Guppies
Do Guppies Need A Bubbler? – Ways To Fix Oxygen In The Water
Mar
Do Guppies Need A Bubbler? Like all living beings, guppies need oxygen to live; there are many ways to fix dissolved oxygen in the aquarium tank, such as filter, air pump, live aquarium plants, etc., and the bubbler is among one of the methods to improve dissolved oxygen level in the water.
If you have never owned Guppies or a novice aquarist, you would wonder why would do Guppies need a Bubbler?
Guppies are a low maintenance species; they make any tank vibrant with their brilliant colors and flowing tails. Despite their agility, adaptability, and endurance, they still need certain basics to live, if not thrive.
Do Guppies need Oxygen to Live?
Oxygen is the fundamental element for the Guppies, like all living beings. No aquatic life can survive without adequate oxygen. Like all the fish species, Guppies cannot breathe oxygen straight; they draw water through their gills and obtain the dissolved oxygen in the water.
Guppies or fish species cannot break the water molecule H2O and use the oxygen atom; they need O2 from the atmosphere. So, dissolved oxygen in the water column is imminent for any aqua life; Guppies are no exception to this.
How long can Guppies live without Oxygen?
Guppies inhabit freshwater ways; they are also found in brackish waterways but not saltwater. As we have seen, the movement of the water dissolves sufficient oxygen in the water column.
In captivity, in your aquarium tank, they can survive for a few days at the most they pull through a week without sufficient oxygen in the water column, depending on how packed their habitat is.
What causes depletion of oxygen in the water column in an aquarium, pond, etc.?
You must have noticed; sometimes, Guppies swim to the surface often; it’s due to depletion of oxygen level in the water that pushes them to the surface of the water. Coming up to the surface agitates the surface water and thereby dissolves oxygen into the water column.
There are multiple reasons for the depletion of oxygen in the water column, such as overstocking, excess nutrition, over-fertilization, higher water temperature, excess algae, etc. Diminution of dissolved oxygen level in the water column may result in your Guppies drowning, suffocate to death.
How in the wild, Oxygen gets dissolved in the waterways?
In the flowing waterways, an adequate amount of oxygen dissolves the water; in the still water, the air and aqua species movement fixes the oxygen in the water. To cut a long story short, the water movement replenishes oxygen levels in the water column.
Do Guppies need a Bubbler?
Guppies inhabit flowing water in the wild; hence, Guppies also need clean and aerated water like any other freshwater species. The tank’s static water is no place for Guppies to live; in the light, I would answer the question Do Guppies need a Bubbler as yes. Clean and Oxygenated water is a paramount factor for your Guppies to live and thrive.
A bubbler helps the oxygen to dissolve in the water by constantly agitating the surface of the water. Bubbler is not an alternative to your filtration system. You need a filtration system to ensure clean aquarium tank water.
Related readings: Do Guppies need a filter?
What is a Bubbler, and what does it do?
An Aquarium Bubbler, also known as Airstone, is connected to an air pump to produce bubbles in the water; these air bubbles float to the water surface before breaking and thereby dissolves oxygen in the water column of the tank.
Oxygenating the water
The primary function of a bubbler is to oxygenate the water. By merely pumping air in the water doesn’t dissolve oxygen in the water; as explained earlier, the bubbles produced by the bubblers break when it touches the water surface and encourages the gas exchange in the water column.
Adds current
Bubblers increase the water current through agitation. In general, the air stones are placed at the bottom of the tank; the air bubbles travel all the way to the top of the tank while creating current in the tank water. Most freshwater fish species love water current, and the Guppies are no exception to this.
Creates negative ions
Another great benefit of having Bubbler creates a sparkle in the water with the continuous exchange of air; this air movement through the water creates an ionization process that creates this sparkling of water.
The negative ions created by the ionization process have great health benefits for the one in the tank and the people around that aquarium. In nature, the waterfalls or fast-flowing river constantly creates these negative ions; this is why we have a refreshing feeling around the water bodies.
The artificial waterfalls, fountains, etc. delivers the same effect; the constantly moving water splashes the water, the splashing of the water creates negative ions when it gets in touch with the air. This is why most city squares have fountains and other water bodies that spray water during summer. It has immense health benefits both for the specimens in the tank as well as the caretaker.
The Guppies are no anomaly to this; in fact, they would enjoy even more as they are originally dwelling in the waterways with currents.
Adds aesthetics
Do Guppies like Bubblers?
Guppies inhabit waterways with low to moderate currents in the wild; they love clean and well-oxygenated water. Bubblers shoot out bubbles in the water column, which creates a certain amount of currents in the water. Most aquarists who own Guppies swear that the Guppies enjoy playing in the bubbles.
However, you would want to ensure the bubbler’s power concerning the tank’s size, not to install too powerful bubblers for a small tank that could stress the Guppies and the other fish in the tank.
Do Guppies need an Air Pump?
Like Bubbler, an air pump is another way of creating agitation of the surface water level. The agitation of the water’s surface or rippling effect encourages the air exchange and thereby dissolves oxygen in the tank’s water column.
An air pump combined with a sponge is one of the excellent filtration systems you can provide for your Guppies. Sponge filter provides large space for the bio-moss; enzymes and bacterias necessary to digest Ammonia and Nitrites into Nitrates called the Nitrogen cycle.
Can Guppies survive without a Bubbler or an Air Pump?
Both Bubbler and Air pump are used to improve dissolved oxygen in the tank’s water column. If you do not want to use a Bubbler or an Air Pump, you would want to do other means of improving dissolved oxygen in the water column, such as adding freshwater, adding aquarium plants in the tank, etc.
Freshwater contains a good level of dissolved oxygen, and also plants fix plenty of oxygen in the water.
If you are wondering, do Guppies need a Bubbler or do Guppies need an Air Pump?
Well! The answer depends on the following factors:
Large and wider tank:
A tank with a large surface is better than a narrow and tall tank for air exchange. A large surface provides more room for surface air exchange and improves dissolved oxygen levels. In the shallow waterways, just the movement of the fish promotes greater air exchange with the atmosphere.
Filtration system:
If you have a filtration system installed for the Guppy tank, the filter pump circulates the water while filtering the tank water. You require a filter to keep the tank water clean and fresh; however, all the filter does not have a pump that agitates the tank’s water. Nevertheless, a filter keeps the water cleans the water mechanically, chemically, and biologically.
Frequent water change:
Freshwater contains enough dissolved oxygen, and replacing the existing tank water with freshwater provides all the O2 the Guppies need. However, frequent water might also reduce the bio moss, the beneficial enzymes, and bacterias built in the tank. Moreover, frequent water change is tedious and messy work. It is better to install a filtration system that takes care of maintaining the aquarium clean and fresh.
If you have a good filtration system, a well-planted tank, and a regular partial water change, you wouldn’t need a bubbler or an air pump.
Do Guppies need a Bubbler – Final Thoughts:
Why do Guppies need a Bubbler or an Air Pump? Apart from aesthetics, the primary purpose of a Bubbler or an Air Pump is to encourage surface air exchange to increase the aquarium’s oxygen level.
If you can obtain that by implementing one or more methods mentioned in this article, you don’t need a Bubbler for Guppies tank, although Guppies enjoy playing in the bubbles.
Always watch out for the warning signs for the lack of oxygen in the tank. The signs can be one or more such as Guppies swimming at the tank’s surface, change in the swimming pattern, diminish in activities, etc.
Just be aware that lack of oxygen can cost your Guppies life. You would want to ensure a good dissolved oxygen level in your Guppy tank to keep them happy and playful.
