Cooling down the water temp??

[KristiLee]

I just moved into my dorm room for this year, and it does NOT have air conditioning. Henry's tank has been staying at 85-87*F, and that is without a heater and light. It will likely remain like this until the dorms start to cool down in mid/late-September at the earliest.

Behavior-wise, he's not acting TOO different. There are times when he's slightly more/less active than usual, but he's not really swimming frantically or being too lethargic.

My main concern is obviously him dying of overheating. I know if there's nothing I can do, there is a possibility of this happening. If this did happen, would it be painful for him? =[

So has anyone dealt with this before, and if so, what did you do?

Thank you.

[Oldfishlady]

As long as he is tolerating the high end of the temp range I would continue with what you are doing with the light and heater off, you can also remove the lid and lower the water level and if you have a filter this will help or add an air stone.

You can also get one of those little battery operated fans that you put around your neck and clip it on the tank so it blow air across the water.

I would also make some daily to every-other day water changes using a couple of degrees cooler water

Place the tank in the coolest part of the room and/or on the floor if you have a safe place

If he start to become distressed you can also use a plastic bag with a small amount of ice, not too much as you don't want to change the temp too fast.

[naturegirl243]

I have not really had this problem before so I don't know much that you can do. Maybe wrap a cold pack around part of it somehow? Sucks that your dorm doesnt have ac.

[Phoxly]

We live in Las Vegas, and my room doesn't have AC, so I have to leave my door open to keep my tank around 82, instead of 85-87.

Something I wanted to experiment with Co2 systems that inject Co2 into the aquarium is keeping the canister in a fridge to inject cool air that diffuses. Or perhaps if you got an airstone, place the intake tube in a fridge (dorm minifridge) so it can insert cool air...?

Just be careful not to totally freeze him out (: