Opinions on heaters in goldie tanks?

Hi,

I’ve always been a big Betta fan but recently I have fallen in love with those bulging telescoping eyes of goldfish at my LPS. I’ve decided to go for it and start my journey with goldies.

However those guys are very different to Bettas which is what I’m used to. I’ve been doing a lot of research but I can’t seem to figure out what the best solution for water temp will be.

There seems to be a lot of mixed opinions, for eg. One that goldfish live in ponds in cold winters and are completely fine even in very cold water and that they can also hibernate but then again there’s people who seem to prefer keeping the water temperature higher.
Ideally I would rather not run a heater in the tank, but we are at the beginning of winter in the UK and it does get very cold at night. It doesn’t help that the room I am going to keep the tank is the coldest of the whole house by far. At the moment, temperatures in the room can drop to 13c at night (we don’t have the heating on over night) and we’re not even in middle of winter yet.

So I would like to see what everyone’s opinion and personal experience is with heaters for goldies in the winter. Do you use it? Do you avoid it? Are your fish in similar cold temperatures and are doing good without a heater? Or is it a good idea to run one for the cold months?

TIA

 

If the goldfish is the only thing in the tank it'll be fine without a heater. But if you wanted a steady temperature for it then buy an adjustable heater and keep it on low.

If you keep a goldfish in tropical temps (high 70's f) it raises their metabolism, it's doable but not as healthy for them.

 

If the goldfish is the only thing in the tank it'll be fine without a heater. But if you wanted a steady temperature for it then buy an adjustable heater and keep it on low.

If you keep a goldfish in tropical temps (high 70's f) it raises their metabolism, it's doable but not as healthy for them.

Thank you. Yes just goldfish, the only other thing I was considering is a nerite snail to help with algae, do you think it would be too cold for snails?

 

I know nerites can go in unheated tanks but I'm not sure about temps

 

I know nerites can go in unheated tanks but I'm not sure about temps

No worries, thank you for your help

 

Some goldfish are well suited for outdoor ponds, even in freezing weather as long as there is a deicer to keep the surface open so there can be gas exchange, Of course, the pond has to be deep enough that it does not freeze solid.

Fancy goldfish are not as hardy as the koi and common goldfish kept in outdoor ponds. A temperature of 21-24 degrees C (70-75 degrees F) would be ideal for fancy goldfish.

If the temperature in the room in which the goldfish are to be kept was stable, then a heater would not be required. However, it sounds like the temperature in the room in which the aquarium is to be kept will drop significantly on cold winter nights and then rise during daylight hours. The problem is not so much that the temperature will be too low for the fish. but that the temperature will be constantly changing. As cold-blooded animals, the metabolism of the fish depends on the temperature of the water. They can adapt to a wide range of temperatures, but temperature changes are stressful.

If you are planning on a very large tank 400 liters or greater, it might be that the rate of temperature change between night and day will not large enough to be harmful, especially if you take steps to insulate the bottom, sides and back of the aquarium, Outdoor ponds typically have very large water volumes and they are embedded in the ground so everything except the surface is insulated. Thus, temperature changes in ponds are gradual and the fish adjust. Temperature changes would be more significant in a smaller volume of water in an aquarium.

Remember that a heater must be sized based on the volume of the aquarium and also on the temperature rise.. I have some fish tanks in my basement where the temperature is significantly below that of the remainder of the house. I have to use larger heaters to insure the aquarium temperature is stable.

Unlike bettas that can be kept in fairly small aquariums, fancy goldfish have large bodies and can consume a significant amount of food and generate a lot of waste products. Keeping good water quality through adequate filtration and frequent water changes is critical to keeping your goldfish healthy. They do not belong in a fish bowl any more than your betta.

 

I have no experience with goldfish, but I was wondering if the goldfish would try eating the snail? As far as I know goldfish get pretty big and nerites are much smaller than mystery snails, so they could be considered "bite sized" to larger fish.

 

I have been keeping Goldfish for over a decade, and most of the time a heater is not required. However, Egg-bellied breeds may require heating because of the way they've been selectively bred and raised for the past few centuries! Flat-sided Goldfish do not require heating since they are much more commonly kept in ponds! A temperature of 50-72°F is more than suitable for these breeds! Egg-bellied Goldfish require higher temperatures, around 60-75°F. Extreme temperatures are usually okay as long as they don't last for more than a couple of days. Hopefully this helps clear up a few things for you! Goldfish are absolutely fantastic fish, one of my favorites, and they will bring you many smiles and joy for years, even decades to come!

 

Th

Some goldfish are well suited for outdoor ponds, even in freezing weather as long as there is a deicer to keep the surface open so there can be gas exchange, Of course, the pond has to be deep enough that it does not freeze solid.

Fancy goldfish are not as hardy as the koi and common goldfish kept in outdoor ponds. A temperature of 21-24 degrees C (70-75 degrees F) would be ideal for fancy goldfish.

If the temperature in the room in which the goldfish are to be kept was stable, then a heater would not be required. However, it sounds like the temperature in the room in which the aquarium is to be kept will drop significantly on cold winter nights and then rise during daylight hours. The problem is not so much that the temperature will be too low for the fish. but that the temperature will be constantly changing. As cold-blooded animals, the metabolism of the fish depends on the temperature of the water. They can adapt to a wide range of temperatures, but temperature changes are stressful.

If you are planning on a very large tank 400 liters or greater, it might be that the rate of temperature change between night and day will not large enough to be harmful, especially if you take steps to insulate the bottom, sides and back of the aquarium, Outdoor ponds typically have very large water volumes and they are embedded in the ground so everything except the surface is insulated. Thus, temperature changes in ponds are gradual and the fish adjust. Temperature changes would be more significant in a smaller volume of water in an aquarium.

Remember that a heater must be sized based on the volume of the aquarium and also on the temperature rise.. I have some fish tanks in my basement where the temperature is significantly below that of the remainder of the house. I have to use larger heaters to insure the aquarium temperature is stable.

Unlike bettas that can be kept in fairly small aquariums, fancy goldfish have large bodies and can consume a significant amount of food and generate a lot of waste products. Keeping good water quality through adequate filtration and frequent water changes is critical to keeping your goldfish healthy. They do not belong in a fish bowl any more than your betta.

Thank you

 

I have been keeping Goldfish for over a decade, and most of the time a heater is not required. However, Egg-bellied breeds may require heating because of the way they've been selectively bred and raised for the past few centuries! Flat-sided Goldfish do not require heating since they are much more commonly kept in ponds! A temperature of 50-72°F is more than suitable for these breeds! Egg-bellied Goldfish require higher temperatures, around 60-75°F. Extreme temperatures are usually okay as long as they don't last for more than a couple of days. Hopefully this helps clear up a few things for you! Goldfish are absolutely fantastic fish, one of my favorites, and they will bring you many smiles and joy for years, even decades to come!

Thank you I’m very excited

 

I have no experience with goldfish, but I was wondering if the goldfish would try eating the snail? As far as I know goldfish get pretty big and nerites are much smaller than mystery snails, so they could be considered "bite sized" to larger fish.

If it's larger than their mouths, no. (Which, unless we're talking about a monster groomed goldfish, full grown nerites shouldn't be an issue.)

 

I have no experience with goldfish, but I was wondering if the goldfish would try eating the snail? As far as I know goldfish get pretty big and nerites are much smaller than mystery snails, so they could be considered "bite sized" to larger fish.

Goldfish don’t usually go for snails in my experience. It’s mostly just clumsiness. They will often pick up a snail and spit it out when they realize it’s not food because they have bad eyesight, they don’t actually like eating the snails though.

Hi,

I’ve always been a big Betta fan but recently I have fallen in love with those bulging telescoping eyes of goldfish at my LPS. I’ve decided to go for it and start my journey with goldies.

However those guys are very different to Bettas which is what I’m used to. I’ve been doing a lot of research but I can’t seem to figure out what the best solution for water temp will be.

There seems to be a lot of mixed opinions, for eg. One that goldfish live in ponds in cold winters and are completely fine even in very cold water and that they can also hibernate but then again there’s people who seem to prefer keeping the water temperature higher.
Ideally I would rather not run a heater in the tank, but we are at the beginning of winter in the UK and it does get very cold at night. It doesn’t help that the room I am going to keep the tank is the coldest of the whole house by far. At the moment, temperatures in the room can drop to 13c at night (we don’t have the heating on over night) and we’re not even in middle of winter yet.

So I would like to see what everyone’s opinion and personal experience is with heaters for goldies in the winter. Do you use it? Do you avoid it? Are your fish in similar cold temperatures and are doing good without a heater? Or is it a good idea to run one for the cold months?

TIA

As far as heating goes, goldfish are really hardy. When the temperature is warm, it feels like summer to them, so they will have a faster metabolism, grow faster, eat more food, etc. I keep my young fancies at about 76 Fahrenheit, and it’s great for them. It’s ideal to keep younger goldfish warmer to help them grow up unhindered. After they get to be bigger and stop growing so much, about 70 is probably ideal for most fancies. I like keeping a heater on my Goldie tank because I leave the window open at night and I don’t want temperature swings in the tank. I also like keeping them with snails, which prefer the water around 76 or so.

Most goldfish will survive as low as 50-60° They just eat a lot less and go into hibernation. Personally, I do not think getting them to hibernate in a glass tank is good, because they can’t swim to the deep waters to hang out. In the wild and in ponds, when winter comes, they swim to the bottom of the pond and sit on the fallen leaves and hardly move all winter, in a glass tank, there is no depth, so they have no place to hibernate very well.

Your goldfish will also be far less entertaining in the winter if you don’t get a heater.