Gymnogeophagus cool down question

[Mythic Figment]

So I have the chance to get ahold of some very cool looking gymnogeophagus 'blue neon' valentines for a great price. But I hear so often about people losing them due to a lack of a cool down period or not a long enough cool down.

I live in Florida and keep my AC set to kick on at 76-78 degrees depending on whether its night or day. I never use the heat, so temp can get pretty low in the house on cold nights, but it always bounces back up to the upper 60s or 70s the following afternoon through to the late night. Plus the cold season only lasts for 2 months at most before it starts getting hot again.

So my question is this: will the fish be okay in an unheated tank or would I need to invest in a chiller unit?


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[TMSB805]

They'll need at 3-4 months @ 55-60 degrees. You may have to invest in a chiller to maintain these temps. I have a chiller for my gymnos but i only run it in the summer because the temps in garage get up to 85 plus somedays. You should be able to get by with a 1/10 hp chiller.

 

[Mythic Figment]

They'll need at 3-4 months @ 55-60 degrees. You may have to invest in a chiller to maintain these temps. I have a chiller for my gymnos but i only run it in the summer because the temps in garage get up to 85 plus somedays. You should be able to get by with a 1/10 hp chiller.

I have never used a chiller before. How much would a unit cost to run a 40 gallon tank at 60 degrees for 3 months?


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[TMSB805]

Oh its only a 40g. You can use a 1/13 or 1/15 chiller. They run about $350 on ebay. Sometimes you can find good deals. I got my 1/3 chiller for $350. You will also have to buy a pump to run the water through the chiller.

 

[Mythic Figment]

Oh its only a 40g. You can use a 1/13 or 1/15 chiller. They run about $350 on ebay. Sometimes you can find good deals. I got my 1/3 chiller for $350. You will also have to buy a pump to run the water through the chiller.

Well if I have to buy a chiller to properly house them, I will pass on keeping them. At least for now. I just don't have money to invest $400+ on a chiller and pump for a small tank when the fish would only cost me $50 for a group of four.

Thanks for all the help though. It will come in handy when I have the money to look into gymnos later in life (or I might get into them when I move to NC in 5-6 years).


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[duanes]

You may be able to keep Gymnos by just not using a heater, or using a rubbermaid to house them outside during the winter months in Florida. I keep Uruguayans without a heater here in the north, but put them in a pond and in a rubbermaid in spring, summer, and fall (which might be akin to their winter) as spring and fall water temps drop into the 50sF, and sometime lower.
In summer my pond sometimes hits the mid 80s, and the Gymnos take it in stride.

 

[abarilot]

I'd give them a shot! Last time I collected in Uruguay there was a guy from Naples, Florida with us and he doesn't have any issues keeping gymnos. What water temp do you have now? If you can get the water down into the mid 60s for a couple of months you should be alright. Just don't put a heater on the tank but I think you know that already

 

[Mythic Figment]

You may be able to keep Gymnos by just not using a heater, or using a rubbermaid to house them outside during the winter months in Florida. I keep Uruguayans without a heater here in the north, but put them in a pond and in a rubbermaid in spring, summer, and fall (which might be akin to their winter) as spring and fall water temps drop into the 50sF, and sometime lower.
In summer my pond sometimes hits the mid 80s, and the Gymnos take it in stride.

Nice video.

The cold months are upon us, but it's not cold! LMAO We have been stuck in the 80s for the last month with only a couple of very cold nights. January and February are going to be the coldest months, but if the current weather is any indication, the daytime temperature will jump back up into the 70s and 80s. So they will get 2-3 months of cold nights, but possibly not that many cold days, and it's that bouncing temperature that might stress them a bit.

I'd give them a shot! Last time I collected in Uruguay there was a guy from Naples, Florida with us and he doesn't have any issues keeping gymnos. What water temp do you have now? If you can get the water down into the mid 60s for a couple of months you should be alright. Just don't put a heater on the tank but I think you know that already

With me not heating my house and having the AC set to kick on at 76 degrees, the temperature of the tanks should never reach higher than 76. However it's that inability to get the temp down to the 60s and keep it there that worries me.

I can use the coldest water possible for water changes and since my tap water lines run shallow. The coldest temp pretty much is the temp of the outdoors, so I can make sure its colder if I do water changes late at night or early in the morning.


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[duanes]

My pond has large swings in temp, averaging 70s during the day to 50s at night during the summer, and no noticeable ill effects. I harvested fry in very shallow water this fall, down in the 40s, I believe (unlike tropical fish) these sub tropical species have evolved to handle, and take advantage of the large fluctuations.

Ceibal parents spawn in very shallow water, where temps are not stable.

 

[dogofwar]

You should be fine. Just don't use a heater on the tank and do water changes with cool water.

I save my Uruguayan tanks for last (when I've run out of hot water) for water changes...

The main thing is not to maintain these guys at tropical temperatures all year.

Matt