Keeping Dats at 87 Degrees?

[asm129]

I have some small indo dats and I keep them at 87 degrees and always have the UV Sterilizer on.

So far so good. The dats seem to like the warmer water and always swim to the front begging for food.

Will this warmer water be a problem down the line or is it better to keep dats at higher temps? The way I see it, they are from SouthEast Asia and the water is very warm there anyway. They are used to 85 degree and over water in their natural environment so keeping them warmer in the aquarium is natural for them too.

 

[benzjamin13]

Not a problem. I prefer to keep them at a higher temperature in the beginning for disease prevention. As they grow, I lower the temperature to low 80's, but that's just for the other fish I had them in there with.

 

[Ashrael]

My Tigers do love the higher temperatures, swimming around more and waiting for food.

but it could be just that the increase in temp, has increased their metabolism?

Idk, but so far so good!

 

[Gr8KarmaSF]

Just curious why people relate begging for food with happiness? Increase temp does increase metabolism, which in turn makes an animal more hungry, hence the begging. A hungry animal swimming around begging for food does not equal happy, excitement, or sad for that matter.

On a side note in addition to the benefits benz stated, most fish keepers increase temp and feeding to grow their fish out at a faster rate. Its a personal call as to whether this is harmful or not. Just my .02

 

[AttackFish]

I kept my indos at 86-87 and they stayed pretty stable and had good appetite.

 

[Ashrael]

Yeah, found out that my tigers are more active on the higher temps when i was raising the temp to treat ich.

 

[asm129]

Just curious why people relate begging for food with happiness? Increase temp does increase metabolism, which in turn makes an animal more hungry, hence the begging. A hungry animal swimming around begging for food does not equal happy, excitement, or sad for that matter.

Well, maybe they're not happy, but it definitely makes ME happy to see them swimming around like that waiting for food. I think almost everyone wants their fish to act like hungry Oscars. I do. The higher temps bring that out in the dats and that's part of the reason why I like to keep them at 87.

 

[flamenco-t]

I keep my baby dats in a tank with no heaters. The tanks temp is around 77-80 degrees (we keep the house temp at around 74-75 degrees)

Everyone swims to the front and eat like pigs...

They'll get used to the temp as long as it's done gradually.