Can I keep a betta in an unheated tank?

[DormDrax]

I say go for it...

Here in St. Louis the Temp FLUX's like a drunk person trying to walk a straight line...

[DazzleKitty]

Originally Posted by DormDrax

I say go for it...

Here in St. Louis the Temp FLUX's like a drunk person trying to walk a straight line...

I'm in St. Louis too and I know what you mean. Yesterday it was warm enough to wear shorts, and today it's so cold that it's painful to walk outside. Our weather is so bipolar.

All three of mine are in unheated living conditions and are pretty active. It's dang cold in here sometimes too. I don't like having those conditions for them. But that got remedied with my Christmas present which is a 15 gallon tank. Got the heater, just need to find the time and place to set it up. I am hoping to do so within the week.

But many people have had success, including myself, with bettas in unheated (and chilly!) water. The bad thing is I know they don't really enjoy it since they come from warm areas.

[1fish2fish]

When saying "Oh I've had success with keeping my fish in unheated tanks"... your not considering the long term affects the cold temperature is having on your fish.

Fish are ectothermic so cold water slows their metabolism which in turn can lower their immune systems. It can also cause them to be less active and thus add more fat which is very dangerous. Prolonged low temps (as in more than just a day or two) can be the difference in whether your fish survives an illness or dies. Just keep that in mind.

As far as the OP.. as long as your house stays at high temps you should be fine. A thermometer is a MUST because remember that water is usually a few degrees cooler than the surrounding air.

[small fry]

Yeah, I don't think I am going to try that any time soon. I was going through and deleteing a bunch of emails, and I noticed that people had been responding to this one. I thought the last post on this thread was the post where I said;

"IMO thermometers are a must, heated tank or unheated tank. If I did something like this, I would pick up the thermometer ($1.63USD) with the fish."

Sorry for the delayed response! At any rate, it is still cold in Texas, strangely.