African cichlids, now have a tougher image

Let me sum this story up a little.
I do my waterchanges/cleaning on Monday evenings, every week.
Last week I was in the process of cleaning my 125gal which houses both Malawi and Victorian cichlids, ranging in all sizes from 3.5"-8". I was using my python cleaner and I had to take out more water than usual (I normally do 15-20%) since I was going to rescape it, and I had to clean under the previous rocks. So I had to turn off my heater, you might see where this is going.

There is about 80% water left and when I take out the rocks, there's about 60%. I clean off the rocks, rearrange them and start filling up the tank. I throw in the Prime and move onto my planted community tank. Forgetting to plug the heater back in.

Last week was a little hectic and I even had to resort to using automatic feeders since I did not have time to feed the fish, myself. So I really did not pay attention to them that much.

I am cleaning the tanks tonight and I noticed as I remove my glass tops and put the python in the water that it's a little colder than usual. I check my heater and it's at the right setting. Then it hits me, the heater is not even plugged in!!!
I run to get my temperature gun (oh yeah, I use a temp. gun, a lot easier than a thermometer or a sticky temp. scale) and the water is a chilly 70.35 degrees.
Not only am I shocked and pissed than I forgot to plug the heater in the week before, but also impressed that the fish are still lively and not dead.

Just goes to show you that they are tougher than what people think. And the people I am referring to are the CA/SA,


Ok, edit, that was kinda long. :wacko: :blush:

I only use heaters in a couple a south American tanks - the rest are room temp.

I heat the room to 72...

dogofwar said:

I only use heaters in a couple a south American tanks - the rest are room temp.

I heat the room to 72...

Click to expand...

Yeah I do the same here in the summer time in the winter I need to put a heater on all my tanks.

SAve the electricity

My tanks are in the basement where the AC never goes on during the summer since it's always cool, roughly around 72 throughout the summer.

those red jewels i raised were born in a tank with no heater down in our basement in march. yes they can deal with the temps well.

That temp is just fine. This is my first year using heaters. I usually kept the house at about 72 degrees and the tanks were just fine. I do have a lot more breeding going on since I added the heaters. The temp takes a while to change in a large tank when the heater is off so a slow move to the temp that you found them at should not really hurt them.

I am afraid of heaters killing my fish from malfunction. Thats why I never had them in the past. I got a little less cheep and went out and bought a bunch. That way I do not have to worry about the house always keeping the temp in the tanks right. I was finding varying temps from room to room on my tanks before heaters and now with heaters they are all the same.

There are positives to both.

My tanks have big temp swings. Yesterday my 75 gallon got up to 85. I also have a fry tank that has no heater and gets to about 65-68 on some nights with no ill effects. I just try not to worry.

Yanked all my heaters out for the summer makes the tank look cleaner and less power. All are doing fine so far.

So I can just not heat them at all?

:wacko:Ok and with my electric bill that i complain about constantly
Smacks self in head several times
Ok next question,
have a rack in the breezeway which means exposed to outside temps
figured i would move em all out to save on my ac bill
omg and i keep my house at 75
please comment about the hardiness to temp swing though
will have angel pairs outside in 20 talls
fronts will stay in
(already figured out they like cool)
SA probly outside
JEEZ
I am really surprized
and really feeling kinda stupid

ya man summertime. I have all my heater unplug except for 1 tank....they all fine.

I'm too scared to take a chance unplugging my heaters. I use mine all year around and make adjustments as needed. Glad you didn't lose any fish from the low temp on those Africans Phil.

Gerard

OK maybe this will help!
Check out this link for the weather in Malawi right now!
http://www.wunderground.com/global/stations/67597.html

The link supplied is to Salima,Malawi,which is a 10 minute drive from the Export station!
At the moment (winter in Malawi) they are forcasting 20o C (72oF) for the high temp of the day and 13o C, (58o F) for the low,overnight. (as of July 19,2009)

These temperatures,along with the rain will cool the lake right down!
By the time I got there last year in September the Lake temperature had risen to only 74o F! (where I was diving!)
That's very chilly after the 2nd dive (or about 3 hours under water) even for us Canadians!

Cheers,Larry

Larry Johnson said:

OK maybe this will help!
Check out this link for the weather in Malawi right now!
http://www.wunderground.com/global/stations/67597.html

The link supplied is to Salima,Malawi,which is a 10 minute drive from the Export station!
At the moment (winter in Malawi) they are forcasting 20o C (72oF) for the high temp of the day and 13o C, (58o F) for the low,overnight. (as of July 19,2009)

These temperatures,along with the rain will cool the lake right down!
By the time I got there last year in September the Lake temperature had risen to only 74o F! (where I was diving!)
That's very chilly after the 2nd dive (or about 3 hours under water) even for us Canadians!

Cheers,Larry

Click to expand...

Great info.

Thanks,
Gerard

You are welcome!
I check it often, I am leaving in a month for there.

Cheers,Larry