Strange idea to save the life of a fish....

[Whp71]

I just had a heater fail in a small aquarium and the Betta in it isnt looking happy with the temp change, he is swimming sideways and not moving a lot.

Does anyone think it would be enough to warm the water if I taped a small heat mat to the side of the tank until I can get a new heater?

Bill

 

[Bushman]

Heat tape works better, but a heat mat is better than nothing in the circumstance.
You should use a thermostat and place the probe in the water if you can, otherwise the water might get too warm.

 

[disintegratus]

Yes, it should work, but definitely be careful and use a thermostat. I lost my turtle overnight once, I was draining the tank and had him in a bare tub while I was waiting for his holding tank to warm up a bit, but while I was out of the room briefly the tub fell off the edge of the bed and he scurried off. So I put out a shallow tub of water with a ramp up to it, had a low wattage heat mat running under it (with no thermo), but I'm lucky he didn't go to it, as he wouldn't have been able to get out and when I woke up in the morning, the water was at 65 degrees!!

 

[Bluetongue1]

I am surprised that you even need a water heater for an indoor aquarium in Brisbane. Irrespective, Betta prefer temperatures between 24[SUP]o[/SUP]C to 28[SUP]o[/SUP]C. I would suggest that even a small heat mat has the capacity to take the temperature of a small aquarium well over those limits in your climate. I would personally look at an alternative, like placing your fish temporarily in a large plastic jug (with lid and air holes) that you can sit in a section of a cage that is stable at about 26[SUP]o[/SUP]C. If you have another aquarium of the right temperature, float the plastic container in that, with gravel in the bottom to keep it upright and tie wire around the top to hold to the side so it does not float away and possibly capsize.

I don’t the size of your “small” aquarium but for those who are unaware, Bettas are much “happier” and healthier in a normal sized planted aquarium. The keeping of them in jars or vases, even with a plant, is even worse for the fish than the traditional goldfish in the goblet-shaped glass bowl atop the fridge or TV (in days gone past). It is the difference between suffering but surviving versus ‘happy’ and thriving.

Blue

 

[LaDeDah]

I live on the gold coast and had my Siamese for 2 years this august and have never used a heater and he is doing fine. I'm not saying it's right, it's just what I do