# How to keep tank warm with no heater?



## bryzy (Nov 3, 2012)

Hi, 
I live in a town called Mascoutah. Right now it's in it's winter coldness. The high every day is about 40•f and at night it can go down to 15•f. My tanks for all my boys aren't heated. They are not by a window. What can I do to keep them warm?


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

Place towels around them.. keep them in the warmest room of the house.. space heater in the room set for over 80*... not much else you can do that won't put them in shock from a drastic temp change, or from too much fluctuation.

I would look into saving for heaters.. especially if you still plan on breeding these guys.


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## registereduser (Jul 30, 2010)

I bought a cheap desk lamp at wallyworld, it's a regular bulb, not LED. I set it up NEXT to the glass, not over the tank. You'll have to leave it on all night but the shade and bulb base gets really hot and since it's up against the glass it heats the tank. I made it touch the glass.

I used this with a hospital tank in my bathroom, it's a 2 gallon glass cannister "tank". I wouldn't use this with anything bigger or anything plastic/acrylic. It kept the tank at 76/78 but it's also a pretty warm room.

I will take a photo and post later today.

If you have some money I would get these for anything under 5 gallons:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produ...=1520843417&catargetid=1570177067&cagpspn=pla

also covering the tanks with saran wrap helps keep heat in.


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

Not a good idea to use a lamp - they may feel hot, but generally don't heat up the tank evenly, and not safely.

A betta will need to have the light off at night in order to get the proper rest it (along with all over living things) needs... and when you turn off the lamp at night, any bit of warmth the tank did get will go down very quickly which can be deadly (fluctuation).

Not a good idea to use a lamp to heat a tank.. it really doesn't work evenly in the water. Seran wrap keeps humidity in the tank, but in order to get humidity there needs to be a heat source from a heater.. make sure there are holes in the wrap.

Not meaning to sound rude.. but just stating the lamp doesn't actually heat up the water like you are thinking, and keeping something that gets that hot on 24/7 is not wise.. not to mention she has at least 6 tanks.. not safe to use lamps on all of them. She is purchasing items in hopes to breed them, so I recommend instead of buying those half gallon "breeding cups", just purchase heaters


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## Viva (Oct 18, 2012)

registereduser said:


> http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produ...=1520843417&catargetid=1570177067&cagpspn=pla


I use this heater for my ~3.4 gallon kritter keeper that I use as a hospital tank and the temp varies 73 - 79 degrees depending on if I have the heat on in the apartment. It gets freezing at night and thats when the water drops to 73 but I'm sure for a healthy fish this wouldn't really be a big deal.


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## Dragonlady (Nov 29, 2010)

Unless you have lots of individually housed fish, the easiest solution to keep your betta's water at a consistent comfortable temperature is to buy a heater. ;-) Heaters are not expensive. You could set the thermostat of the room they are kept in to about 80-82 degrees to keep them warm as well. Bettas that are not kept in heated water are very prone to velvet. It is much easier to prevent illness in bettas than to treat them once they get sick.


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

I have to agree.. I'm not trying to sound rude, but I am going to be blunt. You are getting your grandma/mom to buy you things to breed them, and you are buying new fish often.. why not stop buying those other things and instead make the tanks you have a proper home for the ones you have first, and then continue. You have to keep your fish healthy if you ever do want to breed them... and you have to have heaters for breeding.


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## Sivan (Aug 30, 2010)

There is no substitute for a heater. Even if you were to keep the tanks warm through a light, at night the temperature can easily drop 10 degrees. Large fluctuations can lower immunity and cause betta fish more prone to illness and health problems. Lamps also heat the water unevenly and do not stop heating them when the temperature gets too high.

Betta fish NEED heaters as tropical fish. You would not get a dog if you could not provide a warm shelter, so do not get betta fish if you cannot do the same.


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## bryzy (Nov 3, 2012)

Myates said:


> I have to agree.. I'm not trying to sound rude, but I am going to be blunt. You are getting your grandma/mom to buy you things to breed them, and you are buying new fish often.. why not stop buying those other things and instead make the tanks you have a proper home for the ones you have first, and then continue. You have to keep your fish healthy if you ever do want to breed them... and you have to have heaters for breeding.


I keep my tanks at 76•. I was tying to say that the temp. Goes down to about 70• during winter. I can properly care for my fish. I wanted to know if there is a substitute. I wasn't saying that I keep them on cold water. I know wish that I never posted this thread. :*| thanks for ur consideration.


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

Sorry you feel that way, but as you said.. the water gets to 70 during winter (and I'm sure colder at night), and since winter is here, we are just letting you know there is no substitute and that focusing on getting heaters would be the wisest choice. Up to you whether you follow through or not.


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## bryzy (Nov 3, 2012)

I will. I have a heater for my big tank.


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## registereduser (Jul 30, 2010)

Myates said:


> Not a good idea to use a lamp - they may feel hot, but generally don't heat up the tank evenly, and not safely.


it worked really well for me in a pinch. pic to follow.


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## uzanybug (Dec 13, 2012)

*An idea to keep your betta warm tonight.*



bryanacute said:


> Hi,
> The high every day is about 40•f and at night it can go down to 15•f. My tanks for all my boys aren't heated. They are not by a window. What can I do to keep them warm?


I have a similar situation. Finley, my new betta, lives in a little bowl with no heater. The room is too cold and I cannot adjust the theromstat. A cheap little self-adjusting ceramic heater that warms the room ABOVE 75 seems to be doing the trick for now. Maybe you have a space heater you could use? :arrow: If you don't, please reply. There are other things you might be able do right away until you get the heater.

Finley has a holiday wish list and is expecting some gifts, but this is working until he gets a bigger habitat with a heater and thermometer and all those nice things. 

At least he seems happy, even if I'm wearing summer clothes! :devil: As a new owner of less than a week, I'm a complete newbie. Please feel free to set me straight, anyone, if I'm giving bad advice.

Good luck!


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## bryzy (Nov 3, 2012)

uzanybug said:


> I have a similar situation. Finley, my new betta, lives in a little bowl with no heater. The room is too cold and I cannot adjust the theromstat. A cheap little self-adjusting ceramic heater that warms the room ABOVE 75 seems to be doing the trick for now. Maybe you have a space heater you could use? :arrow: If you don't, please reply. There are other things you might be able do right away until you get the heater.
> 
> Finley has a holiday wish list and is expecting some gifts, but this is working until he gets a bigger habitat with a heater and thermometer and all those nice things.
> 
> ...


I do get a $100 bucks to spend tomorrow. BUT I can only spend around $30 to $50 on fish.


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## Kithy (Nov 21, 2012)

There's some pretty cheap heaters. How big is the tank and I'll see what I can find real quick.


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## bryzy (Nov 3, 2012)

5 gallon.


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## Sivan (Aug 30, 2010)

An Elite brand heater, which has a life time warranty and an internal thermostat that will heat the water to the temperature you select, is just under $20 on Amazon. I have one for my 5 gallon. It is the best heater I've seen.


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## bryzy (Nov 3, 2012)

I can't order from the Internet.


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## LebronTheBetta (Apr 23, 2012)

Er, is there a Petco or Petsmart near you? I bought my Hydor on the internet, best brand IMO. I heard you can find it in Petco, not sure. Also check your local fish stores. I have one near me, too bad I'm near D.C. though.


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## bryzy (Nov 3, 2012)

Yes I do have a petsmart/petco near. I've got about $100.00. I'm going to petco later.


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## LebronTheBetta (Apr 23, 2012)

Good. It's probably $25 at maximum, mine was $18 overall. You would need the 25 watt or 50 watt. Whichever you think is best. But I think the 50 watt is better, just in case if the 25 watt heater isn't strong enough.


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## bryzy (Nov 3, 2012)

Thanks!


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