Do you use a heater with your Cichlids?

[jtfields]

The guy I got my 110 gallon tank from kept African Cichlids in it as I plan to.  He did not use a heater in the tank.  He said in Houston it simply wasn't necessary.  His claim was that with a tank that size it never gets cold enough for enough consecutive days to matter.  I live on the southeast side of town which tends to stay a degree or two warmer than downtown and north.  Someone at a LFS here told me the same thing.  

Do you guys use heaters in your tanks?  Particularly, I'm interested in those with large tanks.

On the days when it actually is cold enough around here to run the heater in my house I set my thermostat to 72-73 degrees and on hot days when I need to run the A/C I set it to 75-76.  It doesn't seem like it ever gets cold enough to run the heater for more that three or four days at a time.

[jtfields]

Re: Do you use a heater with your Cichlids?

Sorry, double post.  Please delete.

[Ellen]

Re: Do you use a heater with your Cichlids?

I personally keep my house cooler than my fish would like. I honestly don't understand people using their location as reasoning for their use of heaters, unless they're not running their a/c. I don't use heaters in my garage in the summer time, but that's a different story enitrely.

I guess I'm saying that if your house keeps the water in the tank consistant enough, and if your fish do well at that temp, then you don't need them. I personally keep my house much cooler than I keep my fish!  

Ellen

[szidlon]

Re: Do you use a heater with your Cichlids?

Short and simple, yes.

[guppymax]

Re: Do you use a heater with your Cichlids?

My green terror babies are in a ten gallon tank without a heater. I have other cichlids in larger tanks without a heater too but the room is full of tanks and I have a space heater and a dehumidifier.

max

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Do you use a heater with your Cichlids?

i have a heater in all of my tanks and they are all inside the house where its pretty cold. i have lots of equipment though in my tanks that keep it at a steady 78-79f but i have the heater there anyways just in case.

bigger tanks will take longer to settle or to change in temp according to the room temp so that could be a problem trying to control the temp that way. the heaters are fairly cheap imo.

[armthehomeless]

Re: Do you use a heater with your Cichlids?

I don't have a heater in any of my 13 tanks (ranging in size from 5 gallons-200 gallons) I keep the temperature at 76 in the winter and 80 in the summer.

Tim

[ChrisBush]

Re: Do you use a heater with your Cichlids?

My question would be... why not have a heater ? they are inexpensive and would ensure a consistent water temp (more so than if you did not have one).my understanding is that it is important to provide a consisitant water temp for the fish, so I have been told. imho.

[jtfields]

Re: Do you use a heater with your Cichlids?

My question would be... why not have a heater ? they are inexpensive and would ensure a consistent water temp (more so than if you did not have one).my understanding is that it is important to provide a consisitant water temp for the fish, so I have been told. imho.

Slow changes in temperature aren't as bad as quick changes.  I guess the theory is that with a 110 gallon even if the temperature drops drastically in the room it will take quite awhile for the temperature to drop inside the tank.

If I get a heater I would get an inline heater for my canister so that I don't have to have one inside the tank (too ugly.)  They are a little more expensive and you have to install them.  I've heard of problems with leaks and such so I'm trying to decide whether I want to go through the trouble or not.

[ChrisBush]

Re: Do you use a heater with your Cichlids?

Thats interesting, I did not know they had inline heaters that fit in the canister. I do admit I do not like the looks of my heater in the tank. On the flip side, I can look at it and see the light on so I know it seems to come on quite often, my tank temp is at 80 deg.
Do they make the heaters this way or do you have to rig it up?

[jtfields]

Re: Do you use a heater with your Cichlids?

Thats interesting, I did not know they had inline heaters that fit in the canister. I do admit I do not like the looks of my heater in the tank. On the flip side, I can look at it and see the light on so I know it seems to come on quite often, my tank temp is at 80 deg.
Do they make the heaters this way or do you have to rig it up?

Inline heaters are installed in the outflow hose of your canister filter so that the water is heated on its way back into the tank.  When I say "installed in the outflow hose" I mean that you cut your outflow hose and attach the end coming out of the canister to one end of the heater and the other end that continues into the tank is attached to the other end of the heater.  Hence, the term "inline".  The heaters are made specifically for this purpose.

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Do you use a heater with your Cichlids?

i like sumps for that reason, no visual stuff in the tank and no leaking equipment  :wink:

[guppymax]

Re: Do you use a heater with your Cichlids?

Cheap x 100 = expensive lol

max

[rrocket2002]

Re: Do you use a heater with your Cichlids?

I don't use heaters much during the summer, but in winter I do.  Your fish can certainly live well in temps a little higher and lower than room temperature, but if you want fish to spawn I think most like the temp on the warmer side.

[cichlidsooner]

Re: Do you use a heater with your Cichlids?

I never use heat in the summer, always in the winter. However, I kept my mini fish store in my garage. Hot like hell in summer , rather nippley in the winter. I am glad I am not guppymax, way to many heaters for that show.