smaller tanks are affected by the ambient room temp much faster than larger ones are. In most cases the tank will be a few degrees lower than the temp of the room. It may be at the same temp or higher if it's getting direct sunlight.

If we are talking mid 80s then you can still get away with several species, the popular livebearers in particular can handle it with no problem.

Definitely study up on cycling, whether you choose to do it fishless or fish-in, do your homework and save yourself a lot of trouble either way.

I don't think I could handle being in a room that hot all the time!
 
I felt massively overwhelmed when I first started aquarium keeping and read up on the nitrogen cycle. It looks worse than it is lol. It's really not as complex as it looks, well, not the needs to know basics of it anyway, and it makes the established tank with healthy fish in it SOO rewarding once you have completed a cycle and know you are giving them a good start.
Jeta is right about livebearers. I have mine tubbed outside during the summer (endlers and guppies). They have a lot of shade in the way of duckweed and water lettuce, and moss, but it DEF gets at LEAST in the high 80s in that water during the day sometimes, and they actually are more active and breed more (if that is possible for livebearers) when the temps are up. I also keep my dwarf cichlids (shellies) in a very warmish tank, and have done so for a long time, and they do quite well, although really for the most part they are kind of a species only fish, and would not do well with many tank mates. Anyway, welcome to the hobby and good luck to you. - Ash
 
I am in Michigan as well and picked up this tip over the last year of doing this: The thing that bothers the fish is large swings in temps. If the temp is stable a little higher that it okay. So in the winter when the heat is on in the house and stable I set the tank at 78-79. But in the spring when windows are open and it gets hot and the tank temp is going to go up I set it at about 81 so it won't fluctuate so much. It is better for it to go from 81 to 85 vs going from 78 to 85. Then the AC goes on over 85. More experienced people can chime in here, but this made sense to me.
 
...just remember to change the temp slowly to not shock the fish in one day
 
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