Very warm water tank 80-85 F

[Skyehaven]

I introduced myself in the intro forum and told my story, but haven't gotten any answers so I thought I'd try over here. I've been keeping fish in a 5 gal tank at the office and have recently decided to get a new tank for myself and my son at home. I picked up the 6.6 gal Petco (or "Aquatic Gardens", which I think is just the store brand name) bookshelf aquarium. It's 23.75" long, 7.5" deep, and 9" high. However, the 7.5" depth includes a one-half inch bow in front. The only problem is that we live in Florida and don't have a/c. I started the tank fishless cycling last week and have found that my water temps can climb into the 80-85 degree range during the day. I plan to put some mosquito netting over the top so I can leave the lid/hood off during the day for maximum evaporative cooling, but I know that I need to stock it with fish that will be happy at those temps. My research indicates that danios might be OK, but I'm looking for confirmation...or other suggestions if the danios won't do well at thost temps.

 

[maxima423]

during your cycle 80-85* is fine, actually i have my tank in my room and temp can reach up to 85* sometimes, the fish do fine but i try to keep it at 78-82*, do you have a heater? i dont even turn my heater on anymore

i usually look through the member intros, i was just so busy yesterday =[

 

[Skyehaven]

during your cycle 80-85* is fine, actually i have my tank in my room and temp can reach up to 85* sometimes, the fish do fine but i try to keep it at 78-82*, do you have a heater? i dont even turn my heater on anymore

I don't have a heater yet, no. I know that if I stock fish that will like bathwater temps (heh) I'll have to get a heater for the winter, but I've got at least two months before it will be cooling down enough here for that to be a worry.

 

[maxima423]

but for now like i said, 80-85* is fine since you are cycling, you prob have 3-4weeks until you cycle is done, by that time summer is coming to an end so you should be fine on the temp

you can prob try putting some ice inside a zip lock bag and letting it cool that way, its a temp solution though

for a small tank like that, you going to get a betta? bettas do fine actually in warmer temps, i previously had a betta that lived over a year in a 3g bowl and he survived through 2 heatwaves lol

not saying the bowl went to 100*, but it was pretty hot before i turned the A/C on

 

[Skyehaven]

but for now like i said, 80-85* is fine since you are cycling, you prob have 3-4weeks until you cycle is done, by that time summer is coming to an end so you should be fine on the temp

you can prob try putting some ice inside a zip lock bag and letting it cool that way, its a temp solution though

for a small tank like that, you going to get a betta? bettas do fine actually in warmer temps, i previously had a betta that lived over a year in a 3g bowl and he survived through 2 heatwaves lol

not saying the bowl went to 100*, but it was pretty hot before i turned the A/C on

It's true that by the time I'm done cycling it will (hopefully!) have started to cool off a bit, but I also have to look forward to next summer. I'd hate to get a cooler water fish only to have it die of the heat next summer. I'd considered a betta, but I was really hoping to have 3-4 fish for a little bit more activity than a betta usually provides.

 

[BigJim]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but your tank is a little small for almost everything except a betta. I've successfully kept bettas in 82 degree water. You might get away with some tiny tetras or rasboras, but danios really need more room to swim.

 

[Skyehaven]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but your tank is a little small for almost everything except a betta. I've successfully kept bettas in 82 degree water. You might get away with some tiny tetras or rasboras, but danios really need more room to swim.

I was afraid that might be the case. I'm not one of those who have already made up her mind and still asks for an opinion that she doesn't plan to listen to. I've kept bettas before in my office set up. He used to nibble my fingers to say hello in the morning. Great personality! I'd hoped to get a couple-three fish, but if it's not meant to be it's not meant to be. When you say rasboras, I was thinking that a few *edit boraras brigittae might be work in that tank, size wise. Do you know if they'd be OK with the warmer temps?

 

[JohnPaul]

A few possibilities, just off the top of my head:

1. a lone male or female betta. Or possibly 2-3 female bettas (that is a little more uncertain as their temperments can vary greatly).
2. A lone dwarf puffer. These guys are unbelievably fascinating and could easily be more "interesting" than a tankful of other fish.
3. Another possibility I would highly suggest would be to get a pair or a trio of any number of species of killifish. Killi breeders often use 5.5 gal tanks as breeding tanks for them, so a trio (male and 2 females) would be quite happy in the tank you described. Many killies are among the most stunningly colored freshwater fish in existence and can be as hardy or hardier than almost any freshwater fish around; they seemingly can survive temperature ranges from unheated aquaria in the 60's to non-cooled aquaria in tropical climates where summer temps can hit 90 or more.

Those would be my suggestions. If you aren't familiar with killies, go to Aquabid (AquaBid.com - Sell or buy aquarium related equipment and fish in an auction format!) and click on the killifish category and just browse the auctions that have pictures (look for the little camera icon in the list of auctions). You'll see what I mean by colorful. Or just do a Google search for killifish. They are one of the best-kept secrets in the freshwater aquarium hobby; super colorful and generally easy to keep.

Another thing to keep in mind is that, whatever you decide for fish, you can make a tank more interesting by your choice of some sort invertebrate as a bottom dweller. Some ghost shrimp or an amano shrimp would help to keep the substrate clean and also (at least in the case of amano) help keep algae in check, while adding extra "activity" to the tank. A large colorful snail like an Apple Snail, or something interesting like a zebra nerite or crowned nerite, or a handful of colorful ramshorn snails, all would do wonders for adding some extra color to the tank and also clean up any uneaten food that gets past your fish(es). If you are worried about snails "taking over" the tank, then the nerite snail is a good choice, as it cannot successfully reproduce in freshwater.

 

[maxima423]

dwarf puffer
betta
shrimp

i think those would be my stock list, dwarf puffers have A LOT of personality, i recently had the chance to experience this myself when i had dinner at my cousins house, they are pretty fun =]

 

[Skyehaven]

A few possibilities, just off the top of my head:

1. Another possibility I would highly suggest would be to get a pair or a trio of any number of species of killifish. Killi breeders often use 5.5 gal tanks as breeding tanks for them, so a trio (male and 2 females) would be quite happy in the tank you described. Many killies are among the most stunningly colored freshwater fish in existence and can be as hardy or hardier than almost any freshwater fish around; they seemingly can survive temperature ranges from unheated aquaria in the 60's to non-cooled aquaria in tropical climates where summer temps can hit 90 or more.

That's all great advice. I do plan on adding something for algae control, probably an RCS if one will handle the temps. It's funny that you mention killifish because one of the ways I was trying to find animals that will be happy with the higher temps was by looking at recommendations for possible betta tank mates. Several articles I found said that killifish were not suitable in very warm water and others said they were good tankmates for discus, which definitely want water that's quite warm. It's so difficult to know who's right! I guess ultimately I'm going to have to rely on trial and error, but at least you've all given me a good starting point.

 

[maxima423]

if you go with shrimp than that would really limit your choices even further, betta and dwarf puffers have a possibility of eating the shrimp =P

 

[Skyehaven]

if you go with shrimp than that would really limit your choices even further, betta and dwarf puffers have a possibility of eating the shrimp =P

Eek...snails it is, then. I'm not too worried about snails taking over. I had a minor infestation of snails in my office tank after adding some plants, but the frequent spinach trap has controlled them nicely.

 

[Raimond]

Welcome, sorry I missed your intro post...

After cycling is complete you could add a fan to keep the tank a few degrees cooler when needed. It just needs to blow across the top of the open tank to assist in the cooling effort. As you stated you are going to leave the lid off...
The fan will increase the evaporation rate so you will be adding water more often but you already are aware of this...

 

[maxima423]

Eek...snails it is, then. I'm not too worried about snails taking over. I had a minor infestation of snails in my office tank after adding some plants, but the frequent spinach trap has controlled them nicely.

dwarf puffers eat snails as a treat, go with nerite snails, they dont breed in FW

so its betta + snail than =]

 

[dkpate]

Sometimes bettas don't like snails either, (all 4 of mine don't), so make sure you have a backup plan if you do decide to get one.

 

[JohnPaul]

if you go with shrimp than that would really limit your choices even further, betta and dwarf puffers have a possibility of eating the shrimp =P

I've actually successfully kept shrimp as small as ghost shrimp in a betta tank and in a dwarf puffer tank, coexisting in each case perfectly fine without the slightest hint of aggression for months at a time. I've also had a betta (a female one, at that) that would constantly attack, or at least harass, an amano shrimp that was probably a half inch longer than she was. This same betta would pick at snails in her tank as well, which struck me as odd since I have owned a total of maybe 8-10 bettas over the last 5 years or so, all of which were in tanks with plenty of snails, and had never witnessed any of the other bettas show even the slightest interest in them.

So with both the bettas and the DP's, it all depends upon the temperament of the individual fish.

My advice is to get whatever you most want (whether snails, shrimp, whatever) and hope it works out, and only if it doesn't fall back on to your "Plan B." Also, another little tidbit, when you are mixing things in a tank and have worries about one thing bullying another, introduce the "passive" thing first. That way, when you add your betta (or whatever), it will be more likely to see that snail/shrimp/etc. as just "part of the environment." Whereas if you have the fish first and then at a later date add something like some ghost shrimp, the betta might either see them as food (since it is used to "stuff" you put into its tank being food), or else, it will have already established the entire tank as its territory, thus seeing anything else in the tank as a threat.

 

[logansmomma1228]

you can buy a small clip on fan at the dollar store to circulate air over the top of your tank. You can also get some water bottles, freeze them and put them in the tank to keep the water level low if it gets extreme. That isn't too bad of a temperature, as long as it stays steady and doesn't fluctuate you should be fine! Welcome to AA

 

[bluerose]

I have a 5gal planted tank with a female betta, 3 cardinal tetras, and 7 amano shrimp-- everyone gets along swimmingly. The betta, however, made immediate snacks of my snails within 30 seconds of being intro'd into the tank, even though I'd just stuffed her full of food. The shrimp are nearly as big as she is... she gave up on trying to nibble on them.

It's a hex tank, and tall, which helps-- the betta is usually hanging out in the top half of the tank, the shrimp at the bottom, and the tetras go all over.

Plants are definitely a good idea when trying to push the stocking limit a bit-- they help with territorial aggression and bio filtration.

 

[mandy2936]

I was afraid that might be the case. I'm not one of those who have already made up her mind and still asks for an opinion that she doesn't plan to listen to. I've kept bettas before in my office set up. He used to nibble my fingers to say hello in the morning. Great personality! I'd hoped to get a couple-three fish, but if it's not meant to be it's not meant to be. When you say rasboras, I was thinking that a few *edit boraras brigittae might be work in that tank, size wise. Do you know if they'd be OK with the warmer temps?

Hi!
I don't think any schooling fish could go into that tank They need a group of at least 6, and would require at least 10 gallons. So I don't think Rasboras or Tetras are a good idea.
You can try getting 3 male Guppies, they would be okay in a 6 gallon tank.
I have Guppies in a 20g and I keep the water at 77˚-80˚. I agree, you should always have a bag of ice in there if the temperature goes any higher. I would invest in a heater, put it in, but keep it off. When it gets too warm, put the ice in. When it gets to cold, turn on the heater.