Water temperature for tetras?

[lmo]

Tank-sitting for a friend for a few months. He gave me all of the equipment, but there isn't a heater with the setup. I recall from having fishtanks as a kid that we needed a heater. I have a thermometer and the water is about 77 degrees F - does room temp sound about right for tetras and some kind of catfish looking thing?

 

[targaboy78]

HI lmo,

77 degrees is just about right. Certain species prefer a little cooler and some a little warmer... but 77 degrees is pretty average.

IMHO most people keep their tanks at 78 degrees, but one degree one way or the other shouldn't make much difference.

 

[lmo]

Super - thanks Targaboy78!

 

[vega]

Within 76-84 should be ok. Most important is the temp must be as constant as possible.

 

[Terry]

The temperature you have is fine, the only thing you should watch is night time temperature. during the day time your temperature will stay pretty constant but at night especially in england the night time temperature drops quite a bit. Look at the fish first thing in the morning and if there is a big colour change and they look lathagic. that could be stress from a colder night. If they look fine in the mornings then i would say you haven't got a problem.

 

[Allivymar]

Wow.. a few months? *grin* You're some friend!

As Terry mentioned, the key here isn't so much is 77f an ok temp (it is) as are temps stable. You really don't want the tank water changing temps more then a few degrees over 12 hrs or so. If it can remain stable, no probs

 

[William]

My 10gal that has Tetra's in it around 80, they seem to really like it around there.

altho its hard to tell, since their just as lively at 75 as they are at 84 8O