Unlike nature, where water temperature can vary in different micro-habitats, the temperature in an aquarium tends to be uniform throughout the tank. And second, temperature changes tend to occur gradually in nature due to the massive volumes of water involved, so fish have time to adapt, or move. First, fish in the wild can usually move to a more desirable spot if they don't like the temperature. There are two major differences between natural habitats and our aquariums when it comes to temperature. And what happens when the sun goes down at night? The water near the surface is usually quite a bit warmer than just a few feet below. Sometimes it rains, which can cool things down considerably. There may be seasonal changes as you get further away from the equator. Water temperature in nature isn't always constant. Making matters worse, above 90☏, the beneficial bacteria that maintain balance in an aquarium begin to die, creating the potential for dangerous ammonia and nitrite spikes. Once again, they become more susceptible to disease, and in extreme cases, they can experience organ damage or even suffocate. The problem is, as water warms up it holds less oxygen, which further stresses the fish. When it's too warm, their metabolisms and breathing speed up, and they use more oxygen. When it's too cold, they're less active, their appetite is reduced and their immune systems are compromised, making them more susceptible to disease. Instead, they rely on the temperature of their environment to regulate their metabolisms and activity levels. Tropical fish, for example, do best between 75° and 80☏, goldfish and other "cold-water" species prefer temperatures below 70☏, and temperate fish can be found in habitats that overlap tropical and cold-water realms.įish are cold-blooded – aka ectothermic or poikilothermic – animals, meaning they cannot control their body temperature. The temperature range that's best for each creature depends on what part of the world they're native to. Too high or too low, and our aquatic pets will suffer. It's important to keep our aquariums within a certain temperature range to make sure the fish and other aquatic creatures we keep are happy and healthy.
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