Tropical Defined

Why are they called Tropical Fish?

Fish are cold-blooded, meaning their body temperature is usually the same as their surroundings. Since they can't maintain the body temperature at a chosen fixed level like a human, the water temperature must be maintained.

Cold water fish like goldfish or Koi prefer cooler temperatures (68º - 72º F) and don't need a heater.

Tropical fish are warm water fish, meaning they like to have their water between 75º and 79º.

This is why it is very important when you bring a new fish home from Pets Plus+ that you float the fish in the bag it came in on top of your aquarium. Usually 15 to 20 minutes is sufficient. If for some reason the water temperatures are more than 10 degrees different a longer amount of time may be required. This will change the water temperature in the bag to become the same temperature as the aquarium. This will reduce unnecessary stress on your fish.

Heaters can help maintain this constant water temperature. If the water temperatures fluctuate it will cause stress on the fish, which will lead to a number of problems like infections, and even death.

The rule of thumb when buying a heater is 4 watts for each gallon the aquarium holds. Typically, one heater is sufficient for an aquarium. Example - a 25 gallon aquarium would require a 100 watt heater.

While most aquarium heaters can be set to the desired temperature, is always a good idea to buy an aquarium thermometer. The thermometer will help you make sure your heater is functioning properly and maintaining the temperature that is best for your fish.

HEATER CHART

RECOMMENDATIONS
APPROX 4 WATTS PER GALLON

1 GAL TO 5 GAL 25 WATT HEATER
6 GAL TO 12 GAL 50 WATT HEATER
13 GAL TO 25 GAL 100 WATT HEATER
26 GAL TO 37 GAL 150 WATT HEATER
38 GAL TO 50 GAL 200 WATT HEATER
51 GAL AND LARGER 300 WATT HEATER

JUMBO AQUARIUMS ARE 4 WATTS PER GALLON
EXAMPLE 125 GALLON SHOULD HAVE 500 WATTS OF HEATER.
4 x 125 = 500

A 300 WATT AND A 200 WATT HEATER IS RECOMMENDED AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE AQUARIUM.