Guppies are the most common fish every aquarist love to add to their aquarium. Guppy fish is a perfect option for beginners because they are hardy fish and easy to take care of.
However, we face some common problems when keeping fish, like fish swimming with their mouth open. So, let us know the reason behind guppy fish swimming with their mouth open.
Oxygen deficiency is the reason behind your guppy fish swimming with their mouth open. Other causes include poor water conditions and stress. Add an air pump to your guppy fish tank to ensure enough oxygen and perform a weekly water change of at least 35% to keep the water clean.
This article will discuss why guppy fish swim with their mouths open and how we can stop them from showing such behavior. So, let’s get into it.
Contents
Why is my guppy fish swimming with mouths open?
Your guppy is swimming with mouths open because of the lack of oxygen.
Guppy fish breathe through their gills.
When there is a lack of oxygen in your guppy fish aquarium, the guppy will swim with their mouths open, so more water gets inside the mouth and passes through the gills as doing this helps them absorb more oxygen through the water.
The deficiency of oxygen in the water will make your guppy fish come under stress and prone to various diseases and parasites.
You will notice your guppy fish showing strange swimming behavior when there is a lack of oxygen in the aquarium.
Other reasons include poor water conditions, inadequate water parameters, high levels of stress, and an ammonia spike.
Is It normal for guppy fish to swim with mouths open?
Guppy fish swimming with its mouth open consistently is not normal at all as it shows the signs of oxygen deficiency and stress.
Guppy fish require enough oxygen to breathe and live comfortably.
Guppies will swim with mouths open to let more water enter their mouth and pass through the gills to absorb more oxygen from the water and fulfilling their oxygen requirement.
Stress and poor water conditions can also be the reason behind your guppy fish swimming with their mouths open.
What are the reasons behind my guppy fish swimming with mouths open?
These are the reasons behind your guppy fish swimming with their mouths open:
- Lack of oxygen
- High level of stress
- Poor water conditions
Lack of oxygen
Oxygen deficiency is the primary reason behind your guppy fish swimming with their mouth open.
Guppy fish require enough oxygen to breathe and live their life comfortably.
Your guppy will open their mouth consistently to allow more water to pass through their gills so that they can absorb oxygen from the water.
You will notice your guppy fish’s strange swimming behavior as they will swim at the top of the tank.
Your guppy fish will gasp for air at the water’s surface with their mouths open.
Also read: Can Guppy Fish Live Without Oxygen?
High level of stress
A high level of stress can also be the factor behind your guppy fish swimming with their mouth open.
There can be various reasons behind your guppy fish coming under stress, such as:
- Poor water conditions.
- Inadequate water parameters
- Unstable water temperature
- Presence of aggressive fish.
- Inappropriate male to female guppy ratio
- Overcrowded tank.
- Lack of oxygen.
- Lack of hiding spots.
- Irregular supply of food.
- Irregular maintenance of your guppy fish aquarium
All these reasons can make your guppy fish come under stress and they will show strange behaviors like swimming with their mouth open.
Also read: Are My Guppies Stressed?
Poor water conditions
Poor water conditions can also be the reason behind your guppy fish swimming with their mouth open.
Poor water conditions will result in an ammonia spike and will make your guppy fish prone to various diseases and parasites.
An ammonia spike will harm your guppy fish gills and body by burning it.
Your guppy fish will suffer from breathing because of affected gills.
Also, poor water conditions will lack oxygen, making your guppy fish suffer from breathing.
You must know that beneficial bacteria present in your guppy fish aquarium will require oxygen to break down harmful toxins like ammonia and nitrite.
In the absence of oxygen, beneficial bacteria will not get able to break down the harmful toxins, and your guppy fish will suffer from various diseases and parasites.
Also read: Can Guppy Survive In Muddy Water?
How to stop my guppy fish from swimming with mouths open?
Ensure these things to stop your guppy fish from swimming with their mouths open:
- Ensure enough oxygen for your guppy fish.
- Provide good water conditions to your guppy fish.
- Provide a stress-free environment to your guppies.
Ensure enough oxygen
Your guppy fish will require oxygen for breathing and living comfortably.
Lack of oxygen in the water causes guppy fish to swim with their mouth open.
Add plenty of live aquatic plants to your guppy fish tank to ensure enough oxygen.
Add an air pump to your guppy fish tank for aerating the water’s surface.
Usually, all air pump present in the market does the work.
But, we recommend using the Tetra Whisper air pump as it is very silent and easy to use.
You can buy this product on amazon: Tetra Whisper Air Pump.
A good filtration system will also help create aeration on the water’s surface and ensure oxygen for your guppy fish.
Provide good water condition
A lousy water condition is a common reason behind various issues from which guppy fish suffer.
Poor water conditions can make your guppy fish swim with their mouth open.
Dirty water will lack oxygen and can result in an ammonia spike.
In both cases, your guppies will suffer breathing.
Perform a weekly water change of at least 35% to ensure good water conditions.
| Particulars | Guppy Requirement |
|---|---|
| Water temperature | 72-82 °F |
| Water pH level | 6.7 and 7.8 |
| Water TDS level | 400-600ppm |
Keep a regular check on nitrate, nitrite, and ammonia levels and ensure that nitrate remains below 25ppm and nitrite and ammonia at 0ppm.
We advise checking the tank’s ammonia level with the help of an API Ammonia Test kit as it provides accurate results.
You can buy it from Amazon API TEST KIT.
Adding plenty of live aquatic plants will also help you keep the water clean and ensure enough oxygen for your guppy fish.
Also, add a good filtration system with biofilter media to keep the water safe from harmful toxins like ammonia and nitrite.
Provide stress-free environment
Provide your guppy fish stress-free environment to prevent such issues.
Ensure these things to prevent your guppy fish from stress:
- Ensure stable water temperature by adding a heater to your guppy fish tank.
- Provide water temperature between 72-82°F.
- Maintain the water pH level between 6.7-7.8.
- Avoid adding aggressive fish like angelfish to your guppy fish tank.
- Avoid overcrowding your guppy fish tank by following the one-inch per one-gallon rule.
- Dechlorinate the tap water before adding it to your guppy fish tank when performing a water change.
- Consider keeping male and female guppies in a ratio of 1:2.
- Provide plenty of hiding spots for your guppy fish by adding live aquatic plants, driftwood, and other aquarium decors.
Also read: What To Do If My Guppy Is Stressed?
Conclusion:
Oxygen deficiency is the primary reason behind your guppy fish swimming with their mouths open.
Other reasons include poor water conditions and a high level of stress.
Dirty water will lack oxygen and will result in an ammonia spike, making your guppy fish suffer breathing.
A guppy fish under stress will also show the strange behavior of swimming with their mouths open.
Add an air pump to your guppy fish tank to ensure enough oxygen in the water.
Also, make sure to provide your guppy fish with a stress-free environment.
Reference: NCBI, ResearchGate