NEED COLD WATER

[Duellsy]

i recently was given a small red fin to place in my old tank, as it would not swim away when the angler caught it, it is doing fine now in my fish tank, but i am having trouble keeping the water temperature down, it was caught on a river, which runs from the mountains, so the water is fairly cold.
Does anyone have any ideas on how to keep the water temperature at a very low level???
I would be very greatful for any ideas at all...
Thanks
-Duellsy

 

[ronrca]

There are a number of ways to lower the temp!
- turning off your lights for a couple of hours, spacing your lights further away from the tank (that means not using a hood)
- Depending on the temp in the house, you might have to lower the temp in the house.
- You have buy chiller units but expensive
- Put water in a 2L pop bottle, freeze it and then put it in the water
- Freeze water into ice cubes and let the ice cubes thaw above the tank, dripping into the tank.
- Or just leave it be. Depending on the difference in temp, it might not be a problem. The most important thing to remember is change. Change stresses/kills fish. Most fish can handle higher temp contrary to popular belief. Of course some people will argue about that but I think that changes in water parameters (like trying to keep the temp down but it will keep coming back up) is worse than a higher constant temp. Most of my fish are kept in water that is a higher temp. No negative effects however it is important to know a few problems that can occur; lower oxygen, higher metabolism, etc. maybe even a shorter life expectancy. Enough typing.

 

[Matt Nace]

How warm is it getting? Fish can adapt somewhat to warmer water from cold streams. Is it in the low 70's still?

how big is the tank?  
enough typing for me too ron said what i would think....

 

[Duellsy]

Thanks a bunch for your help guys, but the problem has been solved, i have let teh fish go into a small creek nearby, with next to no predetors. He should be much happier in the wild now, he seemed to like the freedom. *twirlysmiley*

-Duellsy