RandomKayos

What is the perfect temp for bettas? I would also like to know why that temp is the perfect one.

Also, how reliable are heaters? If set to a temp, do they perfectly maintain that temp? Throughout the whole tank or just in the spot they are in? Does the heater detect decimial changes and kick on when it gets to say 76.1 and off at 76.9 to maintain a 76 degree temp or does it have to drop to 75 and then shut off at 77 or a greater range.

If you had a tank with very little or no circulation and one end was 75 and the other 86 (the range specified for Bettas at live aquaria.com), would the betta pick a specifice temp or would it move all over the tank and just be upset that there was a temp variance?

RK

clinton1621

Hmm... I would say that just like all tropical fish, bettas need a steady and stable temp thats in the range for a tropical type fish. So a constant temp range between 76 and 78 would be optimal.... any lower and you risk disease (parasites included), poor health, and digestive problems... any higher and you risk shorter life spans due to higher metabolic rates, and possibly lower oxygen levels if you dont compensate for the reduced dissolved oxygen rates caused by higher temps.

RandomKayos

That's a good answer and good info but from what I can gather there is an exact perfect temp required by Bettas and I just can't seem to find out what that is.

It's like putting an air stone in a betta tank, they are laybrinth fish. The very very rudimentary gills they have wouldn't pull enough oxygen to sustain them even if kept in pure oxygen. So, why the air stone?

RK

pamd

Most of what I've read says the temp should be 78 to 80 degrees for bettas. I'm not sure about that common advice, however. I have a sneaking suspicion that 80 degrees is too much for them, and as Clinton suggests, too warm increases their metabolism, therefore shortening their lifespan in the long run. Meanwhile, I think they're happier at about 80 degrees. But it's very possible they live happier but shorter lives at that temp.

Then there's the other side of the coin. Isn't there always? Too cold, less than 78 degrees, probably does increase their chances of disease.

I think airstones for bettas are just for fun and amusement, not life support, as long as they can get up to the surface easily to grab some air and make a bubble or two and also have some oxygenated water underneath the surface by way of filtration or water changes. Although I have to admit that my Candi was on death's door, and survived because of the new amusement from the airstone plus talking her through her illness two nights in a row.

The Stealth water heaters by Marineland are somewhat accurate. Probably not within your parameters, though. I know mine vary more than one degree according to the room temp, but at least you can set them, and the temps stay reasonably but not perfectly accurate.

I think one of the most important things regarding temp is stability, even if it takes gradual stability over hours. As a teen, I put some poor fish into a tank too fast and he curled around and died. It was horrible. Ugggg, I'm so paranoid about something like that ever happening again, so I'm super-careful about temps, especially about keeping them stable.

RandomKayos

Ok, so far I'm seeing about what I expected. Opinions vary but stay within a particular range. This has also been my experience. Range is the key and perfect is not really possible. I also know for a fact that in the wild the temps vary just within the range suggestion I've seen. The air temp varies more so but ground water stays between 75 and 86. Also, 2 of my betta's will pine cone if the temp goes over 78 or 79, I keep these in the house which is kept at 76 and they are just fine. My outside bettas go from 76 to about 80 every day and back to 76 at night. The have not shown a single sign of illness.

However, I've been informed that this is not good for my betta's, that a heater should always be used to keep them at the perfect temp. So I'm trying to find out what that temp is.

RK

Blub

Well, logically speaking, the exact middle of the 'perfect range' would be the perfect temp. 79F (25C) that is. That's just logic, not backed fact but it really depends on which advantages you want.

RandomKayos

Ok, finally, 79F is the perfect temp for bettas and all should be kept there unless there is a need to adjust for medical reasons, (such as increasing to 84F for ick). This perfect temp cannot be maintained, exactly, all the time because the heaters available do not check all area's of the tank and usually have a couple degrees between on and off temps depending on the brand. And of course tank size would play a part in this, if it's covered or not, flow from air stones and filters and such. But 79F is the target.

Next question, how many keep there betta tanks at exactly 79F? If you do, how? If you don't, why not?

RK

pamd

Although others might provide additional opinions, I don't see anything wrong with what you're doing with the temp with the outside bettas. The change is gradual, and overall very nice and natural. You'll take them inside when the weather gets colder, right? I don't see a problem with what you're doing for now.

However, your two pine-coning inside ones might be telling you something beyond temp. That doesn't seem normal and could be symptoms of Dropsy, which is a whole other symptom of other diseases. I hope they'll be okay.

Red1313

I agree that tropical fish (depending on where you live) usually need a heater. As for how water behaves regarding heat. Warmer water rises while cooler water falls. This motion keeps a sort of current going and you see it everywhere in nature (jump in a lake the water about 6-feet down from the surface is freezing). I don't think that your boys will mind that the water warms up over the course of the day and cools at night b/c that's what water does normally. Also most fish species are less active at night so a cooler temp then, will reduce their metabolism in responce to a lesser energy demand. When the sun comes in the morning the water warms up and their metabloism increases and they're active for the day.

Also water has this peculiar property of holding onto heat. So this temp change is gradual. As long as it's not a hudge change in water temp I think that they'll be fine.

Allie

I keep my betta at 78* but higher when they are ill. Like 80-82*

Fishies-for-me

mine stay at 76-78 but that is cuz the heaters I have in their tanks are preset and can't be changed.. I have to get a new heater for my 1 1/2 gallon tank with a female betta as I ummm..( oops) forgot to unplug the heater when I took it out of the tank ( unbreakable) and I think I fried it!!

sirdarksol

RK, there was no need to go roundabout to get this answer.
You actually keep bettas the way that is often suggested people keep their young bettas, by heating the surrounding air. Most of us don't keep our houses at 76 degrees, so this wouldn't work. (During the summer, my house is at 72 degrees, during the winter, it's 66 or lower).
Personally, I wouldn't want the temp to range across 4 degrees, but at least your range is in the area that tropical fish enjoy. (To precisely answer half of your initial question, my tank is at 79 degrees, and ranges less than half a degree above that, and never below it.)
What I'm getting at is that it isn't a question of how you keep your tropical tanks at the proper temp, but the fact that tropical tanks remain at a proper temp.

RandomKayos

Yes Mod. And the point of this post was to illistrate that not even all the "Good Betta Caretakers" actually use heaters or are even sure what temps they are kept at. So slamming every betta post with "buy a heater, must have a heater" and so on is exactly that. A slam.

A polite reminder to keep the water temp steady between 76 and 80 is much more encouraging. This is a wonderful forum full of wonderful people and very good advice and idea's. It's a shame a few are so busy slamming anyone not perfect in thier eyes. In most cases there are a range of options. So preaching specific's you don't even follow is just not right in my book.

RK

Lucy

You could have stated that rather than baiting people.
I didn't respond to this post because I saw it for what it was.

Barbrella

Something else must be wrong. This summer my betta tanks hit near 90 degrees during a heat wave, and they showed no distress whatsoever. I usually keep them at around 80.

And for all of us living in northern climes, a heater is essential equipment for keeping tropical fish and telling people who live here to get a heater is hardly a slam.

People put them in for different reasons - to keep the protein scum from forming on the surface, some people don't like the look of very still water, and others have bettas (like mine) who enjoy playing in the bubbles.

RandomKayos

No, baiting was nessessary because so many just type what will get them praise while the reality is the fish are cared for differently. ( And I am not hinting different means wrong. Exactly the opposite.) Rather that honestly saying they do this or that and it's fine, they fudge and bend and fit the perfect mold so no one says they are bad.

When I joined here I thought I could help others as I was expanding my knowledge. Instead, I've been slammed for not fitting the perfect mold of the few. Called names and informed I'm out of date. I've watched others ask a simple question and then get baited and battered and not come back because they didn't get an answer, just bashed.

RK

RandomKayos

Oh, don't mistake me. I'm not saying it's wrong to have a warm tank. Don't confuse me with those who spit absolutes. I'm actually saying you should watch your fish and do what is right for them. Each fish is an individual and should be treated that way when possible. I keep those two in cooler water because they are healthyer there. I wish I had a clue why the higher temps bother those two but as illistrated recently in a few posts here, no one seems to know what causes that reaction let alone what the fix is. With these two the fix is to keep the water cooler and they are just as active as the ones outside. Bubble nests, flaring when it's feeding time et. al.

RL

Lucy

Baiting is never necessary.


What I've witnessed is members ask questions because the information the poster provided was incomplete. In order to give the best advice as we can, it's important to know everything.
I think you'll also find people have gotten wonderful advice and not sign back in either.

But I'm way off topic now, so, please excuse me for hijacking this thread.