Other Ways to Keep water warm-er

[briggs]

Are there any ways to keep the water warm, other hten using a heater? Some sort of light? Maybe there is some sort tape or somethign that could be stuck on the tank..

I dont even want to tell you my water temperature as i feel horrible about it, and i may not be able to get a heater because of stupid reasons which i even more-so dont want to tell you.. so im scrambling for ways to try and heat the water a little.

Also, with a sumersible water heater, do you think it still works if its hidden under some small gravel? I dont want to say why id cover it up but that might be an option for me.

This may be my first and last fish, sadly.

Thanks... any help would be appreciated..

[abm]

Ok, since this post has such a negative attitude to it compared to your previous posts - I take it your water is quite cold and your fish isn't doing well. I'm sorry. However, if you don't tell us what you're dealing with, no one here can really help. We're not here to judge, we've all dealt with issues before, and we've all made mistakes. Don't be ashamed, just tell us what your water temp is and what the situation is and your options.

A heating pad can be used to heat tanks in a pinch. Even though your water may be cold, you still don't want to heat it too quickly as that stresses the fish as much as the water being too cold. Ideally shoot for a temp increase of 2 degrees per day. But with a heating pad you won't have as much control over the increase or stability of the water. Monitor the water temp carefully, and you might need to place a folded towel between the pad and the tank to keep it from overheating.

Some people use lights to warm the water. I have personally never tried this so I can't really guide you. Bettas do need a sleep cycle (dark/light) so it wouldn't work around the clock as a warming device, and the temp swings between night and day might very well be worse for the betta in the long run.

You say there are "stupid reasons" why you may not be able to get a heater....to be honest, the only stupid reason is that you refuse to buy one. Not having access to a store is not good, but it's not a stupid reason. Online suppliers such as drsfostersmith.com and petco.com should ship to Canada, I believe. Many forum members are Canadian.

A 25watt heater will cost less than a heating pad and will work better for the fish. I wouldn't recommend putting a heater under gravel and can't imagine a situation where you would want or need to do this...if your tank size/shape is unusual you'll find that submersible heaters can be oriented in different ways to maximize the amount of heater that is in contact with the water.

Please post back with more details - we're here to help you.

~abm

[briggs]

His water temperature is at 66. It should go up to about just over 70 i'd say in the next while.

he;s doing quite fine. He flares up once in a while (thanks to the stupid thermometer that i bought that reflects back to him, which i have now exchanged), and he is pretty quick to dart at food sometimes as if its alive.

I'm j ust pretty picky about things. I want everything to be perfect. But my girlfriend isnt the greatest person to take care of her fish she has (it was a gift to her from someone). She just does the water chang every 1.5 weeks, and makes sure the water is room temperature, and also my mothers friend has had her betta for two years now, in a roomthat is quite cold because its not used much therefore not heated, and hes doing well (2 years not bad).

My issue is that i have a father whom is very anal about certain things, and the first thing he said, being a negative person he is was "you dont have a heater in there right?". I don't really want to get into a personality analysis of my father.. lol. But safe to say, thats why im looking for other ways of heating the water up if possible.

That is also why i was asking if the heater could be placed under a little bit of gravel.. to be placed away from human eyes! (fathers). I can stick the heater iin the back left corner of his tank, and where his tank now it will be pretty much invisable i think to a passer by.

Anything is better then the plastic cup he was in though. Whatever his living siutation is now, it would be better then that.

Here are some pictures. He use to be where the little black truck is now. Quite an open area. THis is where the water was 66degrees. He could look out the window if he wanted(to the left of the circle looking thing)


This is his new area. The floor heater is there, the grate bottom left. You can see where he is now, above the clock. Its a bit more closed in, a little dark. (perfect for me to put a heater that cant be seen by you know who) But i figure it will be warmer in that area, probably hit 68-69 because it will trap heat in that area. I can even put a backing on my entertainment unit so there is no air current going behind my unit.


This is just another angle of his new area


Also, my ph (from the water that was 3/4 aged tap water/conditioned and the last 1/4 was 1.5L tap water, is at 7.4 Shold i bother trying to step it down or is that acceptable?

Also, as spring has started, it will start getting warmer. My houes does not have air conditioning (ahem, father again) so it can get a little warm. I figure it will bring his water to about 80-85, which isnt bad for bettas i dont think? BUt my question is do you think i should keep him in this new area hes in now, then in the summer time move him back to wher ethe black truck is? That way there might be more airing out. Also, my blind is closed half way in the summer most of the time to keep the room cool..

Sorry if any of this seems ridiculous, as it does to me and my mother but my father is one of a kind.. and sorry about the intial post. I had put the thermo in and it was at about 55 degrees for about 30 seconds and i freaked out.. but it went up to 66 and i think its probably aroudn 67-68 now (no thermometer anymore, geting it exchanged)

[abm]

Thanks for posting some details about what's going on.

To be honest, I think that probably doing a bit of research on bettas and knowing about the need for a heater etc. BEFORE getting one might have been the thing to do, given the uphill battle you'll be fighting to provide appropriate conditions for him. But as I said, we're not here to judge or criticize - you've got a betta and let's figure out how you can optimize his situation.

Given your room layout, the heating pad might be the way to go....I'm not clear on why your father is against heaters though. Any chance you could point him to articles here on HB and elsewhere on the internet that describe the joys of betta ownership and their specific needs? Truly a small submersible heater would be the best option if there's any way to wangle it. Obviously a light won't work in this arrangement. Although you don't want to place the tank on top of the pad....maybe along the side? With the size and shape tank you've got, you really need a heater! (sorry)

Try not to raise the temp much in a day. And don't feel bad - my tanks were in the mid to upper 60s for quite a while before I even discovered Healthy Betta It happens to all of us.

You say there are "stupid reasons" why you may not be able to get a heater....to be honest, the only stupid reason is that you refuse to buy one.

I retract my statement: your reason is indeed stupid and currently beyond your control.

If you can get a Hagen 25watt mini-submersible heater, they're quite small and if you strategically place your plants and maybe get a larger hidey object, you might be able to block the view...the cord will still stick out. If you'd care to try and explain why Dad is so against the heater concept...there are others here on the forum who have dealt with parents' odd notions and restrictions, perhaps someone could help out if they knew the whole story. Sometimes it's as simple as helping them to understand the needs of these wonderful pets; other times you just have to hide the stuff

The problem is (and it is a problem) is that your mom's betta has survived at sub-normal temps for so long. Yes, he's alive, but I guarantee he's not living optimally or happily. And your dad's argument (no doubt) will be that since her fish is fine, yours will be too. Maybe he will stay alive, but he won't be comfortable. Think of how you would feel if you were living outdoors all the time - you could survive but you certainly wouldn't be comfortable and completely happy. When I learned about the temperature issues here and warmed my tanks, the difference in personality and activity level was so marked I couldn't believe it!

I wouldn't mess with your pH right away - 7.4 is a tad high for bettas, but since you've just started keeping him, I would retest over the next few weeks and see how stable it is. As I mentioned, my pH can vary a lot and it's something that's an ongoing battle for me.

Thanks again for explaining your somewhat unique situation. Good luck!

~abm

[Minaku]

I don't want to bust in on abm's territory especially when she already answered this thread first, but I wanted to say a few things. First, after seeing your tank, I would immediately rule out a heating pad. They're okay for bowls because the surface area is smaller and so the pressure is distributed in a smaller place. There are rules written on the heating pad about how to heat and what sorts of things you can do to it, and one of the first things is that you should not squish the heating pad. The wires could burn through the plastic and start a fire.

Second, the reason why you shouldn't put a heater underneath gravel is because the glass of the heater is very delicate. A light tap is really all it takes to break one - I know, I've done it. I'm very sorry about your situation with your father, but your boy does need heat. In the summer you can turn it off and take it out of the tank if the temperature gets high.

Lastly, you'll probably want to make some sort of cover for your tank. Bettas jump. Even the ones who've never jumped before in their lives.

Edit: My boyfriend's mother has a 4 year old betta that lives in cold conditions, ie water 70 and below. The reason why he's lived so long is because he's basically in deep-freeze mode: his metabolism has slowed way down, and he just sits at the bottom of the bowl, motionless, eating once every three days.

[abm]

I agree with Minaku about squishing the heating pad....I edited my previous post after I looked at your pics, then when I reposted it I found she had corrected me! Great minds think alike....

I don't want to bust in on abm's territory especially when she already answered this thread first

Hey, I haven't got a monopoly on betta advice! This is what a forum is for - one problem, lots of suggestions.

I've broken heaters as well - they are delicate.

[briggs]

Thanks for the replies.

He's pretty much against anything that has to be plugged in. It's pretty sad. If he had it his way we'd live in a cave.

I'll get a heater. I can hide it. I'll just have to thinka bout something about the cord. Theres a good place for the actual heater thing behind his little hollowed out tree trunk, so that works and i could probably just stick something behind his tank which would cover up the cord somewhat.

I do plan on getting a thing for the top of his tank. It should fit just perfectly if my idea works. Only problem with this current set up is that i cant peek over the top of his tank and give him a rub on the back!

I'm sure in the summer time i wont need the heater.

Therse always perfectliving conditions for pets. Some things can adapt quite well. I'm just relaly worrying quite alot about him since its my first fish, but you know what, as i look at him now, he's swimming around likes hes a submarine, goign through his rock formation and checking otu his property. Even if hes a little chilly i think he'spretty happy.

[Minaku]

Good luck to you. A 25W heater is chump change for an electrical outlet. A normal lightbulb is 60W! If your dad argues, you can try using that argument. Also, the heater regulates itself by turning off and on, so it won't be using electricity all the time.

Don't forget to buy a thermometer that can go inside your tank and stay there!

[briggs]

I had a stainless steel one (thermometer), but it was to reflective so he freaks out at it. I'm getting a floating one (it'smade of plasti though so now i dont know if i even like that..).

Thats a good point about the heater. Heck, I dont even use my light bulbs in my room sometimes. I also didnt know they regulate themselves.

while im thinking about it, whats a real good 25w submersible, preferlbly one thats small and one that wont stop working if its itaken out of the tank at one point (ive heard some of them do this)

[teresa]

I hope I can help here (still very new myself)

I see in the pic that you do have one thing plugged in, t.v. i assume? get an extention cord, plug that in where the t.v is plugged in, run it behind the wall unit and plug both t.v. and heater in! cord hidden!

The theremomter thingy...i have one that flares at anything even remotely shiny so I use the stick on kind, and they are really cheap. under $3 here in Canada.

Good luck, and happy Betta keeping! Healthy Betta is the best place to get help, it was a Godsend for my now healthy happy and warm Bettas

[abm]

I highly recommend Hagen 25watt mini-submersible heaters. Completely submersible, small and accurate. One drawback is that there's no visible thermostat (as in, you can't set it at 78 by looking at a dial), it's just got an up/down knob. So setting it up can be tricky. But once it's set, it's SET.
Plastic thermometers are fine - however, I had a thermometer go bad on me a week or three ago (poor fish, it said it was 72 in his tank so I kept turning up the heat...then I noticed it was STILL reading 72. I felt his water and it was warmer to the touch than his neighbor's, whose temp was 80. So I swapped thermometers and found he was boiling at 86 ! He's fine now, although that episode probably took a few weeks off his life span

[briggs]

Ah ok thanks.

Just another thing wtih the water. i just tested water right from the tap, its about about 7.0 or just over!!!

The water thats been in my tank, 3/4 aged tap water(with conditioner) and 1/4 spring water, for 1.5 days is is at the 7.4 like i said before.

What do you think I should do? just use straight tap water? i wonder what is making the ph go to 7.4?

i just have gravel, and 2 formations and 2 fake plants.

also, what do you guysthink about those thermometers that are just a stick on sort of thing which you stick on the outside of your tank. do you think they give accurate readings?

[Minaku]

I don't have any answers to your pH question as I've never had to deal with pH (mine comes out at 6.8 and stays at 6.8, but I do 25-50% water changes every three days so that could be why my pH doesn't fluctuate a lot... or my tester could be broken or inaccurate... um... anyway) but there are definitely people here that can answer that. It is, however, possible that your spring water has a higher pH than your tap water. One of the mods here, starlight, recommends Poland Spring water because it's 7.0.

I'm not fond of stick-on thermometers because they can read the outside air temperature instead of the water temperature. I have a stick-on right now that's very reliable but I still feel uncomfortable with it sometimes. I just don't let my roommate have her dastardly way with the heat (if she had it her way, the apartment would be 85, and both my fish and me would die). I keep it down in the low 70s so that the thermometer is forced to read tank temperature.

I much prefer suction-cup thermometers, big ones, so that you can read the temperature more easily and more accurately. This picture shows the kind of thermometer I have. It's a bit more pricey, but I like the largeness of it.

[starlight]

i just have gravel, and 2 formations and 2 fake plants.

What are the formations made of? Rocks can cause pH to shift higher in the scale. You better check the pH for awhile, minerals in rock can pull it much higher than 7.4
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my 2c's...regarding the heater, he'll see it in the tank or he'll see the cord going to the outlet. If you put the tank on a heating pad or put the heating pad on the side of the tank (the way I USED to do it), he'll see that too.

A good argument might be...is that a sub-Hagen costs around $15 and uses pennies a month in electricity.

In the meantime, I'd used a light to warm his water to 78 degrees. At night turn off the light and wrap the sides of the tank with a towel to keep the temp more constant. I hope that you have a lid on the tank? You'll lose a lot of warmth with an open top. Without a glass lid, you can use saran wrap to cover the tank. Keep the tank away from windows.

[briggs]

well, i have a power bar that goes behind my entertainment unit, so he wouldnt see it plugged in. and also since teh tank is in that little cupboard (in my pictures), it could be quite difficult to actualy see a cord #1 because its dark in there, #2 i have a tall silk plant that could cover up the cord, #3 my hollow tree trunk for him covers up the actual heater i think, depending how big it is.

Its pretty sad i have to think about these things and what not. It's not a money issue, its something to do with him not thinking its smar tto take a risk of putting something electrical inside water. He has a point, but with most of his points, its far fetched and will never really happen to anyone.

Hopefully covering it up and putting towls around the tank will raise it to atleast 70. When the warmer weather comes i wont be worried at all because it will shoot to about 75 in normal room temp im sure, over a few days/weeks.

It's to bad you couldnt get heating pads in the form of strips or something that stick to the outside of a tank. that would be neat!

I put his new thermometer in, actualy a smaller version of the one posted above. He was quite curious, swiming in around my fingers as i was attatching it. he may be a little cold, but he still swims like a sub-mariner! He's really quite active.

It's to bad there isnt some sort of solution you can get to make water warm or something.. haha.. or even something that coats the fish and makes him warmer.. if only

starlight said:

What are the formations made of? Rocks can cause pH to shift higher in the scale. You better check the pH for awhile, minerals in rock can pull it much higher than 7.4
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I'm not sure, but they are from petsmart. It's not real rock, but its made for an aqurium. The other thing i sa hollowed out tree log for his hidey, which is made of a hard substance, id call it plastic but it probably some other fancy none toxic material... but also m ade for aquairums and from petsmart.

I have a feeling its just the bottled water. Unfortuantely i dont have any left right now so i cant test it, but it's probably that, since the water right out of my tap is at 7.

I'm having a hard time finding low wattage heating pads around anywhere.. any suggestsions ? Petsmart doesnt seem to have anything... !