just considering betta fish, may be a bad idea?

[callistra]

Heaters will only raise the water temp 10 to 15 degrees above room temp so you just keep your house too cold sorry. If you want to experiment get say a 5 gallon with a good 50w heater and an in tank thermometer and just monitor temps for a few days but I can't imagine you can find stuff to raise it 20 to 25 degrees. Just too cold. Try a single goldfish in a 20g

Idk why people think tank heaters can make up 20 to 25 degrees of difference but that's just not how it works. Some
Struggle with even 10 but a good can do only about 15

Eta: you could have a dedicated fish room. Buy a $75 digital space heater from Walmart or whatever. Place it in a spare bedroom and set at like 76. Then you still need a tank heater because their water will be like 70 but it will be about the only thing you can do

[catnapt]

thank you everyone for your replies!! wel, it looks like any kind of fish are out of the question til my finances improve enough to be able to afford heat LOL
Part of the reason for keeping it so low is that the dry air of forced hot air heat really bothers me. Even with a good sized humidifier, the air is just so dry.
I just moved into this apt in July, I had to move and this was the best option in my price range. I have a lease and even when the lease is up, I won't be able to move right away, just don't have the money to do so.
I'll spend this time getting to know more about Bettas and lurking around here to get to know you all, if that's ok.
It's nice to find people who are passionate about their pets. I still belong to a very special online group of rat lovers, even though I no longer have rats. You meet the best people in these animal forums, it seems.
thanks again, I really appreciate it.

[DragonFish]

Originally Posted by callistra

Idk why people think tank heaters can make up 20 to 25 degrees of difference but that's just not how it works. Some
Struggle with even 10 but a good can do only about 15

I don't believe most people are aware of this at all, I know I certainly wasn't. But then again, I don't think many keep their houses lower then 60-65 so no one has probably had to experience this and just assumed, like I did, that so long as it was a good heater maybe of a larger wattage would keep things nice and cozy.

That is an interesting bit of information though, I'll have to remember that. Thank you. ;)

[MSG]

I would disagree. I've experimented with the higher wattage heater in several tanks with lower than recommended room temperature & it works fine if you make some slight adjustments.

However, if you only have 1 basic low quality generic heater, or those dinky NON adjustable ones, your results will not coincide with mine.

I prefer the "proven" brands. Visi-Therm (Italy), Jager Ebo (Germany) Hydor Theo - adjustable (Italy).

[Reefing Madness]

Originally Posted by MSG

I would disagree. I've experimented with the higher wattage heater in several tanks with lower than recommended room temperature & it works fine if you make some slight adjustments.

However, if you only have 1 basic low quality generic heater, or those dinky NON adjustable ones, your results will not coincide with mine.

I prefer the "proven" brands. Visi-Therm (Italy), Jager Ebo (Germany) Hydor Theo - adjustable (Italy).

You would be correct also. The higher the wattage heater, the better it will be at actually heating the water. And if you think this doens't work, put some water in a 20g tnak outside in the garage, not freezing, then put a 300 watt heater in there on full, lets see how hot that water actually gets........It will heat up, trust me. I have a 240g tank, and use 2 500w heaters, it will heat the tank up more than 25 degrees above room temperature. Ive had the house at 60 and the tank at 79-80, it will go higher, but I don't want it higher. Proof is in the pudding. Its all in that your using. The lil buggers don't actually do much.