Ok, i have decided to start another Gymnogeophagus tank. I tried this awhile back and wasn't successful. I am getting a small group of approx 2 inch Balzani and Rio Yi's. The tank is a 60 gallon and I have no real plants in the tank at this time with a sand bottom and lots of Mal. driftwood. This tank will be in my living room and at some point without a heater. I just checked the tank temp without a heater and the water is somewhere around 62 degrees. Ok, so I will be getting my fish in about a week and here is my plan. I am going to add a heater and let the temp go to about 72 degrees and maintain it at that temp until next fall and then remove the heater all together and allow them to have a wintering period right in the tank. I really don't want to remove them and place them in a rubbermaid tub for the winter. Also does it matter when I give them their wintering period and is a temp around 62 good enough to achieve this? I just want to do this right this time. If I have to put them in a rubbbermaid tub I will do it but prefer not to. I am really not interested in breeding but want them to have a long life. My goal is to have at the very least a pair of each species and at some point put them in seperate tanks once I establish pairs.
Gymnogeophagus Care
- Thread starter driftwood
- Start date
I don't see any reason why this wouldn't work, 62F fine for a 3 month cool down period and 75F is a good temp for the rest of the year. Yes you can do this in you tank the only suggestion I would make is shorten the time the lights are on during the cool down period to only a few hours a day while adjusting the temp down a few degrees a week until you turn the heater off altogether and reverse the process when comming back out to replacate a more natural transition. I have never kept them before but know others that have and this process worked well for them.
Thanks for the reply. The last time i attempted gymnos they got Ick and it was down hill from that point. So when i get them I could have the temp of the tank at 75 and keep it at that temp until the end of the summer 2012 and then slowly start lowering the temp until i can remove the heater all together or at least shut it off. I am not planning to turn on the lights much at all during the wintering period which will take place sometime around Oct of 2012.
Sounds like a plan. Good luck they are really nice looking fish I paln on keeping some day. I think Peat is keeping some now maybe he'll see this and add some advice. Basicly that's about it really from what I know.
I wonder if the diurnal shift of warm cold/day night temps is a norm in Gymno life. I keep mine outside in summer and the temps can get in the high 80s in late afternoon and drop into the 60s at night. Both Rio Yerbalito and Paso Pache hve thrived and spawned in these conditions.
I have had the fry and parents in the house since late Oct and they seem to be fine at temps in the mid 60s without a heater.
I have had the fry and parents in the house since late Oct and they seem to be fine at temps in the mid 60s without a heater.
I live in Colorado and I don't think i would want to keep mine outside during the summer although it can get pretty warm the nighttime temps can drop too much. This is an interesting thread that I think alot of folks can benefit from.
How cold does it get at night? They are remarkable fish being able to handle pretty drastic changes in temp. Currently my tanks with gymnos and other Uruguayans in them are 66F. Last year I remember the temp getting into the high 50s in the middle of winter and they seemed fine, most of them had just been brought back from Uruguay where they were getting used to warmer late spring weather.
No idea if they have daily temp swings in nature, but from a setup frame of mind you could replicate that by putting your heater on a timer to only run during the day.
According to Ken, the water temp in Northern Uruguay ranges from just above freezing in the winter to upper 90s or lower 100s (in shallow streams) in the summer.
Can't speak to the importance of a cooling period from my own experience, as mine have stayed in 75F+ water for 10 months and are doing/breeding well. My tanks are in the house and water won't drop below 75F. It's probably a good idea to offer cooler temp, but I guess I'll find out in the next couple of years.
Can't speak to the importance of a cooling period from my own experience, as mine have stayed in 75F+ water for 10 months and are doing/breeding well. My tanks are in the house and water won't drop below 75F. It's probably a good idea to offer cooler temp, but I guess I'll find out in the next couple of years.
There are HUGE temp swings in Uruguay...and seasons. Think Northern Florida-type temps for Southern Uruguay and Tampa/Miami for Northern.
My experience in trying to keep Gymnogeos at lower-end tropical temps (74-76) have not been positive. The large males, especially, seem to really tire out and become susceptible to secondary stuff (bacterial infections, hole in the head, bloat, etc.). They need the cooling period, although not into the 50s, I don't believe. These were large males that I was growing out vs. breeders.
I've had good luck with keeping Gymnogeos in the lower rack of my fishroom, unheated. In the winter it's mid-60s and the fish have done great for years. I'd prefer if it was a little cooler down there, but it seems to be enough. I wouldn't hesitate to keep them totally unheated in my old garage fishroom in Sacramento...
Matt
My experience in trying to keep Gymnogeos at lower-end tropical temps (74-76) have not been positive. The large males, especially, seem to really tire out and become susceptible to secondary stuff (bacterial infections, hole in the head, bloat, etc.). They need the cooling period, although not into the 50s, I don't believe. These were large males that I was growing out vs. breeders.
I've had good luck with keeping Gymnogeos in the lower rack of my fishroom, unheated. In the winter it's mid-60s and the fish have done great for years. I'd prefer if it was a little cooler down there, but it seems to be enough. I wouldn't hesitate to keep them totally unheated in my old garage fishroom in Sacramento...
Matt