Guppy fish are active swimmers and swim all around the tank. There is no specific spot where your guppies will swim all day. With such swimming behavior, you can easily detect if your guppy is suffering from any issues or not.
Guppy fish swimming in circles can be a matter of concern, and it is essential to know the reason behind it. So, Why is my guppy swimming in circles? Let us find out.
Ammonia poisoning is the primary reason behind guppy fish swimming in circles. Other reasons include inadequate water parameters, stress, aggressive mates, and illness. Ensure good water quality with adequate and stable water parameters to prevent your guppies from such issues.
This article will discuss the reasons and prevention of guppy fish swimming in circles. So, let us get into it.
Contents
My guppy fish Is swimming In circles.
There can be numerous reasons behind guppy fish swimming in circles, of which ammonia poisoning is the primary reason.
Ammonia poisoning affects the gills of your guppy fish, making it harder for your guppy to swim, and they show such swimming behavior.
Other reasons behind guppy fish swimming in circles are stress, inadequate water parameters, and illness.
Also read: Why Is My Guppy Swimming At The Top Of The Tank?
Is It normal for guppies to swim In circles?
Guppies are active swimmers and swim all around the tank. You will not notice your guppies swimming in one spot of the tank the whole day.
If your guppy fish is swimming in one spot of the tank for a long time and showing strange swimming behavior like swimming in circles, it is a matter of concern.
Immediate action is required when guppies show such swimming behavior, as the reason behind such swimming behavior can make your guppy fish suffer from a critical condition.
Ammonia poisoning can burn your guppy’s gills and body, making them come under critical condition and even pass away.
Let us discuss all the reasons behind guppy fish swimming in circles.
Also read: Why Is My Guppy Sitting At The Bottom Of The Tank?
What are the reasons behind your guppy fish swimming in circles?
These are the reasons behind your guppy fish swimming in circles:
- Your guppy’s water is affected by a spike of ammonia.
- Your guppy fish is under stress.
- Your guppy is suffering from illness.
- Your guppy’s water parameters are not adequate and stable.
- Your guppy fish are living in a bowl.
Ammonia poisoning
The Spike of ammonia in your guppies tank is the primary reason behind your guppy fish swimming in circles.
Usually, ammonia occurs in the new tank, but it can also develop in an established tank if the water quality is poor.
Spike of ammonia results in affecting your guppy’s gills, making them suffer from breathing.
Ammonia spike also burns your guppy’s gills and body, making them come under stress, and even they can pass away.
All these will make your guppy fish swim strange, like swimming in circles.
Stress
Guppy fish under stress will also show such swimming behavior.
Your guppy fish will come under stress because of inadequate and unstable water parameters, poor water quality, aggressive tankmates, and irregular food supply.
Being under stress for a long time, Guppy fish will be prone to various diseases and parasites.
Other reasons from which guppies can come under stress are:
- Overcrowded tank
- Inappropriate male and female ratio of guppies
- Female guppy pregnant
- Lack of hiding spots in their aquarium
- Living in a small size tank
Also read: Are My Guppies Stressed?
Illness
Guppy suffering from illness like swim bladder disorder or dropsy will show strange swimming behaviors, including swimming in circles.
Swim bladder disorder makes it harder for your guppies to maintain their buoyancy, and they will come under stress, resulting in strange swimming patterns.
Affected gills make it harder for your guppies to breathe and swim underwater, showing strange swimming behavior, including swimming in circles.
Also read: How To Treat Dropsy In Guppy?
Inadequate and unstable water parameters
Inadequate water parameters will make your guppy fish show such swimming behaviors.
Guppy fish living in inadequate water temperature will come under stress and become prone to various diseases and parasites.
Guppy fish living in too hot water temperature will become hyperactive and swim erratically.
A high pH level will result in an ammonia spike, affecting your guppy’s gills.
Also read: Best TDS For Guppies?
Guppy fish living in a bowl
Guppy fish living in a bowl will also make them swim in circles.
The shape of the bowl makes your guppy fish swim in circles.
It is not recommended to keep your guppies in a bowl because of the following reasons:
- Guppies bowl will get polluted soon as you will not be able to add a filter in a bowl.
- You will not be able to keep the water temperature stable as we cannot add a heater to a bowl.
- Bowl will also lack oxygen levels because of the small surface area, and also, we will not be able to add an air pump to the bowl.
All these will make your guppy fish come under stress, showing such strange swimming patterns.
Let us discuss how to prevent our guppies from showing such swimming behavior.
How to prevent guppy fish from showing such swimming behavior?
Ensure these things to prevent your guppy fish from showing such swimming behavior:
- Provide good water quality to your guppies.
- Ensure adequate and stable water parameters.
- Provide a stress-free environment to your guppies.
- Avoid keeping your guppies in a bowl.
Good water quality
Ensuring good water quality will prevent your guppies from showing such swimming behavior.
Perform a weekly water change of at least 35% in a regular manner to keep the water clean.
Add a good canister or internal filter with biofilter media to keep the water clean and safe from harmful toxins like ammonia and nitrite.
| Particulars | Guppy Fish Requirement |
|---|---|
| Ammonia | 0ppm |
| Nitrite | 0ppm |
| Nitrate | Below 25ppm |
Keep a regular check on ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels.
Ensure that the ammonia and nitrite remain at 0ppm, whereas nitrate at below 25ppm.
You can use the API ammonia test kit to check ammonia levels regularly.
You can buy it from Amazon API TEST KIT.
Also, consider adding lots of live aquatic plants to your guppies aquarium to keep the water clean and ensure enough oxygen in the water.
Monthly maintenance of your guppies aquarium system is also necessary to keep the water condition ideal.
Also read: Can Guppy Survive In Muddy Water?
Adequate and stable water parameters
Providing adequate and stable water parameters to your guppies will prevent them from showing such swimming behavior.
| Particulars | Guppy Fish Requirement |
|---|---|
| Water temperature | 72-82 °F |
| Water pH level | 6.7-7.8 |
| Water TDS level | 400-600ppm |
Guppy fish require a water temperature between 72-82 °F.
Ensure to maintain the water pH level between 6.7-7.8.
Keep the water TDS stable between 400-600ppm.
Also, with adequate water parameters, stable water parameters are equally essential to prevent your guppy fish from showing such swimming behavior.
So, consider adding a heater to keep the water temperature stable.
Also read: What Is The Ideal Water Temperature For Guppies?
Stress-free environment
Providing your guppy fish stress-free environment will prevent them from showing such swimming behavior.
Ensure these things to provide your guppy fish stress-free environment:
- Ensure good water condition.
- Provide adequate and stable water parameters.
- Avoid overcrowding your guppies aquarium.
- Don’t add aggressive fish to your guppies tank.
- Add lots of live aquatic plants to your guppies tank.
- Consider adding a heater to keep the water temperature stable in your guppies tank.
- Keep the guppies in a 1:2 ratio, which means one male guppy and two female guppies.
- Keep your guppies in a large size tank.
- Regularly feed your guppies high-quality food.
Also read: What To Do If My Guppy Is Stressed?
Avoid keeping guppies in a bowl.
Avoid keeping your guppies in a bowl to prevent such swimming issues in guppies.
Instead, consider keeping guppies in a nano tank if you don’t have enough space in your house for a large size tank.
You can add a filter, heater, and air pump into a nano tank but cannot add all these in a bowl.
So, consider keeping your guppies in a nano tank instead of a bowl.
Also read: Can Guppy Live In A Bowl?
Conclusion:
There can be numerous reasons behind your guppy fish swimming in circles, of which ammonia spike is the primary reason.
Other reasons are poor water quality, inadequate and unstable water parameters, stress, living in a bowl, and Illness.
Provide your guppy fish with good water quality and adequate water parameters to prevent such issues.
Also, avoid keeping your guppies in a bowl and keep them in a nano tank if you have a space problem in your home.