For the vast majority of tropical fish, an aquarium water temperature of 76 to 78º Fahrenheit will be fine. Some species like cooler water and some prefer warmer water, but as a compromise, this range works well.
If
you are having difficulty deciding what fish to buy, it wouldn't hurt to choose
fish that prefer the same temperature range. Goldfish are not tropical fish and
fare better at temperatures closer to 65º Fahrenheit.
It
is very important that the water temperature be consistent. Rapid fluctuations
in temperature, particularly down, may cause physical stress to fish that often
leads to disease. The solution to maintaining the correct water temperature is
an aquarium heater and thermostat.
Aquarium
heaters are available in a variety of types, sizes, and prices. When it comes
to aquarium heaters, trying to save money is not a good idea. The reliability
of a heater is too crucial to risk buying an inexpensive one.
The
weak link in any heater is the thermostat, which regulates the heater, turning
it on and off to maintain the desired temperature. The quality of design,
materials, and construction of the thermostat is one of the things that separate
unreliable heaters from good ones. In cheap heaters, the thermostat often
sticks -- either open or closed -- and this can be disastrous.
