I have a pair of Balzani cichlids and read they need a cool down period for a few months meaning no heater in the winter Has anyone dealt with this with thier gymnogeophagus species?
Will gymnogeophagus die without a cooldown period?
- Thread starter Allan01230
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Mine started to lose their color and act pretty listless after a little more than a year at 79. Now that I have them in an unheated garage tank (got down to the low sixties at times) they are much happier. I don't think it will kill them, but it certainly will shorten their life span.
I tried to keep Gymnos a few years back at constant temps, and as Dan F stated, after a while they became listless and were easily stricken by disease. The cool down doesn't need to be dramatic, but turning off the heater is advised.
I find after the cool down there is a major growth spurt, and color becomes intense and radiant. I have Gymno gymnogenys sp Yerbalito, from further south than most balzani and they take temps into the high 40sF with no problem, and become brilliant and almost immediately spawn after a cool down period.
Gy gy sp Paso Pache were the same
I find after the cool down there is a major growth spurt, and color becomes intense and radiant. I have Gymno gymnogenys sp Yerbalito, from further south than most balzani and they take temps into the high 40sF with no problem, and become brilliant and almost immediately spawn after a cool down period.
Gy gy sp Paso Pache were the same
Not giving them a cooldown of some sort isn't giving them proper care.
They need it to be healthy and happy.
Matt
They need it to be healthy and happy.
Matt
I found out the hard way that my balzanii had a fairly short lifespan being kept at warmer temps without a cool down period.
Not to beat a dad horse but you do need the cool down period. I kept a group of male gymnos in with my severums and after about a year they became very drab in color then half died in a couple week period. The rest never really recovered even after I cooled them down, 6 months later all were gone.