Is a small generator feasible? Here's another idea: Put the tank in a bigger box and insulate with packing peanuts. It's like shipping plants.

Presuming the tank is up and running and larger than about 5 - 6 gallons, picking it up and placing it into an insulated box in the midst of a power outtage, perhaps in the middle of the night in the dark, wouldn't seem the best plan.

There are some battery back-up and battery run air pumps on the market, but a heater needs electrical power. Any electrical appliance containing heating coils take a lot, compared to say, the motor on a power filter.

However, if you heat with nat. gas, your ability to keep the house warm is limited only to getting just enough juice to operate the furnace fan and/or electric ignition, and neither of them take much power at all.

So: If you have a means, or can devise one to keep the house warm, a tank heater becomes a no issue.

That leaves only the filter, and to address that; if you run an air driven sponge filter off a battery operated air pump and have kept the tank clean and not overpopulated, your fish should be fine and presuming they are fat and healthy when the lights go out, a few days of fasting won't harm them.

My tank is 75 gallons and I did think of one thing yesterday that I can do with what I have now in the house... I have a lot of extra pillows (almost donated them to Goodwill) and can duct tape them around the tank and put an old blanket on the top. I am all electrical. The last ice storm had me, the dog, and bird in a hotel for 2 days. Otherwise, I will check into a little generator and other ideas posted on here. Thanks!

My spouse uses a solar collector and a marine battery. She was advised that marine batteries work better for this sort of thing. She runs all her heaters and pumps off the battery all the time. The cost of the setup would be ridiculous but for the fact that it can be used to jump start the truck and all manner of other 12 volt uses.

I have goldfish, they like cold water.

A power outtage in an all electric house in the dead of winter can't be much fun, but given some careful thought to which appliances you really can't live without, including what it takes to operate your aquarium, if you check them out, you might be surprised at how much electrical bang you can get for your buck in a less than $2,000.00 generator.

If you think that's too much to spend, think about what it would cost if you came home to find the burglars had beat you to it. Just think of it as an insurance policy, but one that once purchased, wouldn't require annual premiums.

We just lost power in Mass for 6 days and we borrowed a small generator to trade between the fishtanks, the frog tanks, and the fridge. We plan to buy one of our own in case of this happening again. We also have a propane fireplace that doesnt need electricity so we had *some* heat in here.