Has anynoe ever tried keeping warm water creatures in cold water

[snailaquarium]

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone ever kept small plecos or other creatures that want warm water in room temperature water?

I realise they arewarm beccause they usually, I assume, have metabolism issues, but can you resolve those issues with additives?

 

[utahfish]

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone ever kept small plecos or other creatures that want warm water in room temperature water?

I realise they arewarm beccause they usually, I assume, have metabolism issues, but can you resolve those issues with additives?

The only additive that will resolve the issue that i know of is an aquarium heater

 

[Byron]

Each species of freshwater fish has evolved to function in a very specific environment. This includes the water parameters (GH, pH and temperature) as well as all other factors. Temperature is crucial because fish are ectotherms which means they do not produce internal heat but rely on the temperature of the water to carry out their essential life processes.

With this in mind, each species has a temperature range in which it will be able to function with the least amount of effort. Energy from food is used for several things in fish just as it is in all animals and plants. Temperature drives the fish's metabolism. With ectotherms, as soon as the temperature moves too far away from what is needed, the fish begin to have difficulties. This occurs if the temperature lowers too much, or increases too much. Temporary fluctuations can usually be managed, depending upon various factors, but long-term the fish cannot manage.

This not only means that some vital life processes may not function, it also causes stress, which if not resolved will itself increase. Stress weakens fish in several ways, such as lessening the effectiveness of their immune system, slowing or stopping various internal processes, etc.

 

[FishGuest5123]

Plecos can handle temps between 65 and 85F. I have bristlenose plecos. One is in a goldfish tank which stays around 72F and the other is in a tropical tank with temps at 76F.

 

[TekFish]

I mean, this question is kind of like, has anyone had success keeping a desert lizard outside in the Antarctic? The answer is no. Their biology simply just does not allow for it. And there's no miracle substance you can put in the water to somehow trick the fish into thinking they're in warm water. If you took neon tetras and put them in cold water, they would just keel over and die, probably within a few minutes. If you want tropical fish, just buy a heater, otherwise just keep WCMM or something like that.

 

[snailaquarium]

I mean, this question is kind of like, has anyone had success keeping a desert lizard outside in the Antarctic? The answer is no.

Coming back to my question though, I believe it might be possible to change the chemical nature of the environment to make it not need the heat to do the checmical processes. Take motabilism for instance, people with an under-active thyroid gland can take medication and be able to function!

 

[utahfish]

Coming back to my question though, I believe it might be possible to change the chemical nature of the environment to make it not need the heat to do the checmical processes. Take motabilism for instance, people with an under-active thyroid gland can take medication and be able to function!

If you figure this out be sure to tell me, ill make millions!

 

[TekFish]

Coming back to my question though, I believe it might be possible to change the chemical nature of the environment to make it not need the heat to do the checmical processes. Take motabilism for instance, people with an under-active thyroid gland can take medication and be able to function!

People with an underactive thyroid simply don't produce the correct amount of hormones and enzymes, hence underACTIVE. This is a completely different issue to what you're suggesting. Enzymes and proteins need a very specific band of temperature otherwise they denature completely. It's not a question of "just make more", like it is with underactive thyroid. They will ALWAYS denature at a temperature they are not meant to perform at. There IS no medication that physically changes a organisms DNA so it produces enzymes that denature at a different temperature.

EDIT: You're not seriously considering trying this, are you?

 

[snailaquarium]

People with an underactive thyroid simply don't produce the correct amount of hormones and enzymes, hence underACTIVE. This is a completely different issue to what you're suggesting. Enzymes and proteins need a very specific band of temperature otherwise they denature completely. It's not a question of "just make more", like it is with underactive thyroid. They will ALWAYS denature at a temperature they are not meant to perform at. There IS no medication that physically changes a organisms DNA so it produces enzymes that denature at a different temperature.

EDIT: You're not seriously considering trying this, are you?

OK well this is a useful and informative response, so thank you, assuming correct, I understand the use of the term "denature" so its likely therefore impossible. However, I just wondered if it was already done and tried and tested...

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I agree with @Deanasue. Plecos can deal with warm and cold temperatures. I suggest keeping them at 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit though.

 

[Byron]

Coming back to my question though, I believe it might be possible to change the chemical nature of the environment to make it not need the heat to do the checmical processes. Take motabilism for instance, people with an under-active thyroid gland can take medication and be able to function!

TekFish has responded better than I could on human medical issues. But as i ttried to point out previously, you are expecting an evolved species to just re-evolve and this cannot occur in the context we are considering. All species can continue to evolve, we know that is occurring, but it takes thousands of years to change the biological system to be able to function under as significant a factor as temperature. There is no way some sort of chemical change in the environment can do this; the result would be to kill the species. Which is what we humans are presently witnessing every day when species are unable to evolve fast enough to a changing climate. A temperature rise of just one degree in the ocean is believed to have been responsible for a species of coral dying off.

 

[snailaquarium]

I agree with @Deanasue. Plecos can deal with warm and cold temperatures. I suggest keeping them at 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit though.

Interesting, so you think a bristlnose pleco would work in a uk room temp environment? Would like one of those earth eaters so they can clean the stones..

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Interesting, so you think a bristlnose pleco would work in a uk room temp environment? Would like one of those earth eaters so they can clean the stones..

Yes...

I’m not actually sure about BNP. I know for a fact that regular plecos can, but they get really big.

(Edit: I did some research and yes, BNP can survive at room temperature water. )

 

[FishGuest5123]

If you figure this out be sure to tell me, ill make millions!

Tell me just so I can eat all I want.

 

[FishGuest5123]

Yes...

I’m not actually sure about BNP. I know for a fact that regular plecos can, but they get really big.

(Edit: I did some research and yes, BNP can survive at room temperature water. )

Would you really doubt me??? I told you, I have one living in 72F and one living in 76F. Hands on proof. In the winter, the 72F is more like 70F. They are both 4 years old. One lives in a heated tank and one doesn’t.