Are heaters necessary for a fish? Can fish survive without a heater? Heaters are one of the essential equipment required in the aquarium for the fish. Fish come from different parts of the world from different rivers, oceans, or seas. What are the best heaters that can replicate the natural habitat of the flowerhorn? Let us find out!
Heaters are very necessary for Flowerhorn fish as they like warm water. It is best to maintain the temperature of water to 75-89 degrees Fahrenheit. 75-89 degrees Fahrenheit is a much higher temperature than average room temperature. Hence you will surely need a heater for this fish.
Before knowing about the best heaters for Flowerhorn, get a little knowledge about Flowerhorn cichlid in the paragraph below.
Introduction
Flowerhorns are known as one of the famous fish in the fish-keeping community. They are known for their aggressiveness, nuchal hump or Kok, and stunning vivid color.
They are very active fish that will follow you wherever in the tank. Recently they are quite famous among fish keepers. They are also loved by the people because they are one of the best fighters in the fish tank. They are not afraid of any other fish which are bigger than them.
Some Flowerhorns even take out their nuchal hump to be petted by their owner. They can be one of the best fish pets in the fish-keeping community.
Water Parameters
You should always consider water parameters for the better health of your beautiful fish. When talking about Flowerhorn cichlids, they like to be in water that has a pH range of 7-8, and the water hardness of water must be 8-20 dGH.
Flowerhorn cichlids like warm water as they are tropical fish. So you should maintain the water temperature to 80–90 degrees Fahrenheit. Fish experts even suggest you keep 2 heaters to rise the temperature as they live in a big tank. They like to live in a 70-gallons tank minimally.
Best Heaters For Flowerhorn
There are many heaters manufactured in the world but let me introduce some of the best heaters for your Flowerhorn.
Fluval E200 Electronic Heater
This is one of the best heaters of all time. Most of the fish keepers use this heater as it is more specific and easy to use.
Placement And Usage
Placing this heater was an easy job to do as the suction cups which come along with these heaters work so well. They are surprisingly very strong. You should keep this heater vertically as this heater is meant to have half inches outside of water.
You can attach this heater wherever you want in the tank. All the equipment required for attaching the heater comes along with the pack. So you don’t have to worry about it.
This heater comes with a preset temperature of 77 degrees Fahrenheit, but if you want to change the temperature, then you can easily change it by just toggling the red lever above the heater. If you have to decrease the temperature, then turn to the left. Similarly, if you have to raise the temperature, then turn the red lever to the right.
Features
It has a digital display which makes it easy to set the temperature. Similarly, the heater also displays the current water temperature at the same time. Finally, it has a 3-way indicator light that shows active heating mode, standby mode, or overheat alert.
It is not like other heaters which are underpowered. It can easily hold the water at 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Furthermore, the heater has a heater guard, which is built of premium quality that you can feel while you touch it.
The thing you should consider while using this heater is that the heating tube underneath the heater glass is made of glass. So, be careful while taking the heater out of the water. While removing the heater from the water, it can crack if the heating tube is hot.
Similarly, don’t put the heater in the water when it is plugged outside the water. Let it cool for at least an hour before keeping it back in the water.
Hence this heater is perfect for your Flowerhorn as it can hold the water at 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
You can buy this heater here.
Hygger 200W DIgital Quartz Aquarium Heater
This heater is not like any other common heater. It is divided into three parts, the Heating unit, the Temperature probe, and the control unit.
Placement and Usage
The heating unit is the unit that heats the water. It comes with its heater guard that will surely protect your fish from any injury and burning themselves.
A Temperature probe is a unit that is kept outside your tank that sends information to the control unit. The temperature probe is the temperature sensor.
Lastly control unit has a display on it that shows the temperature of the tank. As the name, you can rise or drop the temperature that you want. You can power also turn on or turn off the heater from the control unit. Don’t use this heater without the controlling unit as the heating element in the heater would just continuously and can surely overheat your tank and can harm the fish.
Underneath the heater guard is a glass heater that can crack if the temperature changes rapidly, so you shouldn’t change the temperature of the heater frequently. You should change the temperature slowly.
Setting up this heater is fine until it comes to installing the control module. The suction cup inside the tank, which is used to attach the heating unit, works very well. But the suction cup for the control unit is not strong enough to hold up this part of the heater.
Drawbacks
This heater lacks an overheat sensor, and the overheat sensor will not shut down until the water temperature reaches 97 degrees Fahrenheit. Until then, I think all your fish would die due to overheating.
And mainly don’t use this heater outside the water. There are many cases of this heater melting if it runs outside the tank.
It will work fine for only a few days, but after a few days, it will fall off. In my opinion, don’t trust the suction cup to hold the control unit. An alternative to that, you can use a mounting plastic thum track on the wall or behind the tank. It is not the best solution, but you can trust this equipment rather than the suction cup.
This heater has struggled to maintain a consistent temperature. If you are willing to maintain the temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit, then you should set the temperature of the heater at 77 degrees Fahrenheit. You should check the temperature every 4 hours as the temperature may fluctuate.
Hence, the design is great with 3 different units with the built-in heater guard, but this heater may give you different types of problems that many peoples have faced.
You can buy this heater here:
Fluval M200 Submersible Heater
This is the most accessible heater to use. Installing this heater is very easy; the suction cup is already attached to this heater. So, all you have to do is take out the heater from the package and stick it to the back glass.
Drawback
This heater is made up of glass. It may break or crack, so you have to be extra careful. But I don’t have a record of breaking one.
This heater has no built guard, But you can add a heater guard later on since it is so nice and slim.
Placement and Usage
If you have to adjust the temperature, you can rotate the dial; the dial is situated at the top of the heater.
It has only one indicator light which is only for active heat mode. Thus if you want a simple heater that can handle the temperature of your aquarium, then I think this heater is the best choice for you.
You can buy this heater here:
Eheim Jager Aquarium Thermostat Heater
Placement and Usage
This 200-watt heater is very big, so it can handle the water temperature easily. This is a fully submersible heater which means you don’t have to lift any part of the heater. This heater is very big, so you can feel that the heater is very big for the tank.
The tube in this heater is also very big than other heaters. Sadly it doesn’t come with a heater guard, and the other sad thing is you can’t find a heater guard for this heater.
This heater contains 2 temperature dials, blue and red. The blue dial sets the temperature level of the heater whereas the red dial calibrates the heater, which means the temperature you set the heater for matches the temperature heater warms the water too.
In simple words, if you set the dial for 75 degrees Fahrenheit, the tank constantly sits at 78 degrees Fahrenheit. In this case, you can turn the red indicator dial so that the arrow sits on the actual temperature.
Drawbacks
Adjusting this heater to warm the tank to the perfect temperature was a hard job. It takes some time to adjust the proper temperature in the heater. But once you adjust the heater to the perfect temperature, you don’t have to worry about getting too hot or too cold. It can do a perfect job.
Sadly it doesn’t have an overheat sensor. But it does have a dry sensor. Once you take the heater out of the water, it will automatically shut down. And similarly, it will turn on once it is in the water.
Hence, I think this heater is also a good choice the only thing is that it is hard to adjust the temperature at first.
You can get this heater from here:
Hitop Adjustable PTC Aquarium Heater
Placement and Usage
But installing this heater is one of the hardest things cause you should attach the suction cup in pre-drilled holes in the heater guard. The holes are a bit small, so it is hard to attach the suction cup to the holes.
As I said earlier, this heater looks amazing. And the heater guard on it protects the ceramic heating element and can prevent most of the fish from touching it.
For increasing or decreasing the temperature, it contains a dial from which we can control the temperature.
The heating element on this heater cant heat a 55-gallon tank. You should adjust the temperature to 79 degrees Fahrenheit to get the water temperature to stay at 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
I suggest you guys not use this heater for big tanks like 55-gallon tanks. But it will do a great job in a 30-40 gallon tank.
Hence it is not made for big tanks.
You can get this heater from here:
Things to Know Before Buying Heater
While buying a heater, you should consider some the things like durability, consistency, etc. I have explained some of the major points below.
Installation
How easy or difficult was it to install the heater in the tank? You should check the suction cup if it is powerful or not.
Features
- Easy to read the temperature
- Durability
- Overheat/ dry sensor
- Heater guard
- Indicator Light
Consistency
Can this heater maintain the temperature you selected in the tank? If your heater can maintain the temperature, then you shouldn’t worry about the temperature being too low or too high.
Choosing the Best Heater For Your Tank
It is important to choose the right heater for your tank. You should choose a heater according to the size of your tank.
If the heater is too small for your tank, then it cannot maintain the temperature that you want.
The heater that is made for small aquariums can’t rise the temperature for bigger tanks. A heater that works for a 20-gallon won’t work for a 60-gallon.
According to the experts, 3-5 watts per gallon.
Heaters come in different power, which is classified by their wattage. The more the wattage, the more powerful the heater is.
Hence, you should always choose the heater which is appropriate for your tank.
FAQ
How do I choose the heater for my aquarium?
According to the experts, 3-5 watts per gallon. So, if you are going to buy a heater for your tank, consider the size of your tank and purchase it. You should also see the different specs in the heater.
Should you always turn on the heater?
Yes, you should always turn on the heater 24/7 to maintain the water temperature that you set. Turning off the heater may result in fluctuation of temperature. Thus, you must turn on the heater 24/7 to ensure that the temperature is stable and your flowerhorn is safe.
Where do I keep my heater in the fish tank?
It is best if you place your heater near the place where there is water flow. If you do so, you can evenly disperse the heated water all over the tank.
How long will it take to heat the whole tank with the heater?
Approximately it will take 24 hours minimally to heat the whole fish tank. It may take more time if your tank is big.
Conclusion
One of the crucial pieces of gear for your tank is a heater. You will need a good heater that can handle the water temperature because different fish prefer to dwell in water that is at different temperatures.
Finally, read the information above before deciding which heater is appropriate for your tank. There are many heaters that can support your flowerhorn tank. However, you must understand their drawbacks and decide which one is best for you. This will save you a lot of money and the health of your beloved flowerhorn.