Tetra fish are both tropical and cold-blooded fish, which means that they totally rely on water temperature to speed up or slow down their metabolism.
They require a water temperature that ranges between 75 and 78°F (23 and 25°C) to live healthily and happily.
So, yes, they do need a heater or a consistently warm environment where the water temperature in their tank will not drop below this range. A heater is used to keep the temperature of their water consistent, which is required for their health.
If you wish to provide your tetra fish with the best and healthiest life possible, acquiring a heater is an absolute must!
There are so many useful benefits to having a heated aquarium, especially when it comes to looking after tropical fish such as tetras. Trust us, your fish will thank you for it!
If the correct temperature ranges are not achieved, or the temperature fluctuates due to no heater being present your tetra fish can, and most likely will, become stressed out, ill from disease or infections, and their metabolism will very much slow down.
There are some instances where having a heater may not be 100% needed, but it is always good to have one just in case big swings in temperature occur.
Can Tetras Survive Without a Heater?
Yes, Tetras can survive without a heater if the room temperature makes the tank water the same temperature that they are used to, but it will not be good for them and will result in a much shorter lifespan than usual for tetras.
As a fish owner and a hobbyist, it is your responsibility to ensure that your fish have the best, happiest, and healthiest life possible, which is certainly helped by having a heater provide a consistent and accurate water temperature for your tetra!
How To Reach the Required Temperature?
Heaters are extremely useful for any aquarium environment as you can set a consistent temperature and ensure it stays at your desired temperature, great for fish that require much hotter environments and even those that are partially tropical fish.
If you wish to provide your tetra fish with the best and healthiest life possible, acquiring a heater is an absolute must!
There are so many useful benefits to having a heated aquarium, especially when it comes to looking after tropical fish such as tetras. Your fish will thank you for it.
Typically, good aquarium heaters will provide between 3 to 5 watts for every gallon of water. Let's say that you owned a 10-gallon fish tank, if so, you would then need a 30 to 50 watt heater.
There are plenty of good aquarium heaters on the market, we have even devised a top 5 list for the best aquarium heaters. Additionally, it is always a great idea to get a heater with a built-in thermostat which will automatically tell the temperature of the water accurately.
How To Tell the Temperature?
Unfortunately for thermostats, they have a pretty weak reputation for breaking easily or misrepresenting the accurate temperature. This is why a thermometer is a brilliant tool to accompany your heater.
Sure, it may cost a little more to purchase a separate aquarium thermometer, but it is so worth it because a good one will tell you the most accurate temperature possible, 24/7.
There are many aquarium thermometers that are durable, accurate, and affordable! If you wish to spend a little more than digital thermometers are perfect for you, they will also give you the exact temperature to the nearest 0.1!
Circulating The Temperature Around the Tank
An aquarium heater is one thing but distributing the heat throughout your aquarium is a totally different ball game!
This is easily achieved through having a good tetra aquarium filter, bubbler, or powerhead. It just helps ensure that your entire tank is the exact same temperature and there are no cold corners in your tank.
How To Deal with Sudden Temperature Changes
Once you have achieved everything mentioned above, your tetra fish will be living in a consistently warm environment, which will benefit them tremendously. Now, something you must look out for when it comes to maintaining a good water temperature is sudden temperature drops or increases, this can be truly detrimental for your fish.
Fortunately, this will be a very uncommon occurrence, especially if you are using your thermometer to keep updated regularly on the water temperature.
A time where this could happen is if your heater suddenly breaks. If this happens, the best solution is to place a towel over the entire tank, trapping the heat within it until you find a new heater.
Final Thoughts
If you wish to provide your tetra fish with the best and healthiest life possible, acquiring a heater is an absolute must! There are so many useful benefits to having a heated aquarium, especially when it comes to looking after tropical fish such as tetras.
