Matching temp during wc's

[modealings]

Is there a general consensus on the need to match the temp of fresh water during wcs? I always thought it was important but some searches of old threads here show some of the more experienced members talking about cooler water being fine.

I've been aging water and it'd be nice to not have to heat it. Room temp is 70 and I have a 300w heater in a 75 gal keeping it at 83.

Thanks!

[Akili]

Ideally the same temperature is prudent way to go, I prefer to to have it little higher 2 or 3 degrees for water change up to 50%,and the same or plus/minus 1 degree if I am doing a large water change.

[discuspaul]

Since you're aging water & heating it as well, it's easy, and a positive step, to keep your water near to the temp in your tank - but it's not essential, Moderate temperature differences when doing wcs are not a problem for discus ( or almost all other tropical fish for that matter). Nothing to really be concerned about.

[Keith Perkins]

If you have fry in a tank the rule is the closer the better. With healthy adults they can tolerate a lot more. Many breeders even do WCs with new water 5 degrees colder or so to induce spawning at times. A few degrees one way or the other just just isn't that big a deal.

[Phillydubs]

I tend to have 3-4 degree cooler water in my aging barrell. One of my heaters isn't keeping up so well and if my water doesn't age a solid 24 hours there is usually a few degree difference but never any issues.

But I don't think you want to take fish that are used to 82-84 degree water and go blast them with a film tank of 70.

[modealings]

Ok thanks everyone. It seems like in nature there will often be a temp swing of a few degrees - although Im pretty sure the fish I have are long removed from nature haha. Since I'm not doing anything fancy with them I'll still try to match the temp. I liked the idea in an older thread of putting the heater on a timer.

[rickztahone]

Ok thanks everyone. It seems like in nature there will often be a temp swing of a few degrees - although Im pretty sure the fish I have are long removed from nature haha. Since I'm not doing anything fancy with them I'll still try to match the temp. I liked the idea in an older thread of putting the heater on a timer.

Just keep heating the aging barrel. You can always insulate the tank so that the heater doesn't have to work as hard

[Cosmo]

As I recall the rule of thumb was +- 5 degrees, though I think a slightly larger swing either way will not overly effect adults. Speed at which you add the new water also plays a role - if you add slowly they will adjust to any temp change in the tank, if you blast them it may cause some degree of stress. Honestly, so long as it's close I personally don't worry too much about the temp, I add new water rather slowly and I have a good heating system in the tank so it comes to temp fairly quickly. I think it's more important to keep other parameters such as ph and tds in line between new and old water than it is temp. I could be wrong :p

[DJW]

When I was a kid I used to tell temperature difference with my finger. If you dip your finger in the tank, then the bucket, then back in the tank, etc. you can tell a surprisingly small difference. After some practice you don't need a thermometer.

[Cosmo]

When I was a kid I used to tell temperature difference with my finger. If you dip your finger in the tank, then the bucket, then back in the tank, etc. you can tell a surprisingly small difference. After some practice you don't need a thermometer.

True :)

[rickztahone]

When I was a kid I used to tell temperature difference with my finger. If you dip your finger in the tank, then the bucket, then back in the tank, etc. you can tell a surprisingly small difference. After some practice you don't need a thermometer.

It is actually better to use your elbow or forearm. You learn this as a parent when preparing the baby bottle :)

[Cosmo]

It is actually better to use your elbow or forearm. You learn this as a parent when preparing the baby bottle :)

rofl :p

[Woodduck]

As I recall the rule of thumb was +- 5 degrees, though I think a slightly larger swing either way will not overly effect adults. Speed at which you add the new water also plays a role - if you add slowly they will adjust to any temp change in the tank, if you blast them it may cause some degree of stress. Honestly, so long as it's close I personally don't worry too much about the temp, I add new water rather slowly and I have a good heating system in the tank so it comes to temp fairly quickly. I think it's more important to keep other parameters such as ph and tds in line between new and old water than it is temp. I could be wrong :p

I have personally found that -5° can actually put them into shock. I know it's supposed to be a "cool" refreshing change, but I've almost lost Discus from trying to cheat on the temp. The way we take care of them, I do 100% everday including my two big sumps, you'd think trying to match temp wouldn't be a big thing. Just do it.

[Phillydubs]

I agree with woodduck... I almost lost a group of discus as there was a big change in the temp of water when a heater went down and I had no idea... Scared the crap out of me so now I always run 2 heaters and check the temp before the water goes in the tank with my little digital therm

[Keith Perkins]

I did a 75-80% WC just the other day with water 10 - 12 degrees colder than the tank. It wasn't my plan, but apparently I've got a heater in my reservoir going south. The fish didn't particularly appreciate it, but in a short order as the tank heater started warming the water they were fine. This isn't my only water temperature oversight by a long shot, just the most recent. I once accidentally did even colder and literally had the fish jumping up out of the cold water. I grabbed a gallon or two of hot water out of the tap and all was forgiven. My point simple is if your discus are otherwise healthy they can take a lot more than most people think. Obviously, I hope, I'm not recommending these extremes but 5 degrees in my experience is nothing.

[DJW]

I got tired of shifty heaters and put controllers on the ageing tanks. It seems like the heater's thermostat gets out of whack after a while when the heater is bounced around on the bottom of the barrel.

[Kyla]

i try to match the temp exactly. however im always checking the temp during a refill and sometimes it changes slightly, or i even have to shut the water off and wait for my hot water tank to reheat because i run out of hot mix! (this wont happen once i have my ageing barrel set up)

i noticed my discus appear to "enjoy" wc with a couple degrees warmer water. they def dont appear to like wc with cooler water. this is just based in their colour and body language during wc, but its enough of a difference to be noticeable from across the room.

warmer wc = more movement and interaction wth the hose, nipping the end of it and swimming in the stream of water, fins up, rowdy, excited like they are about to be fed.

colder wc is the opposite = huddle in the back, little movement, look uncomfortable, no interaction with hose etc

[John_Nicholson]

I don't worry about this very much. None of my storage tanks have heaters. The fish house in winter stays at roughly 70 degrees. When doing large changes I have dropped the temp in the tank from 82 down to 70. Not suggesting that you should just that it has not had a long term effect on my fish. With a normal 50% wc the drop is not as much and that id what I do with the fry.

-john