Water temperature

[Matuva]

Actually, it's pretty cold here. During the day, temperature is around 23°C, and drops down to 12-14°C during the night.

In my tanks, temperature swings from 15 to 20°C

A breeder told me I should not let my temperature swing that way, that I should use heaters to maintain a study temperature with a 1°C max swing.

What do you think? I thought this should be a good thing to have this gap of several degrees between night and day, same as in nature? Am I wrong?

[2OFUS]

Stability is key mate :) 

you should always have a heater in winter 

[jayc]

+1 for stability.

Try not to let the water temps swing that much.

[Disciple]

I try to keep my tanks between 22 to 24 degrees at all times.

[2OFUS]

My tanks don't get above 23.5 ever !!! 

[albash]

I've learnt hard way that shrimps don't like temp swing - caused huge casualty of red cherry as well black ones (very solid ones). I put top end temp range.

+1 for stability

 

[perplex]

i think you need a bigger heater, thats a big swing for over night

[northboy]

Keeping them in exact conditions breeds weaker shrimp, I will cop a bashing for that one but its true. All water has a cool season and a warm season even the tropics, so for health let the cool a bit, Make the comparison to us, if we live in a constant warm temp and get exposed to cold we get sick, if we are exposed to cold temps some times we are more resistant, I fit into the first one hate the cold.

 

In the wild the Temp swings lots, BUT it swing slowly and can be as much as 10 deg or more once again slowly. I let mine swing and I lost some of the originals but what is there now is tough.

 

I was going to jump on the soap box, but no, selective genetics mainly for colour weakens any thing as we can not test for physical resistance  and strength, just a thought no finger pointed at all

 

Bob

 

PS bash now

[Matuva]

Keeping them in exact conditions breeds weaker shrimp, I will cop a bashing for that one but its true. All water has a cool season and a warm season even the tropics, so for health let the cool a bit, Make the comparison to us, if we live in a constant warm temp and get exposed to cold we get sick, if we are exposed to cold temps some times we are more resistant, I fit into the first one hate the cold.

 

In the wild the Temp swings lots, BUT it swing slowly and can be as much as 10 deg or more once again slowly. I let mine swing and I lost some of the originals but what is there now is tough.

 

I was going to jump on the soap box, but no, selective genetics mainly for colour weakens any thing as we can not test for physical resistance  and strength, just a thought no finger pointed at all

 

Bob

 

PS bash now

Lol!

Yes, I was wondering the same. I'm watching my shrimps carefully at the moment and it seems they are doing well. It just seems they having eggs less often, but they do continue.
Even my odd yellows continue breeding...

I'm enclined to think the same than Bob.

You can bash too 

[kizshrimp]

There's plenty of evidence that the common exotic species of shrimp that we keep respond well to seasonal temperature fluctuation, not at all surprising as they do generally originate from temperate regions that experience such fluctuation. 

I definitely agree with Bob, especially in the sense that it's important that at least some breeders sacrifice high productivity and profit to concentrate on improving vigor in their lines. Exposing the shrimp to less than ideal conditions is an excellent selection tool. 

I don't know if a 5 degree temperature drop overnight is acceptable, it does sound like a lot but then many Apistogramma do very well in similar conditions as it effectively replicates the small stream environments in which those species occur. 

[jayc]

5 degree swing overnight is a bit excessive in my mind.

These creatures would normally live in a large body of water, where the temp swing is a small amount, spanning over a longer period. 

I don't disagree with allowing the tank to go to a warmer temp in Summer, say 24 or 25. And allowing it to drop to 21-22 say, in Winter to simulate the temperature fluctuations in seasons.

But when you remove them from their natural habitat, and place them in a relatively small amount of water like a tank, the temp fluctuations are exaggerated. This is where we have to try to minimise the fluctuations. 

Its winter in Aus, and not that the shrimp can't survive one night of sub 20degC temps, but my tank temps, being open top, will drop rather quickly overnight if not for a heater. Then it will rise again the following day, also rather quickly, since my children like it toasty with heaters in the house turned on. It's the quick rise and fall, everyday that is probably detrimental in the longer term.

It's a similar, but opposite effect in Summer. 

I actually like Spring and Autumn, where the temps are ideal for shrimp. At least in Sydney. Don't have to expend too much in electricity bills to keep the tank warm or cool.

 

[northboy]

WHAT NO bashing LOL

 

The one thing that really rams it home for me is, I was working for a big wholesaler in Brisbane and mid winter there was a Singapore shipment arriving and the tanks had to be cleaned and filled with water at 15c dam cold, In the shipment was Hong Kong Plecos and there water was 22/23, because of the protocols of a Quarantine room the fish were tipped in a net carried dry  to there new tank and dumped in, next morning there were eggs all over the place and because it was a Quarantine room they could not be kept DAM, but the fish came through AOK not even white spot. they are for the most part wild caught some of the other line breed species did not fair as well, was it because of genetic weakness from being breed for colour, now there is a statement that will raise eye brows LOL.

 

Another one that rams it home for me is, I was working in a shop in Brisbane 30 years ago and a customer came in that had kept the same strain of Guppies for many years with out new blood, he liked some of the males we had, purchased 6 and took them home, about 4 weeks later he came back and said all his Guppies were dead, with out testing and at the time it did not exist, we came to the conclusion that the new one had a virus they were resistant to and the ones he had were not, it was a few years after Guppy pox did in millions of Guppies world wide and the giant strain was lost. I have even herd in conversation with fish farmers of farm borne viruses that will take out entire populations that have not been softly exposed, as in it can wipe out whole farms that introduce new fish to ones that are not resistant to the virus

 

We get a big temp swing here in the tropics, most creeks in summer are 26 to 28 and winter can get down to 16/18 BUT it all happens slow as in weeks to drop in temp, so lots of time to adjust, I think we are a long way from having weak shrimp health wise, the reason being they have not been in captivity for the length of time of some other species.

 

I will get of the soap box now LOL

 

Bob