Do goldfish need an air pump? Yes, they need an air pump.
It is something obvious that goldfish need oxygen for their survival. Air pumps are most trusted and easy to use by aquarists.
They are useful in maintaining a high level of oxygen in the tank, keeping the fish vibrant and healthy so that they breathe easily.
Other uses of air pumps include;
- Breaking the surface of the water to aerate the water with more Oxygen
- Air pumps add bubbles to the water increasing the amount of oxygen at the surface
- It compels water to circulate in the tank. By so doing, more Oxygen is created in the water.
Carbon dioxide increases the moment the surface is not broken up thus leading to the death of fish.
Lack of enough oxygen in the tank leads to the development of harmful chemicals accumulating in the tank affecting the water.
An air pump is so important because it breaks the surface producing oxygen for your fish and cleaning the filter.
It is ironic that goldfish do not have lungs but they breathe. All living things, animals, birds etc breathe, and so do fish. Breathing is something natural.
Goldfish fancy swimming all day. For this reason, they need enough oxygen to accomplish their swimming nature.
How does a goldfish breathe when it has no lungs? First, they take water through their mouth, the water then goes through the rake organ where oxygen is absorbed from the water into the bloodstream. This oxygen is useful for the proper functioning of the organs and keeping the cells.
Some reviewers say an air pump is not necessary as starting aquarists think the fish won’t suffocate in absence of the air pump which is mostly used for aesthetic value, just to make the tank look nice.
There are circumstances when an air pump is needed for this case;
The water may appear still when your filter doesn’t cause much surface movement. This is one reason why air pump becomes of great benefit.
The water temperature may also be too high. It is palpable that warm water does not usually contain oxygen like cold water. Oxygen is less in warm water. To get back oxygen in the tank then invest in an air pump.
Cool water contains more Oxygen.
Air pumps increase the Oxygen making the fish healthy.
The air pump is also needed in a circumstance where the surface area of the tank is too small. Oxygen is dissolved at the surface of the water.
It helps to maximize the surface too.
Bowls and narrower tanks do not have good oxygen exchange. Smaller surfaces alone can’t support the fish without additional aeration.
An air pump is also needed if the water is not broken enough. Before looking for the air pump, ensure it is of the right size for the tank.
You may have too many fish in your tank. They struggle for the oxygen, suck it all up and be less for them. The use of an air pump will highly increase the rate of oxygen in the water.
See also: Can goldfish survive 3 days without food?
How to identify goldfish with breathing problems
A fish will never struggle to breathe in a situation where you have both a filter and an air pump, both causing disturbances on their sides.
The following are the characteristics of a fish without enough oxygen;
1. The gills of the goldfish begin to move in an abnormal way. Their movement speed increases gradually as if it is trying to breathe heavily.
2. The fish reduces their movement, becomes dormant and on looking at them, they seemingly appear to be sleepy.
3. The fish goes below the surface of the water to gulp for the air as soon as it begins to starve in oxygen. The fish will try to suck air, fighting to breathe when it has inadequate air in the gills.
Can goldfish live in a bowl without an air pump?
A bowl can not benefit a goldfish because of its small size. This is due to the smaller surface for water circulation without enough oxygen. Small surface restricts the free movement of the fish.
At this point, an air pump becomes much more important to oxygenate the water.
Without an air pump in the bowl, goldfish can survive although not a long and healthy life.
Keep in mind that bowls are not good for keeping goldfish because it has a high chance of reducing their lifespan. In a bowl, there is poor breathing as said earlier because of limited space.
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How to add oxygen to the bowl
Lack of enough oxygen in the bowl risks the death of the goldfish. Usually, a small fish has little oxygen. The oxygen can be added to the tank externally.
Use aquatic plants to produce oxygen from the plants into the water naturally. These plants have to be healthy and large enough to prevent them from being eaten by the fish.
Plants undergo cellular respiration like fish. They consume gases and release them in reverse. A fish takes oxygen from the water releasing carbon dioxide back into it.
The carbon dioxide released by the fish is then used by the plants as they release oxygen into the water to be used by the fish.
Regularly change the water to easily oxygenate the bowl. As soon as the water gets warm, the less the amount of oxygen level until you change it cool.
The air filter is also efficient for the goldfish fish tank. It helps to filter out the debris and other toxic matter which tend to affect oxygen circulation in the bowl.
Air pumps for goldfish
There are two types of air pumps recommended for use in the tanks. They include;
Tetra Whisper AP 150 Air Pump which keeps the Aquarium oxygen levels high and also keeps your fish healthy. It is made of a dome-shaped feature with rubber feet to flatten the sound wave frequencies.
Tetra whisper pumps are used in deep tanks (of up to 8 feet deep), multiple air stones, more strength to power long decorator air stones and protein skimmers for use in saltwater aquariums. Tetra comes with a lifetime limited warranty.
Tetra Whisper Air Pump (Non-UL)- It is difficult for this pump to stay on top of the aquarium. This whisper air pump is vault shaped with a sound housing chamber to limit turbulence and create a smooth and calm stream of air.
The whisper is designed in a way that it eliminates sound-producing vibrations which in turn makes the tank quiet.
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References
Pet Advocacy Network: CARING FOR YOUR GOLDFISH
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services [FDACS]: Aquarium Components: Air Pump