Can Guppies Survive In Tap Water?

Two of my friends came to my place as they started fish keeping recently. Both of them were puzzled and asking me “Can guppies survive in tap water?”

Yes, guppies can survive in tap water if it is dechlorinated. Tap water contains chlorine, chloramine, heavy metals, and other contaminants. Hence, you should neutralize the tap water before putting guppies.

In this article, I will help you understand:

• will guppies live in tap water?
• is tap water safe for guppies?
• why is untreated tap water harmful to guppies?
• how long can guppy survive in untreated tap water?

Can Guppies Live In Tap Water?

Yes, guppy fish can live in tap water when treated correctly.

Tap water is one of the easily available and most affordable sources of water.

Most of the new guppy keepers often think tap water is clean and safe for guppies so they can put guppies in tap water, but it is not true.

Usually, tap water is safe for humans to drink and use for their daily routine activity but the same tap water is harmful for your pet guppy fish when used directly in aquarium.

You might be thinking what is there in tap water? Let’s find out.

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What is in Tap Water?

The tap water contains chlorine and chloramine to kill germs, bacteria, and other harmful substances, so humans don’t get sick.

These chemicals are added in very small proportion to remove impurities which is not harmful to humans but this is dangerous for your guppies.

Guppy Tap Water

The small amount of chlorine and chloramine in tap water starts damaging gills and delicate skin of guppy fish.

Further, prolonged use of tap water might eventually kill guppies.

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What Kind Of Water Do Guppies Need?

Guppies are tropical fish and thrive well in adequate water parameters.

Hence, the water should be clean and regularly maintained at below ranges:

Above water parameters are guppy fish specific which should be taken care of for their well-being. Also, avoid giving shock or stress to guppies through fluctuating water parameters.

With stable and proper water quality, guppies remain healthy and survive for a long time.

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How Long Can Guppies Live In Tap Water?

The survival of guppies in tap water depends on certain factors:

1 Temperature of water

If the tap water is too cold or too hot, then guppies might encounter health problems.

2 Oxygenation

When there is not enough amount of oxygen present in tap water, then it becomes hard for guppies to survive.

3 Hard or Soft Water

Guppies prefer hard water to live. If water hardness is less then guppies feel uncomfortable and stress which makes them prone to diseases.

4 Water is treated or not

Untreated tap water contains harmful chemicals which can kill guppies within couple of hours.

Some fish keepers prefer to perform water change by temporarily transferring guppies to bucket filled with tap water. It is important to consider that tap water must be properly treated before putting guppies in it.

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Why Is Tap Water Unsafe For Guppies?

Guppies are sensitive fish and untreated tap water is not good for guppies even though used for short time.

So, lets understand why is untreated tap water harmful to guppy fish-

1.   Presence of Chlorine and Chloramine

Chlorine and chloramine remove water-borne germs and bacteria which makes water drinkable for humans.

The chemicals are introduced in tap water at lower level, but still, it is toxic for guppy fish.

Guppies show symptoms like erratic swimming, rubbing over decoration or rocks, breathing heavily, and staying at the top of the tank for more oxygen.

Further, guppy fish encounter gill diseases or respiratory problems very quickly which may result in sudden death.

2. Other Contaminants

Tap water also contains heavy metals like copper, zinc, and leads.

These heavy metals are formed in water pipes and industrial areas.

Even a small exposure to these heavy metals is harmful to guppy fish.

Zinc is an essential dietary requirement for fish but anything in excess is not good for their well-being. Same way excessive zinc damages guppies gills and becomes toxic.

3. Ammonia            

Chloramine is made up of chloride and ammonia. Nowadays, many municipalities are using chloramine as it stays for a long time in water. Ammonia is toxic for guppies.

Beneficial bacteria naturally form in the filter and water of guppy fish tank. This beneficial bacteria converts ammonia into less dangerous nitrate.

Now, when you add untreated tap water in guppy aquarium, then ammonia spikes up and causes stress, breathing difficulty, and skin as well as gills damage.

The contents in tap water vary as per your location, hence you should dechlorinate tap water before using it for guppy fish tank.

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How Do You Make Tap Water Safe For Guppies?

Tap water has numerous contaminants, hence you should learn how to prepare suitable tap water for guppy fish.

1. Direct Sunlight

The simplest way to remove chlorine from tap water is to let it sit.

Take a large container filled with tap water and put it in sunlight. The chlorine takes 1 to 5 days to evaporate.

This way your water is chlorine-free.

2. Airstone

Aeration is the fastest method to evaporate chlorine in tap water.

Place airstone in the bucket filled with tap water which helps chlorine to evaporate.

So, how long does it take to dechlorinate tap water? Generally, it takes around 30-45 mins to dechlorinate tap water and make it safe for guppies.

3. Boil Tap Water

Boiling tap water is one the most effective and inexpensive way to treat tap water.

So, how long does it take tap water to dechlorinate? You need to boil tap water for 15-20 minutes to make it safe for guppies.

4. Water Conditioner

There are different types of water conditioner easily available online and at pet store.

You should look for a product that removes chlorine and chloramine.

This way conditioner will help to get rid of all toxins and tap water becomes safe for guppies.

5. Vitamin C

Ascorbic acid and sodium ascorbate are two major forms of Vitamin C.

You should know that ascorbic acid is slightly acidic, so it will affect your pH level while sodium ascorbate will not change pH.

So, what proportion of Vitamin C to use for neutralizing chlorine and chloramine?

For every 1 gallon of tap water use 1 teaspoon of ascorbic acid or sodium ascorbate.

This will help to dechlorinate tap water in a short period.

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Conclusion

Guppies can live in dechlorinated tap water.

Hence, it is crucial to remove all chlorine, chloramine, ammonia, and other heavy metals.

Keeping guppies in untreated tap water for a short period is not a good idea as it badly impacts health of guppy fish.

If you still have any questions, please feel free to ask in the comment box.

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FAQS

Can Guppies Live Without A Filter?

Yes, guppies can live without a filter if the aquarium is well maintained, cleaned regularly, performed water change, and by adding some live plants.

Is Hard Water Bad For Guppies?

No, guppies do well in hard water as compared to soft water because hard water has good proportion of essential minerals such as magnesium and calcium.

Happy Guppy Keeping!