# cool water cichlids



## Wooden_Reefer (Dec 17, 2012)

I am setting up a large not well heated tank, 220 gal plus.

Are there cichlids (any region) that can routinely take 55F in the winter, and about 90F in the summer?

If so, please name them.


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## mambee (Apr 13, 2003)

Gymnogeophagus?


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## Dexter. (Oct 23, 2012)

Can I ask where this tank will be that it gets that hot/cold and why you're not heating it?


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## vann59 (Jun 20, 2011)

Heaters are easy to find, so why not ad a couple 300 W tank heaters? It may not keep it up entirely, but will certainly help.


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## Bamboo (Jan 12, 2011)

Gymno species as a whole can not really handle temps above 76F .... They will stress and shorten their life span.


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## Wooden_Reefer (Dec 17, 2012)

Dexter. said:


> Can I ask where this tank will be that it gets that hot/cold and why you're not heating it?


It will be in my living room, which I don't usually heat to above 60F. I live alone and when I travel I turn the heat off altogther in the living room. In my area winter outside temp is in the low 30s and indoor the water will be about 55F at night.

I put all heat needing fish in two bedrooms and heat the two rooms only by electric heaters. The rest of the tanks, those too big to move into the bedrooms, will be cool water. It is expensive to heat large tanks in cool spaces.


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## Fish on Fire (Dec 13, 2012)

Some hardier cichlids can withstand lower temperatures for a certain period of time but they will always be stressed and eventually die from the lack of heat. What's keeping your from heating the tank to at least 75 degrees?


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## Wooden_Reefer (Dec 17, 2012)

Fish on Fire said:


> Some hardier cichlids can withstand lower temperatures for a certain period of time but they will always be stressed and eventually die from the lack of heat. What's keeping your from heating the tank to at least 75 degrees?


Some are just saying that Gymnogeophagus will do, except some worry about the heat in the summer.


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## Dexter. (Oct 23, 2012)

Fish on Fire said:


> Some hardier cichlids can withstand lower temperatures for a certain period of time but they will always be stressed and eventually die from the lack of heat. What's keeping your from heating the tank to at least 75 degrees?


It seems like a cost saving thing honestly. I don't mean to be offensive if I seem it, but I don't think you should have so many tanks if you don't want to pay to upkeep them. It's worse for the fish really....like people who don't take proper care of any animal, if you can't afford it don't get one.

By all means, if you can find a fish that will deal with it then go ahead...I just wouldn't be choosing my fish based on my chosen room temperatures.


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## regani (Feb 13, 2011)

Apistogramma trifasciata and A. borelli have a distribution into the cooler parts of South America and have been found in water temps around 50F so they would be ok in your tank. some of the corydoras species are found in the same areas as borellii (C.hastatus and C. paleatus - not sure if they occur that far south, though), another species found there are Hyphessobrycon callistus and some species of killifish. with the corys, tetra and kilifish I'd double check their temperature requirements, but both of the apistos are definitely ok at the lower temps - they will be ok with water temps up to around 85-90F in summer too.


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## BC in SK (Aug 11, 2012)

Dexter. said:


> It's worse for the fish really....


[/quote]

There are lots of cichlids from the southern part of South America that come from a climate where the winter water temps fall down to the 50's* F. A number of aquarists claim that these cichlids not only do better with a cool down period but actually require it to do well!

Some 'chanchittos' (Australoheros sp.), some pike cichlids (Crenicichla sp.), and some Gynogeophagus species. Even some acaras (Cichlasoma sp.). Cichlids from Uruguay, the very southern part of Brazil, and Argentina. Do some research to find out which particular species are suposed to do better, or even require a cool down period.


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## BC in SK (Aug 11, 2012)

The Cichlid Room Companion has a list of cichlids that come from each country. If you click on Argentina and Uruguay, you will find a list of cichlids that come from a more temperate climate.http://www.cichlidae.com/habitats/distribution.php Some of these cichlids have more extensive ranges, so you would have to know the collection point......or check the more northern countries to see if they are also found in a more tropical climate. As far as Brazillian fish, you would definately have to knowthe collection point.


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