What's The Correct Tank Temperature?

[Alzone]

I have my 5 gallon bow-front tank set up with the bio-filter. All sems to be working well. I bought a stick-on thermostat and a heater for a 2.5-5 gallon tank. The thermometer is reading 84 degrees F. This is after overnight with the lights off and both computers in the room turned off. The thermometer and heater are not near a heat source.
Is this proper temperature or do I have an over-zealous heater or bad thermometer?*SICK*
BTW, I have the 5 stocked w/ 1 Male Betta, 4 Neons ,2 Bloodfins, 2 glolights,1 Clown Loach,1 Panda Cat, 1 Plecotomus and 4 ghost shrimp.
I have a male Betta by himself in a 2.5 bowfront also. I'm considering buying a Cory Cat for him today. I may move a couple of Ghost Shrimp and 1 or 2 fish from the 5 gallon over to him today also.
I'm really enjoying the tranquility of my aquarium hobby.*SUPERSMIL

 

[wayne]

Stick on thermometers are notoriously poor

 

[Lotus]

I would say your heater is working too much. How many watts is that heater?

By the way, you seriously need to get a larger tank for your fish.

 

[timisu87]

The correct temperature of the tank should be around 76-78 degrees. Consider really getting a bigger tank, its torture for all those fish to be confined in such a small area.

 

[TLM4x4]

yep...thats alottalottalotta fish in a teenyteeny tank!!!

 

[echoofformless]

I would certainly agree with the other posters about how many fish you have in that tank, especially considering the types of fish. The clown loach actually needs at least a 30 gallon tank, and even that is a conservative estimate. The pleco too. These are both very large fish when fully grown. Even with the smaller fish, those numbers are really up there. I have a twenty gallon and I only have two danios, two rasboras, a gourami, a cherry barb and a female betta. I might add four to six more small fish but that will be it.

The betta, the neons and the ghost shrimp are pretty much all you should have in that five.

Now as far as temps go, I own an Eclipse Corner 5 and it regulates the temperature on its own due to the filter motor and the light. In fact, I bought a heater for it when I got it, but never used the heater because the temp was always in the 78-80 degree range no matter what I did. I almost thought it was defying the laws of physics until somone on here told me that the filter motor is submerged and generates heat. So try turning off the heater, regulating your light timers, and then see what happens to the temp. If it stays steady in the safe zone (72-80) then you're fine without it.

The 2.5 gallon will be at capacity with a betta, a cory and some shrimp. But that's just me, as I tend to slightly understock my tanks. I find it makes the fish a lot happier and it's easier on my filters.

 

[hyunelan2]

I would first get a $1.50 glass thermometer and see what the actual temperature of the tank is. Those stick-on things are terribly inaccurate. You could be in the safe range now.

As for temp, I keep my tropical tanks around 81-83F. I like them a little warmer, because is makes it harder for ick to spread. When I first got my 25g over a year ago, I'd keep it 76-78ish. Had ick 3 times. I decided to start keeping them warmer, and have not had an ick outbreak in over a year (in any tank).

 

[Shaunna]

I was told that a 55 gallon is absolute minimum for a clown loach! I know some of the plecs stay realtively small but they are all way to big for that tank. I have a stick on thermometer and it always seems to work fine. I am not sure about the heater I assume it works but I have never seen the light on or nothing but my tank has stayed at a consistent temp for almost 3 months now... so I will take that as a something is working

 

[GIS Guy]

It is tempting to overstock tanks just to get the fish you really want.
I have a 20g and have decided to remain with tetras rather than go with balas, loaches or cichlids.
I would say thin out the 5 and keep the betta alone in the 2.5.

BTW
(1) what is the average adult size of clown loaches?
(2) do they grow slow or fast on average?

I have only seen 1 or 2 clown loaches as the LPS (it is definitely not an LFS) and it was 2 inches.

 

[hyunelan2]

1. Average is hard to tell. In the wild they grow up to a foot, but rarely that large in an aquarium, maybe 6-8" or so on average I would say. Part of the reason it is thought they do not breed in captivity is because they never grow, sexually, all the way.

2. They grow pretty slowly. You can keep them in a smaller aquarium as long as you know that it will not hold them forever, and put them into a bigger home before their growth is stunted. I have 4, 1.5-2" clown loaches in my 46g.

 

[ComHam]

BTW, I have the 5 stocked w/ 1 Male Betta, 4 Neons ,2 Bloodfins, 2 glolights,1 Clown Loach,1 Panda Cat, 1 Plecotomus and 4 ghost shrimp.
I have a male Betta by himself in a 2.5 bow

That is FAR too many fish for a 5 gallon. The plecostomus alone can grow to 2 feet, so either get a bigger tank or return some fish.

 

[TLM4x4]

It also depends on what KIND of fish you are keeping...some require, are happier, in a warmer temp. and some are not. So, is always a benefit to read up on the kind of fish you are keeping.

 

[echoofformless]

I was told that a 55 gallon is absolute minimum for a clown loach!

Yeah, that's why I said even a 30 gallon was a conservative estimate! hehe

Oh and I just added up your tank's inhabitants per inch (assuming the plec and the clown loach are only juveniles and maybe 4-5 inches each, and not counting the shrimp because they don't add much to the bioload) and you have 6.5 inches of fish per gallon. The general (yes, VERY general) rule of thumb is 1 inch per gallon. That should give some idea of how overstocked that five gallon is.

Please tell me you at least cycled this tank and added these fish a little at a time, because if you just started this tank with that many fish...well...that water will become urine in a matter of days.

 

[Shaunna]

Charlie Brown...... 6.5 inches PER gallon!!!! Man that is alot!!! Not to fret though Alzone... this is a problem that can be easitly rectified. We are not jumping down your throat here either just some friendly advise. I overstocked my tank when I first got it and I know sometimes it can seem like everyone is yelling at you... but not the case at all!*SUPERSMIL

Get a larger tank for your plec and loach and move some of the other little fish into it as well and you will be good to go.
If they are juvies you could buy a 10 gallon for them for like 10 bucks as long as you can move them in the future. Of course if you have the money you could just go ahead and get a much larger tank now and save yourself a step later on.

Good luck with whatever you do.

 

[Alzone]

It sounds like an aninimous opinion that my tank is overs-stocked. I moved some fish around but I also bought 2 more fish
I now have 1 Betta, 2 Bloodfin Tetras and 1 2" Clown Loach in the 2.5 tank. The 5 gallon now has the 4 neons, 2 glo-lights, 1 Betta, 1 Redfin Shark, 1 Cory Cat and one very small Panda Cat. That's still about 16" 0f fish in the 5 gallon tank. I guess a new tank may be needed already.

 

[Shaunna]

Yeah, I suggest you get a new tank immediately. If you can afford it go ahead and get a large tank like a 55 or 75, that is if you are wanting to keep the loach and other big fish.... if it isn't possible or you are not planning on keeping the loach get a 10. Like I said earlier, you can still put the loach and plec in a 10 for a while but they will have to be moved again eventually.

 

[hyunelan2]

Here's my suggestion: Ebay. Look for a tank setup with everything you need to go (tank, filters, etc). You can usually find a complete 30 gal setup for $50 or so, or a 55 gal for $100-$200 (depending on equipment).

I would also suggest spending some time reading the profiles of each fish you have. Clown Loaches, for example, are happiest when kept in a group. You don't even have sufficient room for 1, let alone a group right now. Read up on your fish, see which ones will go best together, and which fish (if any) you need to buy more of when you have the room.

P.S. - from my experience, Betta + Red Fin Shark = constant fighting, which makes the tank stressful to watch instead of relaxing.

 

[cybersymes]

alzone dude...bite the bullet...
buy as big a tank as you can afford...
you are sooooooooooo overstocked...

as for temp...check out each fish on the 'net...
get a 'profile' for each one...print them out...
each fish will have a 'happy' temp. range...

here comes the math...

pick the middle temp for each fish...
add all the figures together...
then divide by the number of fish...
hey presto...your 'optimum operating temp'...

this system works best when you have researched in advance...
to ensure that you have a compatable community...
you did do that...didn't you...