So you bought that fancy fish tank or are planning to pick one up soon. Congrats! Your fish will love it. But how long should they be kept at room temperature? We chatted with Matt Stevens, host of the “Fresh Water” radio show, to find out more about the correct temperatures of various fish species and why you should keep your cichlids in the cooler rather than the room.
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Room Temperature Is Great For Many Fish Species
Let’s get the obvious out of the way first: Most fish can happily live in cold water. Typically, tropical fish are the exception rather than the rule, and temperate waters are great for raising young fish.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), most freshwater fish should be kept at room temperature (between 68-74 degrees Fahrenheit) to thrive. There are a few notable exceptions, such as large-spotted rainbow smelt, which can only survive in cold water (around 54 degrees Fahrenheit). Similarly, most eels prefer cooler temperatures, as do many tropical fish. For more information, check out FWC’s interactive guide to fish stocking (Fish Stocking).
This being said, just because most fish can survive in cool water doesn’t mean it’s the best for all of them. As we’ll discuss further down, some fish species prefer warm water and bask (or bask and hide) in the sun, while others prefer the shadows. So keep that in mind!
Raw Fish Should Be Eaten Live
“Eating raw fish is both safe and nutritious,” says Dr. Bill Burgess, author of the award-winning The Survival Medicine Handbook (1st ed.). “The only concern is making sure that the fish you’re eating is fresh. The general rule is that if you buy it from a reputable store and eat it within a couple of days after buying it, there’s no problem. You can always tell the freshness of fish by smelling it. If it smells fishy, it has probably been stored for too long. If it doesn’t, then it’s probably still good. The key is to purchase fish from a company you can trust, and make sure to eat it as soon as possible after buying it so you don’t have any reason to return it later.
This being said, raw fish is not recommended if you’re vegan or vegetarian. Certain fish species (such as sharks) are on the Red List of FWC-listed Fish that cannot be caught, purchased, or kept as pets. Similarly, certain fish (such as eels) are on the Black List because they’re endangered. In these cases, the fish should be cooked first, so that their meat doesn’t cause you any harm. Fortunately, these are rare instances. Most often, freshwater fish pose no threat to the health of the average person. However, they can be a source of nutrients and protein for those who are malnourished. And like most food, cooking doesn’t hurt – in fact, it’s often beneficial!
Warm-Weather Fish Have Different Needs Than Cold-Weather Fish
One of the concerns people have when it comes to keeping tropical fish in their homes is that the water in their tank will become too warm. In most cases, this is not a problem. But if they’re not used to warm water, it could cause them some stress. The same goes for the other direction: if the water gets too cold, their health could be affected.
In general, tropical fish should be kept at room temperature (between 68-74 degrees Fahrenheit), while temperate fish should be kept a little cooler (between 64-72 degrees Fahrenheit). Keep in mind that aquariums will heat up (depending on what type of light they have access to) and can reach up to 5 degrees Fahrenheit higher than the room temperature. So if they’re used to cooler temperatures, the room temperature will feel warm to them. On the other hand, if they’re used to warmer temperatures, then the room temperature will feel cold to them. This can cause stress and even harm some of them. One way to deal with this is by incorporating an ammonia sensor into the tank—as soon as the ammonia levels start to get dangerously high (usually around 10%), you’ll know something is wrong and need to find and fix the source of the problem (such as a leaky tank nozzle or a poor water quality spike).
Why Should You Keep Your Cichlids In The Cooler Rather Than The Room?
The best place for most tropical fish is the cage—fresh water provides them with a stable environment, while also offering the chance to display their brilliant colors and amazing swimming abilities.
But sometimes, you just want to keep them in plain sight—maybe you want to observe them swimming for a couple of hours a day, or perhaps you just want to show them off as a stunning addition to your home aquarium. In these cases, a glass tank will suffice (as long as you ensure that it’s a decent size), but you should still keep them in the cooler rather than the room.
Why is the room temperature not suitable for all tropical fish? Well, just because most tropical fish prefer cooler water doesn’t mean that every single one of them must be kept at the same temperature. In most cases, they can happily live in warmer waters as long as they’re not too hot – typically around 70-74 degrees Fahrenheit. But sometimes, particular species of tropical fish prefer colder waters, so be mindful of where you put your tank and how you heat it up! The key is to find out what temperatures your specific fish species prefer and act accordingly.
What about the other direction? Why should you keep your temperate fish at room temperature rather than in the cooler? Well, if you’re keeping them in the room, you’re already taking the chance of overheating – even with good ventilation and strong lighting, your fish could be at risk. So unless you have a specific reason for keeping them at room temperature (such as displaying them in a terrarium or giving them as a present to a neighbor), then it’s best to keep them in the cooler. Again, finding out what temperatures your specific species prefer and acting accordingly is the key to keeping them happy and healthy.
What About The Basking And Hiding Behaviors?
Even more important than how long your raw fish should be kept at room temperature is understanding their natural basking (tanning) and hiding (camouflaging) behaviors. These are critical to their well-being and your ability to successfully maintain a thriving pet parrotfish (and other similar species).
The general rule is that tropical fish should be kept in shallow, wide-open spaces (such as gravel or turf) so they can easily bask in the sun. This is important for their health – it helps maintain a proper body temperature and gives them the nutrients they need to grow. They’ll also be attracted to farther light sources, which you can directly incorporate into your tank by using a supplementary light source (such as an eco-light or an ultraviolet light).
On the other hand, temperate fish should be kept in dark, closed spaces (such as caves or dense forests), where they can easily hide from predators (such as rats, raccoons, or other large animals that may attempt to eat them). This is important for their safety – it helps reduce the chance of being eaten by predators or becoming a prey item to larger animals (like ferrets or otters).
In these cases, you don’t need to specifically keep them in the cooler or the room (though you could if you chose), but it’s still best to keep them close to the ground, out of direct sunlight and out of sight of any wildlife – especially predators!
In essence, knowing how long your raw fish should be kept at room temperature or cold temperature depends on your specific needs – is it for scientific purposes, are you displaying them in a terrarium, etc.? And as usual, the best solution is: it depends.