Fishes are cold blooded animals. Thus, they cannot regulate their body temperatures as efficiently as mammals do. The body temperature of fish is mostly affected by the temperature of the environment.

The inability of the fish to regulate their body temperature makes them highly sensitive to changes in the temperature of the water. Even slight changes can cause dire ramifications to their health.

Selecting the best Aquarium heaters give you the ability to control and monitor the temperature of the water. With this, you can provide the fish in your aquarium with the best environment for them to live and thrive.

How Water Temperature Affects the Fish

The body temperature of fishes follows closely that of the medium. If you increase or decrease the temperature of the water, the body temperature of the fish soon follows. This has a profound effect on their health.

For one, experts believe that the sudden shift in the temperature of the surrounding water can adversely affect the immune system of the fish

The ideal temperature for a fish differs from species to species. Fishes that typically lives within the equator are used to warmer water compared to those that live close to either the South or North pole.

An unstable environment—one that rises or falls in temperature over a short period—can send the immune system of the fishes in disarray. A weakened immune system exposes the fish into many infections.

In addition, sudden and frequent temperature changes can affect the swimming ability of the fish as well as their growth. If not adequately addressed, an environment with unstable temperature can be fatal to the fish.

Types of Aquarium Heaters

Currently, there are four types of heaters available. Each has their set of advantage and disadvantages. What to select depends on many factors including the size of your aquarium, the type of fish you have and your budget.

Immersible Aquarium Heater

This Aquarium Heater is the least favorite among the four types because of the difficulty involved in installing it. This is because you can install it above water.

Among the types of aquarium heaters, however, the immersible aquarium heater is the cheapest making it the ideal choice for those who are on a tight budget. In addition, most people buy and keep an immersible aquarium heater as a backup.

Filter Aquarium Heater

This type of heater is the newest one. The filter aquarium heater is placed in the filters. As the water passes through the filters, this heater warms it up.

Because you don’t need to place or submerge any equipment inside the aquarium, the filter aquarium filter is among the filters that most users prefer. Also, the way this filter operates makes it ideal for large aquariums with a lot of water in it.

Substrate Heaters

For those who intend to encourage plant growth inside the aquarium, the substrate heater is the best choice. This is because substrate heaters are known to promote plant growth.

You can install substrate heaters in the substrate—the material you place or use in the bottom of the tank. The substrate hides the heater, so there’s no visible heater hardware in the aquarium.

In addition, because of its placement, it allows a uniform and gradual increase in the temperature of the water thereby providing an ideal environment for your fish.

Submersible Aquarium Heaters

Of the types of aquarium heaters mentioned in this article, this one is the most popular. That is because it’s relatively cheap and can easily be installed.

If you’re not comfortable with visible heating hardware inside your aquarium, this type of heater is not for you. You place submersible aquarium heaters under water—thus the device is highly visible.

In addition, most submersible aquarium heaters are glass thus they are fragile. One wrong move and you have a heck of a cleaning to make. Best Aquarium Heaters