Swordtails are beautiful and colorful fish. They are also one of the hardiest fish species for an aquarium. Their hardy nature and unique colorful appearance make them one of the favorite pets for new and old hobbyists. Nevertheless, despite their ability to survive and tolerate a wide range of conditions, some conditions are very essential to help them live a happy and healthy life. So, can swordtails live without an air pump or oxygen?
To be exact, adding an air pump to your tank is not compulsory. However, it is highly preferred if you want your swordtails to remain healthy. Swordtails need air pumps and oxygen to live a better life. They don’t do well if there is no air pump or oxygen in their tank/pond water. Swordtails prefer high levels of oxygen and won’t thrive without an air pump.
What an air pump does is boost the oxygen level in your tank. There are alternative measures to do so, but they are time-consuming and often insufficient. Hence, using an air pump makes the job easier.
Can Swordtail Fish Live Without Oxygen?
Swordtails, like all other living organisms, do need oxygen to live. Swordtails will live from not having an air pump as long as there is enough circulating water movement that will provide them with oxygen.
These fish get air into their gills by suctioning a current of water through their mouth and out their gills which removes all the oxygen that it wants from the water.
There is an exchange of gases between the surface and the water in your tank. It is called surface agitation.
Most people think that air pumps give out oxygen. But, this is not wholly true. Air pumps are used for water aeration. Air contains 21% of oxygen. An air pump will help that oxygen dilute with the water.
The sole purpose of the air pump is to increase the rate at which the water dissolves oxygen.
Do Swordtail Fish Need Air Pump To Survive?
Swordtails can be live without an air pump. Swordtails in the wild can survive without an air pump. Similarly, they can survive without one in a community tank with other types of tropical fish. However, as mentioned above, air pumps are highly preferred so your fish can thrive.
Without an air pump, I assure you will have a difficult time adjusting and maintaining optimum oxygen levels, especially if you are a beginner. If the oxygen levels drop, you’ll have to cope with a variety of ailments and infections, which commonly result in swordtail deaths. Thus, adding an air pump will only be beneficial for your fish.
Swordtails will be stressed without proper aeration for at least 30 minutes when they are first introduced into a new environment. Thus, I recommend utilizing an air pump to promote good oxygen exchange and maintain a high oxygen level in your swordtail tank.
How Long Can Swordtails Live Without Oxygen?
Swordtails can survive without oxygen for 24 hours and still be alive. However, swordtails that have not been acclimated to the water will begin to swim at the top of their tank in search of air after 12-15 minutes. Since swordtail fish cannot breathe air, they are limited by how much water they can explore.
Swordtails cannot breathe air. They need well-oxygenated water to survive. Most swordtail fish owners prefer air pumps because it maintains a high oxygen level and provides sufficient surfaces for swordtails to graze on and live happily.
Therefore, swordtails need an air pump because swordtails need a high level of oxygen to live peacefully and healthy in captivity.
Now, let us see how this air pump works and what are its benefits.
How Does An Air Pump Work?
An air pump has bubble wands which create bubbles that help with the oxygenation of water and also helps with filtration.
Air pumps help circulate your tank’s water and increase oxygen levels within the tank. In addition, they assist in keeping your aquarium clean by removing debris such as uneaten food or dead leaves.
An air pump is an aquarium circulation device. It helps to boost oxygen in the swordtail tank water. Air pumps contain air tubing that carries air from outside the swordtail tank and releases it into the fish tank’s water surface.
Air pumps are used to increase the efficiency of the swordtail aquarium filtration system. Granted, swordtail fish will be more comfortable if there is an air pump but swordtails can live without an air pump as well.
Benefits Of Having An Air Pump
Air pumps help increase the amount of dissolved oxygen in your swordtail tank. This is incredibly important for swordtails and tropical fish because swordtails cannot breathe air. Both would die if there was no dissolved oxygen in their water.
The ideal level of dissolved oxygen in an aquarium containing swordtail fish is 5-10 ppm.
There are actually two different types of air pumps available for your swordtail tank water: submersible pump and surface-level air pump. Each has its own set of features, advantages, disadvantages, and applications to consider when purchasing an air pump for your swordtail tank.
Submersible Air Pumps
A submersible air pump is designed so it can be submerged underwater with a tube that leads outside the aquarium via a hole drilled in the side or back of your swordtail fish tank.
This type is ideal if you do not want to alter the swordtail tank’s look by adding holes on either the swordtail fish tank or stand for a surface-level air pump and tubing to pass through.
A submersible air pump helps circulate water, oxygenate it, and remove debris that can clog your swordtail fish tank filtration system. This will help keep your swordtails healthy in the long run.
The main disadvantages are that you need a hole drilled into your swordtail aquarium/tank to pass the tube from the inside out and there is less control over where the air bubbles go.
The location of these tubes can also cause problems if they come loose during installation because they tend to float up towards the surface before attaching again at a different location.
This can cause damage to your swordtail tank and swordtails as it can suck your fries into the pump or air tubing.
Surface-Level Air Pump
The surface-level air pump is designed to sit on the swordtail tank’s surface next to the fish tank. This type is ideal if you do not want to drill a hole into your swordtail aquarium/tank or if your swordtail tank has taller sides that would obstruct the submersible air pump from functioning properly.
This tank accessory creates oxygenated water by sending bubbles up from below and releasing them from above the swordtail fish tank. The benefit of this type of air pump is that it provides a gentle flow of fresh, oxygenated water in and out of an aquarium, which helps keep the swordtails’ gills healthy.
However, it does require space around it for safe placement in addition to being able to accommodate the tubing connected to it. If swordtail fish cohabit with other swordtails or tropical fish, you may want to reconsider getting this surface-level air pump as they will inevitably knock it over and potentially damage swordtail tank water by causing a leak or short circuit.
How To Setup An Air Pump For Swordtail Fish
An air pump will help swordtail fish fry grow up to be healthy swordtail fish. Swordtails need optimal water conditions to thrive in a swordtail tank. The water must have pH 7-8, temperature 72 degrees Fahrenheit or higher (ideally 78 degrees Fahrenheit), and a minimum of 25% of the aquarium/tank volume should be water with high quality for your swordtail fish to live in.
Setting up an air pump is easy, but you must take some precautions:
1. Turn off the air pump before placing it anywhere in your swordtail tank.
2. Never put anything between swordtails and air bubbles because swordtails may mistake them for food! This can lead to intestinal blockage by swallowing small air pockets/bubbles.
3. All swordtail aquarium/tank air pump tubing ends must be securely attached to the swordtail fish tank and air pump. The connection should be tight so that there are no loose spots. Loose spots can cause swordtail fish to become trapped and killed.
4. To prevent swordtails from suctioning air bubbles into their mouths, keep swordtails away from the tank’s surface as much as possible.
5. You should place the air pumps out of the swordtail fry’s reach and touch so that the fry will not accidentally put a hand or other body part in swordtail tank water.
6. Do not put swordfish fry swordtails in the swordtail aquarium/tank with air pumps until they are 6 months old.
Carefully choose the type of swordtail tank air pump to purchase by considering your swordtail fish’s welfare. Also, consider the swordtail aquarium/tank features, advantages, disadvantages, and applications before making a decision.
In addition to the swordtails’ well-being, these swordtail tank air pumps have other benefits, such as increasing swordtails’ maximum life span and fry swordtails growing up to be healthy adults.
An air pump is beneficial because it provides oxygenated fresh water in and out of the tank that swordtails need for optimal swordtail aquarium/tank conditions.
How Can We Maintain Oxygen Levels Without Air Pumps?
If swordtail tank air pumps are not an option and swordtails do need oxygen, swordfish owners can use alternative methods. These water maintenance methods are somewhat efficient to increase oxygen levels.
Some of the methods are:
Changing Water Frequently
Changing the tank water, or a portion of swordtail tank water, with high-quality fresh water every few days will help you maintain the preferred oxygen levels in the tank. The general rule is to change out 10% tank water per week max.
Adding Live Aquatic Plants To Produce Oxygen
Experiment with adding oxygen-rich objects into the swordtail tank such as living plants or non-decaying food.
By adding swordtail-safe live aquatic plants to swordfish tanks, you will increase the oxygen levels in the swordtail tank water. You can use live aquatic plants to cycle tank water and they will help clean up waste.
Not Overstocking Fish In The Tank
Overcrowding swordtails and other tropical fish in your community tank water will limit your fish’s oxygen intake.
Adding much fish in the tank may promote bacteria growth which can deplete tank water of oxygen fish need to breathe. Overcrowded tanks are also more susceptible to disease and plant-eating predators.
Adding A Filter To The Tank
A swordtail tank filter will help keep swordtails safer from predators. It will also remove floating waste quickly to prevent the tank water from becoming clouded. This allows swordtail fish enough oxygen to breathe.
Use a powerhead inside your aquarium/tank or use an under gravel filter for the best fish care.
These are some of the methods by which you can increase tank water circulation. Hence, increasing the oxygen levels in the tank.
FAQs
Here are few FAQs that I have answered.
Does Swordtail Fish Fry Need An Air Pump?
The fries are not as strong as the adults and require additional care and assistance. Although the pumps can be dangerous for them as the pump can suck your fries in; maintaining strong oxygen levels for the fries is necessary to help them develop into healthy adults.
What Kind Of Fish Don’t Need Air Pumps?
Some fish need less oxygen content in water to survive. Such fish can easily thrive in your tanks without the air pumps.
Betta fish, Gouramis, Minnows are some examples of fish that do not need air pumps.
Conclusion
I hope this article helped know the dos and don’t of an air pump in your swordtail fish tank. I recommend adding an air pump not only for swordtails but all fish that need proper oxygen content for survival. Air pumps help to develop oxygen through surface agitation at higher rates.
Your fish can live a healthy and prosperous life with a good level of oxygen content. Hence, air pumps are handy aquarium tools and are highly recommended.
