Hayden Kered Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 Ok I guess I have to rely on my LF friends to help me out on this. I own a 1 gallon fish tank that houses a Betta. The water temprature is getting too high. I have no air conditioning to help keep it cool, and it can get as hot as 95 degrees F where I live. My question is what would be the best way to cool the water down without stressing out my Betta? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boba Rhett Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 Is it actually hitting 95 degrees inside the house? While Bettas can handle a temperature from like the mid 60s to lower 80s (They tend to like their water in the upper 70s. I think they actually stop growing if the water is below 78F.), rapid temperature swings are very harmful to them and pretty much all fish. Anyways, I've got some advice for ya. - Keep it shaded. - Keep the aquarium light off if you have one. - Do you have room for a larger tank? A one gallon tank is extremely susceptible to temperature swings. Larger tanks can generally hold their temperature for a much longer period of time. - If you have a cement/hardwood floor try keeping the tank on it when you can. Monitor the temperature carefully. Anything more than about a five degree swing in one day can shock a fish. - If you're more daring than I am, you could also take a sealable plastic baggy, add an ice cube into it and let it float on the top. do not add the ice directly to the water. - Many people have a lot of success with simply keeping a fan pointed at their tank. I'm actually trying to get an old tank up and running again right now. I'll post a picture later if I get the chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayden Kered Posted August 23, 2007 Author Share Posted August 23, 2007 Actually more like 90 with the fans running. Thanks for the help Rhett! Your idea for the ice cube made me think, I wonder if putting an ice pack against the outside of the tank would be a better idea? I have a thin ice pack that could easily be wrapped or tapped to the tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boba Rhett Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 It very well could, just be careful though because one icepack will cool down a gallon of water pretty fast and a lot. Maybe even just use like the skinny side pressed up to the tank at first. Here's a picture of the one I'm trying to get going. You can't really see the little guys (neon tetras, algae eaters) in there though unless you look really closely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayden Kered Posted August 23, 2007 Author Share Posted August 23, 2007 Very nice! Is that a Rasbora in the top left hand corner? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boba Rhett Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 Actually it's just a goldfish. I had a bad ammonia spike and it turned him totally silveryish...ish! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayden Kered Posted August 23, 2007 Author Share Posted August 23, 2007 That's not good. Are you doing the "goldfish trick"? I heard that when starting a new tank for freshwater fish, you should put goldfish in the tank to produce the needed bacteria. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boba Rhett Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 Hehehe. yeah. That's pretty much the only reason I have goldfish in there now. Goldfish are about the most efficient crapping machines known to mankind and they really help get the bacteria going. I wasn't expecting such a spike from them though. I lost like twelve goldfish and nine rosy reds before the spike subsided. What I'd really like to get going in the tank is a school of like 50 neon tetras and then get a black light on 'em. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HerbieZ Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 Try water cooling. Works with my PC! Ah wait... nvm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MdKnightR Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 Alright, I see some good advice here, but also some bad. I've been an aquarist for years and this has been my experience..... Bettas Bettas can handle fairly hot water temperatures. They prefer 78-82 F. However, you have to understand their origins. They are from Asia. They can live in some of the most inhospitable conditions....marshes, rice paddies, etc....where there is very little oxygen in the water (or very little water at all). They have what is called a labyrinth, which is an organ that allows them to breath air directly from the surface of the water. Unless your betta is acting sickly, I wouldn't worry about the temperature of the water being 90. It is NEVER a good idea to provide a draft, so don't use a fan directly on the tank. Goldfish(my favorite!) I have a soft spot for Ryukins. Goldfish can also live in a wide range of water conditions. At the present time, my 55 gallon tank is at 81 F (and I do have air conditioning). You just have to remember to increase the amount of aeration because the warmer the water, the harder it is to keep oxygen in it (not a problem for Bettas). Its also important not to overcrowd your fish. As a rule of thumb, have at least one gallon of water per one inch of adult fish. Double the water-to-fish ratio with Goldfish since they are big polluters. I only have 2 Ryukins in my aquarium. I could safely add another without potentially causing problems. Cycling an Aquarium Goldfish are very hearty and have often been used to cycle an aquarium. However, what do you do with the goldfish once your tank has cycled? They are not good to keep with tropical species, so many novices just toss them away, which is sad. The best way to cycle an aquarium is to get a fistful of gravel from an established tank to place in the bottom of your new tank. Beneficial bacteria will begin to form new colonies from this "seeding." If the gravel you use isn't the color that you want for your aquarium, then place the "seed" gravel into a nylon mesh baggy (usually available at any pet store that carries fish) before dropping it in your tank. I have also heard of another method for cycling which involves using ammonia (pure, not soapy cleaner ammonia) to do a fishless cycle, but I have never used this method. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayden Kered Posted August 24, 2007 Author Share Posted August 24, 2007 Well my Betta is very lively so I guess that's a good sign then. Now for another question. I have an air tube with an air pump in my tank, the problem I'm having is that the bubbles that are produced are gathering and foaming up through the feeding hole in the hood, and slightly lifting the hood. Can this be a big problem? Is there anything I can do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boba Rhett Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 Are you using tap water? I think if your water is hard it tends to foam a lot worse. Can you turn down the speed of your pump? If it's pumping very fast it can cause a buildup of foam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayden Kered Posted August 24, 2007 Author Share Posted August 24, 2007 I'm using distilled water. I'm not sure if I can adjust the speed or not. It is a small Hawkeye air pump, I will have to check it out when I get home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MdKnightR Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 Air pumps are not necessary for a Betta. If your water is foaming, it might not be the aeration that is to blame....it could be the fish is building a bubble nest, although I've never heard of one getting that large before. If you desire aeration, you can pick up a air control valve at the pet store to adjust how much air your pump will introduce into the tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayden Kered Posted August 24, 2007 Author Share Posted August 24, 2007 I'm pretty sure that my Betta is not building a bubble nest. I'll check on that control valve next time I go. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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