Always Keep A Spare Heater.

Yesterday I noticed that my Lake Kutubu rainbowfish was not her usual self, that is when I put in the flake, she didn't  shoot straight up and grab as much of the food as possible before the other fish could get it. She also allowed other fish into her territory and only chased them away half-heartedly. Close examination showed no obvious sign of disease. However, when I checked the temperature it was down to 18.5, i.e. room temperature. It didn't take long to find that the heater wasn't working. Fortunately, I keep a couple of spares and on replacing the heater she was back to normal well before the temperature was up to its usual 23.

Several lessons to be learned here :

1. Always keep spare key equipment. I have a couple of heaters, plus a filter which runs as an extra in one of my larger tanks and so is already cycled.

2. Check the temperature regularly, that doesn't necessarily mean a thermometer in every tank, I find that just putting the flat of my hand on the front glass every time I go to switch on/off lights or to feed them is a good indicator. In the present case, no disaster happened but had the tank been one of those in the unheated spare room, where the temperature was 12 degrees, it might have been very different.

3. Observe your fish carefully and note even small changes of behaviour, don't leave it until too late. I reckon fish behaviour is a better indicator of overall tank health than chemical tests.

4. The Zebra danios and Ruby barbs in the tank seemed perfectly happy at the lower temperature with no change in activity or behaviour which supports my theory that many (not all) fish can live just as well at a considerably lower temperature than the 25 or 26 that is often quoted as “normal”. Don't waste expensive electricity for nothing. The Zebras are already scheduled to be moved to  another tank which is set to 20 degrees where they will share with barbs that are also happy at this level.

Well this a bit spooky as I had my first near disaster today due to equipment failure.

I was home at lunch and was just watching my barbs in my 2nd tank and something didn't seem quite right, it took me a couple of minutes then it hit, arrrgh, no water movement. My pump had stopped working. Luckily as it was a 2nd hand tank I'd decided to pick up a new pump just in case as I'd read Jewel pumps can be a bit fickle. Quick change over and all was well. I did a bigger than normal water change just to be sure.

Funny thing was the pump in my Fluval also didn't switch back on after I'd done my routine water change tonight and I really did panic this time as I've no spare for that. Luckily all it required was a good clean and it's working as well as ever. I gave the Jewel a good clean and it's working fine too. Phew....

Moral of the story, as above, keep some spares 


I'll be ordering a spare heater tomorrow   

Ooh, thanks for the tip Sue. I think I'll keep a closer eye on it from now on.

Ha ha, the Jewel one nearly got me when I tested it in the kitchen sink. I managed to save myself a soaking with my not so cat-like reactions, just...