# Effects of Elevation on Fish



## hawkkerw (Jan 31, 2012)

I'm up pretty high and was wondering what effects elevation might have on a aquarium setup in general? All my fish thus far come from my LFS but now I'm getting ready to order some in and does this change any considerations for fish coming in from say Florida? I know I probably should know all the answers to this already from science class in school but I not sure I can even remember what my science teacher looked like  .


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## jd lover (Mar 11, 2011)

How high is "high"


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## hawkkerw (Jan 31, 2012)

I'm at about 5500 to 6000


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## fmueller (Jan 11, 2004)

I kind of took science class to an extreme, but I don't recall learning anything about fish and elevation. I wonder if anybody has ever done research on that, but somehow I doubt it.

From a common sense point of view I'd say that you current fish very likely did come from Florida, only that they made a quick stop at the LFS before they went to your place. Whether you or the LFS get them from Florida shouldn't make a difference . I recommend for everybody to have good aeration in their tank to have as much oxygen in the water as possible. That might be especially important at high elevation where less oxygen is around.

Another consideration is that some of our fish (for example Frontosa) come from fairly deep water (30-50 metres, 100-160 feet). When caught, they need to be brought up slowly. Some die in the process and some suffer lasting damage, but apparently most survive and are able to adapt. The pressure change they experience going from a tank in Florida to one in Montana is likely negligible compared to the one they underwent coming from those water depths to any tank environment.


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## countryboy814 (Feb 19, 2012)

Any hobbyists in Nepal?


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

there shouldn't be any difference, as water will will still exert the same amount of pressure within the tank. Since you weigh the same at sea level as at elevation, you can expect the water to do the same.


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## fmueller (Jan 11, 2004)

BillD said:


> Since you weigh the same at sea level as at elevation, you can expect the water to do the same.


Actually, you don't weigh the same at sea level as at elevation, but the difference is so small to be negligible.

Mass is independent of elevation, weight is not. For the difference see here.


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## nodima (Oct 3, 2002)

When I lived in Lake tahoe at ~7000 feet, the only "issue" was ensuring that any fish I took home from either Sacramento or Reno (both much lower in elevation) were in bags which were not "tight" at the store. Moving up in elevation, the bags would expand. Fortunately, all the LFS I went to were aware of this and very accommodating. Other than that, there was not any differences in keeping fish that I ever could figure out.


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

IMO the only thing which might matter with altitude is that it gets colder with height/altitude. I am not aware how cold it will be, but if it does snow there, you might need to transport the fish in some insulated bag.


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## fmueller (Jan 11, 2004)

Fishy_Cichlid said:


> I am not aware how cold it will be, but if it does snow there, you might need to transport the fish in some insulated bag.


That's what Styrofoam boxes are for. Below is a photo of the OCA Winter Auction, which takes place every year in February in Cleveland. Notice how virtually everybody in the audience has a Styrofoam box? And Cleveland isn't even all that high up :lol:


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## hawkkerw (Jan 31, 2012)

I am not native to the mountains and I've noticed such things as water seems to cool off quickly (such as coffee). It seems to evaporate very quickly I have to top off my current tanks almost daily. OK so I know my current fish come from somewhere else but i wonder how long they have to adapt? When they fly does the cabin pressure on a plane stay steady? So, I question such things as heaters, maybe gph or water flow for oxygen. I know my lfs swears that she has a hard time keeping her shipments to arrive alive. Therefore she avoids ordering any expensive fish.


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## DanniGirl (Jan 25, 2007)

No, you do not need to acclimate African cichlids at higher elevations. I'm not sure what the owners of the LFS are doing (unless they are ordering fish that require a higher ratio of O2 / water content) but I live at 7,000 ft. and have never had a problem.

Where air pressure is concerned, there is less density at higher elevations. For example, when air is added to a bag at lower elevation and the bag is moved to a higher elevation, the bag expands as the outside air pressure is reduced. This happens because the outside air pressure is lower than the air pressure within the bag. Therefore, the air volume expands within the bag. Eventually if the bag will expand enough, the air pressure on the outside and inside of the bag will equalize. Conversely, if you fill a plastic gallon jug and screw the lid on tightly, the jug will collapse a noticeable amount at lower elevation (changing pressures again).

Elderly people can suffer altitude sickness when they travel from a lower elevation to a higher elevation. There is less oxygen molecules at higher elevations (water/oxygen ratio content changes for aquariums but that becomes physics/chemistry and that can be changed-but that's a topic for another day).

I have never had a problem with acclimaiting juvenile fish or mature adults.


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## DanniGirl (Jan 25, 2007)

hawkkerw said:


> It seems to evaporate very quickly I have to top off my current tanks almost daily.


Btw, the evaporation you are experiencing is due to the low humidity of the mountain air.


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## hawkkerw (Jan 31, 2012)

Let me tell you what.....if it dosn't have a affect on the fish it sure does on me....spent the day on one of the lakes way up high sure makes me have to slow down a good bit. :fish:. I wish you could keep some of those Trout with the Chiclids they are some of the most beautiful fish I've ever seen.


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## countryboy814 (Feb 19, 2012)

DanniGirl said:


> hawkkerw said:
> 
> 
> > It seems to evaporate very quickly I have to top off my current tanks almost daily.
> ...


It's the lower air pressure that causes quicker evaporation.


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## fmueller (Jan 11, 2004)

DanniGirl said:


> Btw, the evaporation you are experiencing is due to the low humidity of the mountain air.





countryboy814 said:


> It's the lower air pressure that causes quicker evaporation.


My vote goes to a combination of both effects.


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## DanniGirl (Jan 25, 2007)

Thank you Frank. 
Humidity, air pressure and temperature all have a direct effect on the evaporation rate.


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## countryboy814 (Feb 19, 2012)

DanniGirl said:


> Thank you Frank.
> Humidity, air pressure and temperature all have a direct effect on the evaporation rate.


They sure do dannigirl. However at altitude where there is very low humidity low air pressure is the cause of quick evaporation. Way to ride the fence frank.


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