Question: Axolotl tank temperature

[abbiii <3 aristotle]

I really need advice. My axolotl's tank is in my room, and the average temperature in there is 20-25 degrees Celsius at the moment. The tank has been at 25 degrees for the last couple of days, and i know its not supposed to go above 24. It's now 20 as my window is open and my fan is on full blast, but i'm still worried thats too high. I can't keep it like that forever though because my room feels like a freezer. There's no where else in my house i can keep it and i just can't get it any lower than 20! (i read that around 16-18 is preferable) When it was 25 (sometimes 26 or 27 ) degrees he didn't lose his appetite or stop moving around. He's not eating as much as he could be, but he's still very energetic, and he's never really eaten much. (i bought him a couple of months ago). When it's hot later on in the day (which it rarely ever is in england ) i can't do anything until i get home from school, so i'm worried it will get too hot during the day when no one can check on him. Anyone who lives in warmer climates have any tips? Any information on temperature and what they can tolerate will be so great.

[Angie]

One trick I use when the weather is getting a bit warm is to have my curtains mostly closed with just enough light coming in to tell that it's daytime. The curtains seem to block out quite a bit of heat

[abbiii <3 aristotle]

thanks for the tip, i'll try it :)

[Denise]

I do the same as Angie with the curtains, although sometimes I find that if the room does heat up, the curtains trap the heat too so it's kind of difficult to keep on top of.
I have a fan sitting on top of my tank, this brought down the temperature by about 3 degrees, but it needs to be on constantly. Fluctuations of temperature will seriously stress your little guy out so when you decide what to do, you need to stick to it.

Take a look here Caudata Culture Articles - Cooling

[abbiii <3 aristotle]

i tried the curtain thing, but it hasn't worked at all. if anything it makes it hotter!! i have a fan to now, but it does have to constantly be on, which my mum isn't too happy about. it did take the temp down to 18 degrees but its up now to 23. it just won't change. i'm getting really worried because the temp does change a lot. he seems okay though so i don't know what to think. i also have my window open but i hate having it open for two reasons. 1 it lets in tonnes of spiders and i am SO scared of them! also i always get scared having my window open because my cats comes in at 3 in the morning and start climbing all over me and it's so scary, and i always think someones going to break in. nothing seems so work at all!!

[abbiii <3 aristotle]

okay, when i said 'it just won't change. i'm getting really worried because the temp does change a lot.' that didn't make any sense. i meant that it never gets low enough but it changes a lot in the 20's sort of range

[Kaysie]

You could buy a chiller, or keep him in the fridge while it's warm.

[CymriLynne]

I've heard some people freeze or chill conditioned water and add it to the tank during water changes, but be careful not to allow the temperature to drop too low too fast.

[Kaysie]

Also, wild swings in temperature are much more stressful than sub-optimal temperatures.

[abbiii <3 aristotle]

yeah i know. its staying around 20-23 degrees now, because i found another place for it! it's a lot cooler downstairs than upstairs! although now he's not eating as much. is this something to do with temp?

[jhonny]

been a while since i last logged in. been busy moving out of the parental house.

anyhow, summer is almost at an end here in belgium..
and i had the same problem with my tank like all summer.
first week i got so scared my axies would die.. but they didnt.
they kept their appetite and didnt seem to bothered with the "hot" water..
i've said this a multitude of times before: axies are quite hardy.
they can withstand allot, and i guess they get used to in eventually.
water is at a steady 23°C nowedays, and i dont even bother trying to get it any cooler anymore.. water bottles, fans, window open, curtains closed.. all does relatively nothing.

the only thing you can do to make your water colder is either install an airco system close to your tank and use it to chill the glass.
or buy a genuine tank chiller..
(oh and having an external filter helps to.. i noticed 20% of the heat in my tank comes straight from that.. )

[paulhodge82]

i had swings in temperature in my axie tank and didnt want to use the frozen water bottle method or some of the other methods of keeping the water cool, as they seem a bit hit and miss. Either dropping the temp to quickly, or not keeping the water at an optimum temp for long enough..... so took the plunge and bought a chiller. it was £270 (you say you go to school, so this may be too expensive) but it is worth every penny. i figure if my axies live for another ten years i have easily had my moneys worth.
they give off a little noise but i got round that by drilling a hole through the wall to the tiny room under the stairs and putting the tubing from my tank, through the wall and having the chiller in there and i never hear it.
Since i bought that i have been able to forget about temperature fluctuations in my tank. The chiller only switches on if it senses a change in temp and the tank sits happily at 17 degrees all day every day.

[Olivia]

buy a chiller, theyre reasonably cheap and work really well, i have the same problem :)

[mackinthebox]

ive never seen a reasonably cheap chiller...
the cheapest i could find is the thermal probe (i think thats what its called)
at least from google and ebay seraches here in the US I havent found any...