Guppies often react to certain changes in their environment including water current. Do guppies like strong current or will they hide and get stressed?
Water movement plays an important role in aquarium fish health management, but it make some fish uncomfortable.
In this article, we will find out, do guppies like strong current and what you can do about it.
Do Guppies Like Strong Current?
Guppies do not like strong currents because of their long fins. These long fins give them the benefit of free motility in slow or not moving water.
However, they do not like strong currents because they can get swept up in the current, making movement more difficult for them.
You can easily know if they like the current by observing how happy your guppies appear.
Can Guppies Tolerate High Flow Currents?
No. The strength of water current in aquarium affects guppies, particularly in their mode of feeding. In water with low current, guppies do not have to exert energy to chase through the food you provide.
Watch Out For These Two Problems
- Long fins hindering movement, or getting damaged
- The struggle for food
Food provided on the surface of fast-moving current can be difficult for guppies to get, spending more energy on chasing the food about while also trying to withstand the current.
Aggressive members of the aquarium usually benefit more from the nourishment compared to non-aggressive members like guppies.
Water Current For Guppies
Adjusting the strength of the water current affect the ability of guppies to swim comfortably because of the nature of their fins. They are found to be forcefully moved by the high water current.
If you are keeping guppies, it might be necessary for you to:
- reduce the strength of the water current
- adjusting the flow control of the filter’s intake
- decrease the amount of water flowing through
- add rocks or pebbles to your aquarium
- allow guppies to find a quiet zone or hiding spaces
- Use DC water pumps to precisely regulate the strength of water current
Do Fancy Guppies Like Current?
The moving water that area flowing through your tank is not natural for fancy guppies with long flowing fins. They will struggle in bodies of water such as fast flowing rivers where the current is strong.
A fancy guppy wants to hang out in shallow waters where the current moves as slowly as possible. This is why they are mostly found around the riverbeds, basins and edges where the water flows little or not at all.
Fancy guppies do not appreciate currents in their aquarium ecosystem.
Can a Current Be Too Strong for Guppies?
Yes. You can notice a video we posted in this article showing a stressed guppy. This guppy is labeled as being playful and enjoying the current. If you look carefully, you will see that if a guppy is glass surfing or swimming up and down, they are stressed. This guppy is not playing. Other concerns with guppies in strong currents result in:
- Damaged fins
- Clamped fins
- Lack of appetite
- Unable to catch food
- Susceptible to illness and parasites
Strong currents may make a guppy tired, stressed or agitated. They need a break from it with hiding spaces or adjust the flow to a reduced setting.
Guppies Swimming Against Current
Guppies need time to play and time to rest. You may notice playful guppies swimming against currents for some exercise, but they need to escape it as well. It is not normal for a guppy to constantly swim against a current.
This is not what they naturally do in the wild. When it’s time for guppies to rest, they must be able to find a calm area with hiding spaces such as planted spots.
The current shouldn’t spread through the entire tank or they will be stressed. When the lights go out at night, the current should be reduced as well.
Conclusion
Guppies are peaceful members of the aquarium that also love a peaceful environment.
They may find it hard to swim in aquariums with strong water currents. They usually prefer quiet zones where they can move and feed with ease.
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