Oxygen plays an essential role in the survivability of fish. But can your neon tetras live without oxygen? Let us find out.
Neon tetras cannot thrive without oxygen, as it is essential for their survival. A lack of oxygen in the tank can suffocate your tetras and make them pass away. Consider adding aquatic plants, a water filter and perform regular water changes to keep your neon tetra’s tank well-oxygenated.
The article below discusses the importance of oxygen for your neon tetras. In addition, we will also learn the ways to keep your tetras tank well-oxygenated.
Contents
Do neon tetras need oxygen to thrive?
Neon tetras do require oxygen for their survival. In their natural habitat, tetras get ample oxygen to thrive.
So, when you place them in an artificial environment, you must keep your tank well-oxygenated to ensure your tetra’s well-being.
A lack of oxygen in your neon tetra’s tank can make your fish suffocate and pass away eventually.
In addition, the beneficial bacteria in the tank need oxygen to eliminate harmful chemicals like ammonia and nitrite from the water.
In the absence of oxygen, the good bacteria will not be able to remove the toxins from the water leading to a spike in the ammonia and nitrite levels and making your neon tetras suffer from severe health issues.
Therefore, you should keep your tetra’s tank well-oxygenated to maintain a stress-free environment and ensure your fish’s well-being.
How does oxygen exchange work in water?
H20 develops water molecules that consist of two hydrogen and one oxygen.
Water holds oxygen, but your neon tetras cannot use it as they need oxygen molecules to survive.
You can add oxygen molecules in your tetra’s tank water in the following ways
- By pouring fresh water into the tank.
- By agitating the tank’s water surface with the help of an air pump.
To learn more benefits of an air pump in your neon tetra’s tank, you can read my article Do Neon Tetras Need An Airpump?
Therefore, you can increase the tank’s oxygen level by increasing the water surface.
How long can neon tetras thrive without oxygen?
Your neon tetras cannot thrive for a more extended period without oxygen.
You should provide a well-oxygenated tank to your neon tetras to ensure your fish’s well-being and adequate development.
You can keep your neon tetra’s tank well-oxygenated by adding a water filter and live aquatic plants.
Neon tetras do not need an air pump if you have a decent tank size with a water filter and live aquatic plants.
However, adding an air pump will ensure enough oxygen in your tetra’s tank, providing your fish with a stress-free and healthy life.
What are the reasons behind lack of oxygen in your neon tetra’s water?
Here are the reasons behind the lack of oxygen in your neon tetra’s tank.
- Inadequate water conditions
- Overcrowded tank
- Too many live aquatic plants
- Too hot water in your tetra’s tank
- Lack of movement in the tank’s water surface
Inadequate water conditions
Inadequate water conditions in the tank can lead to oxygen deficiency, eventually making your fish gasp for air at the tank’s water surface.
Poor water conditions in the tank can lead to a spike in the tank’s ammonia and nitrite level, eventually making your tetras suffer from severe health issues like ammonia poisoning.
In addition, lousy water conditions in the tank can also lead to several other health issues, like stress and loss of appetite in your neon tetras.
Overcrowded tank
Placing your neon tetras in an overcrowded tank can also lead to a drop in the tank’s oxygen level.
An overcrowded tank gets polluted rapidly, leading to a drop in the oxygen level.
In addition, an overcrowded tank also offers no room for your fish to swim, eventually affecting their growth and development and leading to severe stress in your neon tetras.
Too many live aquatic plants
Adding too many live aquatic plants can degrade your neon tetras tank’s oxygen level.
Aquatic plants in the aquarium produce oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide.
However, this process vice versa at night as the plants absorb more oxygen and release carbon dioxide in the dark.
The algae in the tank also absorb oxygen and produce carbon dioxide during the night.
So, adding many live aquatic plants can lower the tank’s oxygen level as the plants absorb more oxygen at night.
Too hot water in your tetra’s tank
Adding too hot water to your neon tetra’s tank can also lead to a drop in the oxygen level.
Hot water does not contain enough oxygen in the tank, depleting the tank’s oxygen level.
In addition, adding too hot water in the tank can also lead to excessive stress and other health issues in your neon tetras.
To learn about the signs of stress in your neon tetras, you can read my article on 10 Signs Of Stress In Neon Tetras
Therefore, you should always maintain the ideal water temperature(72-76°F (22°C-24°C) in your neon tetra tank to ensure your fish’s adequate growth and development.
Lack of movement in the tank’s water surface
A lack of movement in the tank’s water surface can also make your neon tetras suffer from oxygen deficiency in the tank.
There must be a continuous movement in the water surface to keep your fish tank well-oxygenated.
How can you ensure enough oxygen in your neon tetra tank?
Here are the ways to ensure enough oxygen in your neon tetras tank
- Add a water filter to your fish tank
- Add live aquatic plants to your tank
- Perform regular water changes in your neon tetras tank
- Add an air pump to your fish tank
Add a water filter to your tetra’s tank.
Adding a water filter to your neon tetra’s tank will help to keep the aquarium well-oxygenated.
A water filter removes all the harmful chemicals like ammonia and nitrite from the water keeping the water clean and oxygenated.
Not adding a water filter can contaminate the tank’s water rapidly, eventually leading to a spike in the tank’s ammonia and nitrite levels, making your fish suffer from severe health issues.
Therefore, you should add a water filter in your neon tetras tank to ensure your fish’s well-being and provide a stress-free environment.
To learn more about the benefits of a water filter, you can read my article on Do Neon Tetras Need a Filter?
Add live aquatic plants to your neon tetras tank.
Adding live aquatic plants also helps to keep your fish tank well-oxygenated.
The live aquatic plants produce oxygen in the tank and act as a hiding spot for your fish.
Here are some aquatic plants you can add to your neon tetras tank
- Dwarf water lettuce
- Java Fern
- Amazon Sword
- Brazillian Pennywort
- Ludwigia repens
Perform regular water changes in your neon tetras tank.
You should perform regular water changes in your neon tetras tank to keep your aquarium well-oxygenated.
Performing water changes helps to maintain the tank’s water quality and keep it oxygenated.
We advise performing a 30% water change weekly to maintain the tank’s water quality.
Consider treating the freshwater with a water conditioner as it helps eliminate all the harmful toxins like chlorine, making it safe for your neon tetras.
To learn more about the benefits of a water conditioner for your neon tetras, read my article Do Neon Tetras Need Water Conditioners?
Add an air pump to your fish tank.
You can also add an air pump to keep your neon tetra’s tank well-oxygenated.
An air pump helps to keep your fish tank well-oxygenated as it promotes aeration by creating movements in the tank’s water surface.
However, your neon tetras do not need an air pump if you have placed them in a decent size tank with a sound filtration system and lots of aquatic plants.
Conclusion:
- Neon tetras do require oxygen for their survival.
- A lack of oxygen in your neon tetra’s tank can make your fish suffocate and pass away eventually.
- Inadequate water conditions, overcrowded tanks and adding too many aquatic plants can lead to oxygen deficiency in your neon tetras tank.
- You can add aquatic plants and an air pump to your neon tetras tank to ensure enough oxygen in your fish tank.
Reference: NCBI