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When it comes to keeping fish, there are a lot of things to balance, especially with the water. If you notice a lot of bubbles in your fish tank, you might be wondering if it is possible that your tank has too much oxygen.
As long as you are using standard aquarium equipment, it is highly unlikely that your tank has too much oxygen. However, if there are a lot of bubbles and disturbance in the water, this can be stressful to your fish. It is much more likely that your water has too little oxygen rather than too much.
Your Tank Probably Doesn’t Have Too Much Oxygen
Technically, too much oxygen can be a problem for your fish tank, but this is very unlikely. A condition known as gas bubble disease (this is when gases develop in the fishes bloodstream) can be lethal, and can be caused by too much oxygen in your tank. This is a much more common problem with high levels of nitrogen though. As long as you are using standard aquarium equipment, you almost certainly won’t have too much oxygen in your fish tank.
However, one of the main ways in which water is oxygenated is by creating currents and disturbances in the water. This can be a problem for certain fish.
Strong Currents Can Be a Problem
Although having too much oxygen in your tank is unlikely to cause any problems, the way in which your tank is oxygenated might. One of the most effective ways to aerate a tank is with a filter. Many filters disturb the water and cause currents. This is fine for some fish, but for certain species that prefer calm water – like betta – this isn’t good. Water that is flowing can stress them out. Do a little research on the fish that you own, and find out what type of water they like. If you have fish that prefer calmer water, you can use foam pads (click to check price on Amazon) to baffle your filter and reduce the current whilst still aerating your tank.
Why Does My Tank Have So Many Bubbles?
If you are wondering whether or not your tank can have too much oxygen, there’s a good chance this is because your tank has a lot of bubbles. There are a few reasons why your tank has lots of bubbles, and – surprisingly – it’s more likely that bubbles are cause by not enough oxygen rather than too much. Below are some likely causes of bubbles in a fish tank.
- Filters, aerators, & heaters – All of these are going to generate bubbles to some extent. As long as these bubbles aren’t disturbing your fish (especially fish like betta which prefer calm water), they aren’t a problem.
- Bubbles on glass – When you add water to a fish tank, bubbles will form on the glass. This isn’t a problem and they will disappear on their own.
- From dead algae – If you have dead algae in your tank, the bubbles it creates are likely to be ammonia bubbles. This is not good for your tank. You need to remove the dead algae and perform a water change.
- Lack of oxygen – Fish will sometimes appear to gasp at the surface when they are feeding. But if they are not feeding, and they are gasping at the surface and producing bubbles, this could be a sign that there is not enough oxygen in your tank. If this is the case, do a water change and you will need to make sure your tank is getting enough oxygen. More on that further down.
- Fish nests – Fish blowing bubbles isn’t necessarily a sign of a lack of oxygen. Fish with labyrinth organs like betta and gourami make fish nests by producing cluster of bubbles on the surface of the water. Bubble nests are a good sign your fish are healthy and happy.
How Do I Know If My Tank Has Enough Oxygen?
Oxygen levels in your fish tank are important, but you need to worry more about not having enough oxygen rather than too much. Just like us, fish breath oxygen, so it is crucial that they have enough oxygen in the water.
So, how do you know if your tank has enough oxygen?
The first way is to use an oxygen test kit which you can find on Amazon. Usually, this won’t be necessary, but it might be worth it for heavily planted tanks, heavily populated tanks, and warm water tanks – all of which are more likely to suffer from low oxygen.
The other way is by monitoring the behaviour of your fish. If your fish are moving less and rapidly moving their gills, this is a sign that the oxygen levels are too low. If your fish are gasping at the surface, this can also be a sign that oxygen is too low, but keep in mind, they also do this when they are feeding. Fish with labyrinth organs like betta will also do this to make bubble nests. If your fish are gasping at the surface and they are not feeding or making a nest, you will want to test your water, do a water change, and increase the aeration in your tank.
Ways To Aerate Your Fish Tank
- Filters – Not only are filters necessary to filter your tank, but they also help with aeration. They circulate the water in your tank and disturb the water at the surface which increases oxygen absorption. Usually, a hang on filter will provide enough aeration for your tank, as long as it is suitably powerful.
- Aeration devices – There are various aeration devices and ornaments you can buy. If you have a decent filter and change your water regularly, these aren’t really necessary, but they do help, and can enhance the appearance of your tank.
- Live plants – Adding live plants to your tank is a great way to increase oxygen. Just like fish, they do need to be cared for though, so make sure to do some research into keeping live plants in an aquarium.
Conclusion
It’s highly unlikely that your tank has too much oxygen. However, having too much disturbance in your water (which increases oxygen) can cause stress to fish, especially those which prefer calmer water. A more likely scenario is that your fish tank has too little oxygen. If this is the case, you’re going to want to increase aeration in your tank.
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