Just like any other living thing, Fish is no different. GloFish are genetically modified to pose certain characteristics; however, being fish, they also need oxygen for breathing. But how does a GloFish get that oxygen directly from the water, or do they need some pump?
Do GloFish Need an Air Pump? In most cases, it is not necessary to add an air pump for glofish if the tank is not too large and has a power filter as it adds oxygen to the tank water through the agitation process. However, if you notice symptoms of oxygen deficiency in the water, then it’s mandatory to install an air pump immediately.
In this article, I will focus on giving you an overall idea about the importance of an air pump and bubbles for GloFish. I will also discuss the symptoms which will indicate if your fish are not getting enough oxygen. Lastly, I will mention various techniques of oxygenating the water without using the pump.
So what are you waiting for? Let us get started.
Can GloFish Survive Without An Air Pump?
Whether a GloFish needs a pump or not can depend on various factors like the size of the tank or the type of filter present in the tank, and many more.
When it comes to the size of the tank, a smaller tank might not need an extra air pump. Here a smaller tank means a tank less than 20 gallons. However, you need to make sure the adequate amount of oxygen circulation is taking place, or else the fish can get stressed.
To be honest, the GloFish can survive for a few days even without the filter and air pumps, but it might stress out your fish. The filters can help the small tanks to agitate an adequate amount of water by breaking the surface of the tank.
The power filters agitate the surface of the water in order to push oxygen into the water. In comparison, the undergravel filters are not capable of agitating the surface of the water.
Another type of filter known as a canister filter needs to be adjusted perfectly to let the water pumped agitate the surface.
But when you have larger tanks, it is highly recommended to install an air pump for the perfect proportion of agitation because, at that time, it becomes a necessity for the fish. If not installed, the fish might stress out.
How To Understand If My GloFish Need An Air Pump?
The simple and short answer for this question is that when you see the GloFish are starting to get stressed, you might make sure the water is getting adequately agitated.
However, these signs might help you understand when the GloFish need an air pump;
- The skin color of the GloFish getting pale
- GloFish is getting inactive or staying very sluggish.
- GloFish hanging around and gasping at the surface of the water for air.
- The gill movement of the GloFish fastening.
Is A Bubbler Good For GloFish?
Bubbler enhances the blubbing in the tank, which further helps to improve the oxygenation and circulation of the water.
Bubblers are essential for the GloFish to have a healthy life. They maintain the healthy ecosystem in the tank.
If the Bubbler is missing, various health issues can pop up and sometimes cause death. The Bubbler maintains the constant current of the water while increasing the water level.
They literally imitate the natural water conditions for GloFish.
Check out the recommended Bubbler for your GloFish by clicking here. It has an automated LED color changing facility and promotes adequate water circulation by creating continuous water tow.
Since you will have the air pump, you need to make sure the Bubbler covers the entire fish tank but only provides bubbles to 50% of the ecosystem. It is effective this way.
What Are The Benefits Of An Air Pump For GloFish?
An air pump can be crucial for GloFish as it regulates the agitation process of the water in order to provide an adequate amount of oxygen. So, let us discover all the benefits of an air pump for GloFish;
- The water agitation process will not be disturbed.
- The water will have a consistent current flow.
- The oxygen level will increase
- The GloFish will not be stressed.
- The air pump stops the algae buildup
- The GloFish will stay active and more all the way through the aquarium.
- Many unwanted health issues will be minimized.
- GloFish will get an adequate amount of oxygen and their living condition will improve.
What Do GloFish Need In Their Tank?
When it comes to setting up a GloFish tank, you need to be very careful and make sure you have all the necessary things you need for the setup.
The things you need for the GloFish Tank are;
1. Bigger Tank
Most GloFish love to roam around, and each GloFish needs a specific number of mates in order to have a healthy and balanced life.
The ideal tank size for your GloFish is 20 Gallon to 40 Gallon aquarium. However, you have bigger-sized ones.
2. Blue And Black Light
GloFish needs to absorb light to emit light, and blue & black light can be a great source of that. The genetically modified fluorescent protein gene helps them glow in the dark.
If you would like to see your GloFish Glow in the dark you will need a black and you can also get blue light which will calm your fish and decrease the stress level.
But remember, little presence of white light is also required.
I would recommend you to buy a light that has all these color modes. Check out my recommended light for the glofish tank on Amazon by clicking here.
Recommended Article: Do GloFish Need Blue Light?
3. Natural or Artificial Plants
Aquarium plants are needed to provide the fish with a natural vibe. The presence of plants in the aquarium can help the fish diminish aggression. Even the fake ones will do the same.
4. Substrate And Other Decorative
The tank of GloFish can be filled with lots of aquarium decorations. Substrates like sand, gravel, marble or any other non-reactive matter can be suitable for GloFish.
5. Water Filter And Air Pump
Unless you have a pretty small tank, a water filter and air pump are necessary. They will help to balance out the oxygen level by agitating the upper surface of the water.
6. Stable and Clean Water Condition
You need to keep your GloFish in clean water, or else they might invite diseases. I would recommend keeping some water test strips so that you can regularly check the water.
You also need to constantly check the water temperature, pH level, and other water parameters for ensuring the proper healthy growth of your GloFish.
Check out this multi-testing water test strip by Bluelan Pencon conductivity pen by clicking here. You can check the water temperature, purification level, and other water parameters just by using the particular stick.
7. Heater
Unless you have fish from the Danios species, you will need a heater. Being a tropical fish, GloFish need warm water to live in water whose temperature level is at the level 75 to 80 Degree Fahrenheit which is why you will need a heater.
Is an Air Pump Necessary For Fish?
The air pump helps the fish by presenting them with the perfect level of oxygen in the tank. But it is not mandatorily required. It depends on the level of agitation your fish will require.
When the tank is small and has a filter to take care of the agitation, then you will not need an air pump. On the flip side, when the tank is big and has lots of fish in it that need maximum agitation, you will need an air pump.
If you have a 20 to 40 gallon fish tank then you will need a good air pump, we found this Tetra Whisper Air pump to be helpful, you can check it on Amazon by clicking here.
How Can I Oxygenate My Water Without A Pump?
When the oxygen level of the tank is very low, and you need an instant solution to oxygenate the water without the pump, you can simply do it by changing 50% of the water and pouring the water from a height with a small glass or cup.
When the tank has a dangerously low level of water, these techniques will be a great saver. However, you need to know that these are simply temporary solutions. Nothing can beat the result of using an air pump.
Then again, you can add some real plants in the aquarium or add a filter or Bubbler instead of the air pump. These will also develop the oxygen level of the tank.
Related Questions
Do GloFish Need Light At Night?
To be honest, GloFish does not require light during the night. But if you want to see the glow of GloFish in a dark environment, you can turn on black light.
However, for the betterment of the GloFish, you need to keep the GloFish under light for 12 hours and in the dark for the rest of the 12 hours.
Do GloFish Need A Heater?
Belonging from the tropical fish family, most type of GloFish needs to be kept in warm water. However, things are the opposite when you have Glow Danios.
Other than that, I would recommend keeping a heater and balancing the temperature for a healthy living environment.
Do GloFish Need A Special Light?
Yes, unlike other fishes, GloFish will require blue black light along with the presence of white light. GloFish needs to adapt the UV light in order to change the brightness of their skin and glow in the dark.
Whereas the blue light helps with the absorption of the light, the black light helps to make them glow during the night.
How Many GloFish In A 10 Gallon Tank?
Each GloFish can have a separate requirement, but ideally, for 10 Gallon tanks, GloFish should be kept in a group of 4 to 5 mates from the same species.
