Guppies are the most common fish aquarist prefer to add to their tank. They are peaceful fish and do great with other peaceful fish in a community tank.
Guppies are easy to take care of and can live in a wide range of water parameters. However, guppies can show some strange behavior like darting around the tank, and it is essential to know the reason behind such issues. So, Why are my guppies darting around the tank? Let us find out.
Fighting and poor water conditions are the primary reasons for your guppies darting around the tank. Other causes include stress and inadequate water parameters. Ensure stable water temperature, a stress-free environment, and good water conditions to stop and prevent guppies from darting around.
This article will discuss the reason behind guppy fish darting around and how to stop and prevent our guppies from darting around the tank. So, let us get into it.
Contents
My guppies are darting around the tank.
There can be various reasons behind your guppies darting around the tank, of which fish fighting and poor water conditions are the primary reasons.
Other reasons are stress and inadequate water parameters.
Guppies chase each other, especially male guppies, to display their power and dominance.
Such chasing turns into fighting, making your guppy fish dart around the tank.
Aggressive fish like angelfish in your guppies tank can also result in your guppies darting around.
High chlorine and ammonia level in your guppy fish tank will burn your guppy’s gills, making them dart around the tank.
Inadequate and unstable water temperature will make your guppies come under stress and become prone to various diseases and parasites.
Is It normal for my guppies to dart around the tank?
It is not normal for guppies to dart around the tank.
Such swimming behavior indicates signs of aggression in the tank, poor water condition, inadequate water parameters, and high-stress levels.
If your guppies are showing such swimming behavior constantly, immediate action is needed.
Your guppy fish can even pass away if you don’t take any action to stop your guppies from darting around the tank.
Let us know the possible reasons behind your guppy fish darting around the tank.
What are the reasons behind guppies darting around the tank?
These can be the reasons behind your guppies darting around the tank:
- Guppy fish is getting bullied by other fish.
- Your guppy fish is under stress.
- The water parameters of your guppies aquarium are not stable and adequate.
- The water condition of your guppy fish aquarium is poor.
Getting bullied
Aggression, fighting, and chasing are the most common reason behind your guppy fish darting around the tank.
If your guppies are darting around the tank, look for any signs of aggression in the aquarium.
If you keep aggressive fish like angelfish with your guppies, chasing and getting bullied can be the reason for darting around.
Also, guppies can bully each other for dominance, resulting in weak guppy fish darting around the tank.
Stress
Stress is also the common reason behind your guppies darting around the tank.
Guppies can come under stress because of the following reasons:
- Inadequate water parameters
- Unstable water temperature
- Poor water conditions
- Aggressive tankmates
- Injury
- Sickness
- Inappropriate male and female ratio of guppies
- Overcrowded tank
- Irregular supply of food
- Deficiency of oxygen
All these reasons can make your guppy fish come under stress, and they can dart around the tank.
Inadequate and unstable water parameters
Inadequate water parameters can also make your guppy fish dart around.
Guppies can be prone to various diseases and parasites when kept in inappropriate water parameters.
Inadequate water pH level can result in an ammonia spike.
Too hot water temperature will make your guppy fish super active, and they will swim erratically.
Too cold water temperature will make them sluggish, and they will hardly be interested in moving.
All these will make your guppy fish come under stress, and they can show strange behavior like darting around the tank.
Unstable water temperature can make your guppy fish come under a high-stress level, making them prone to various diseases and parasites.
Also read: Best TDS For Guppies?
Poor water condition
Poor water conditions can also make your guppy fish dart around the tank.
Poor water conditions will lack oxygen, making your guppy fish suffer breathing, and they will come under stress.
Bad water quality will result in an ammonia spike, burning your guppy fish gills and body.
All these will make your guppies get under a high-stress level, and they can show behavior like darting around.
Also read: Can Guppy Survive In Muddy Water?
How to stop my guppies from darting around the tank?
Ensure these things to stop and prevent your guppies from darting around the tank:
- Provide good water conditions to your guppies.
- Avoid adding aggressive fish to your guppies tank.
- Ensure adequate and stable water parameters.
- Keep your guppies in an appropriate male and female ratio.
- Provide a stress-free environment to your guppies.
Good water conditions
Providing good water conditions to your guppies is essential to stop and prevent such issues.
Perform a weekly water change of 35% to keep the water clean.
Ensure treating the water with a water conditioner to dechlorinate the water before adding it to your guppies tank.
| Particulars | Guppy Fish Requirement |
|---|---|
| Ammonia | 0ppm |
| Nitrite | 0ppm |
| Nitrate | Below 25ppm |
We recommend using the API water conditioner as it helps in eliminating chlorine, chloramine, ammonia, and heavy metals.
You can buy this product on amazon: API TAP WATER CONDITIONER.
Consider adding a good filtration system with biofilter media to keep your tank water clean and safe from harmful toxins like ammonia and nitrite.
Keep a regular check on ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite levels and maintain the ammonia and nitrite at 0ppm, whereas nitrate is below 25ppm.
We recommend using the API ammonia test kit to check the ammonia levels as it shows accurate results.
You can purchase it from Amazon API TEST KIT.
Also, you should add plenty of live aquatic plants to your guppies tank to ensure enough oxygen and clean water.
Avoid adding aggressive fish.
Guppies are peaceful fish and do great with other peaceful fish in a community tank.
Adding aggressive fish like angelfish to your guppies tank will result in angelfish chasing guppies to hunt them down.
Such chasing will make your guppy fish come under stress and dart around the tank.
Guppies being under stress for a long time, will become weak and prone to various diseases and parasites.
These are some best fish you can add to your guppies aquarium:
- Neon tetra
- Gourami
- Mollies
- Platies
- Shrimps
- Zebra Danio
- Cory catfish
Also read: Can Guppy Fish Live With Angelfish?
Adequate and stable water parameters
Provide adequate and stable water parameters to your guppies to prevent and stop them from darting around.
| Particulars | Guppy Fish Requirement |
|---|---|
| Water temperature | 72-82 °F |
| Water pH level | 6.7-7.8 |
| Water TDS level | 400-600ppm |
Ensure to maintain the water temperature between 72-82 °F.
Provide your guppy fish with a water pH level between 6.7 and 7.8.
Keep the water TDS level between 400-600ppm.
Keeping a stable water temperature is also essential to prevent your guppies from such issues.
Consider adding a heater to your guppies tank to stabilize the water temperature.
You can also add a digital thermometer to check water temperature regularly.
Also read: What Is The Ideal Water Temperature For Guppies?
Keep your guppies in an appropriate male and female ratio.
Male guppy fish chases female guppy fish for mating purposes.
Female guppies don’t stay still while mating, which results in constantly chasing male guppies for mating.
When you keep more male guppies and a few female guppies, male guppies will chase the female guppies constantly, and the female guppy will come under stress.
Keeping more female guppies will help distribute the stress level among all the female guppies as only a particular female guppy will not have to go through constant chasing.
So, consider keeping male and female guppies in a ratio of 1:2, which means one male guppy and two female guppies.
You can also keep one male guppy and three female guppies.
Also read: Why Is My Male Guppy Chasing Female Guppy?
Provide a stress-free environment.
Providing a stress-free environment to your guppies will help you stop and prevent your guppies from darting around.
Ensure these things to provide a stress-free environment to your guppies:
- Provide good water condition by regularly performing a water change.
- Keep the water temperature stable by adding a heater.
- Make sure to keep the ammonia and nitrite level at 0ppm.
- Avoid adding aggressive fish like angelfish to your guppies tank.
- Provide high-quality nutritional food to your guppies regularly.
- Provide your guppies with plenty of hiding spots by adding plants, driftwood, terra cotta pots, and other hiding decors.
- Avoid overcrowding your guppies tank by following the one-inch one-gallon rule.
- Keep your guppies in a ratio of 1:2, which means one male guppy and two female guppies.
- Keep your guppies in a large tank to provide them enough space to live and swim comfortably.
- Add an air pump to your guppies tank to ensure enough oxygen in your guppies tank.
Also read: Are My Guppies Stressed?
Conclusion:
There can be various reasons behind your guppies darting around the tank, of which poor water conditions and fish fighting are the primary reasons.
Inadequate water parameters and high-stress levels are the other reasons.
Keep a regular check on ammonia and nitrite levels and keep them at 0ppm.
Provide your guppies with a water pH level between 6.7 and 7.8.
Avoid adding aggressive fish to your guppies tank, and keep your male and female guppies in a ratio of 1:2.
Ensure all these things stop and prevent your guppies from darting around the tank.
Reference: NCBI, Wikipedia, ResearchGate, ResearchGate