When I went outside to feed them one morning I found them all hanging at the surface opening and closing their mouths as if they were gasping. A frantic call to the pond shop identified the likely problem.
The oxygen in the water was getting used up faster than it could be replenished, and the fish were desperate. While my husband rushed out to get a submersible pump with a fountain head while I created some temporary agitation by spraying the surface with water from the hose.
The results were remarkable: Within seconds, the fish stopped gasping and began to swim normally although they still stayed close to the surface.
After we installed the fountain, we never had another problem. However, having learned a few things since then, I now keep fewer fish in a much bigger pond equipped with both waterfall and fountain.
So can gouramis, which evolved in the low-oxygen conditions of shallow, stagnant ponds in Southeast Asia and have what is known as a labyrinth organ. Generally speaking, however, large fish use more oxygen per hour than smaller fish, and faster-swimming fish use more oxygen than slower swimmers, while fry often need more oxygen than adult fish.
The problem is that the warmer the water gets, the more active the fish become, and the more oxygen they need to fuel their increased activity their demand can double or triple with every degree increase in temperature , but warm water also holds less oxygen. There are two basic types: Those that infuse oxygen directly into the water such as airstones and decorative bubble walls and—even more effective—those that expand the surface area of the water to give the oxygen more entry points.
And in aquariums, certain types of filters help aerate the water as well. These include hang-on-back filters and trickle filters. Some fish farms involved in high-intensity aquaculture sometimes use such means to hyperoxygenate the water, which allows them to increase stocking levels without increasing the amount of water in their systems.
However, there are some indications that this can stress fish; in one paper reported at a World Aquaculture Society meeting in , Swedish researchers found higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol in Atlantic salmon that had been raised in hyperoxygenated water. Too much oxygen in water can lead to the potentially lethal gas bubble disease, in which gas comes out of solution inside the fish, creating bubbles in its skin and around its eyes.
Excess nitrogen, however, is a far more common cause of this disease. All of this brings us back to the humble airstone and the question I asked at the outset of this column: Is it necessary? Carpet plants, like Micranthemum Monte Carlo, are also an excellent choice. They increase oxygen levels at the very bottom of the tank, where aeration is typically reduced. Because carpet plants grow in tight night bunches, oxygen levels will be high even without much water movement. Trimming plants and removing rotting leaves is essential.
To help with aeration in a planted tank, a strong filter with an adjustable flow rate is the best choice. Slow swimmers, or fish that generally prefer calmer waters, can get overwhelmed by the strong current. But if your fish are active swimmers that like a challenge, go ahead and use a high flow filter to your advantage. Here are just a few fish species that will appreciate this type of tank setup:. All the oxygen that your fish breathe comes from the gas exchange at surface level.
Surface agitation facilitates oxygen absorption while also aerating the water to a certain degree. Any type of filter with a pour-in output from a height will break the surface tension.
Waterfall filters, spray bar systems, and even box filters all make excellent aeration boosters. The higher you set your surface agitation device, the deeper dissolved oxygen will make its way into your fish tank. But with increased water surface agitation, more water gets exposed to air, improving oxygenation.
The more surface area a tank has, the more oxygen can get dissolved into the water through oxygenation. These fish use a labyrinth organ to breathe air at the water surface. They typically do this if oxygen levels drop too low or if the water quality is poor. Overcrowding a fish tank can cause oxygen levels to drop, but if you can actually get your fish to help with water aeration in a way.
Getting tank mates that are compatible but also occupy different parts of the tank is a good strategy. Get a mix of bottom dwellers, middle to top, and top to bottom swimmers, with a few surface feeders to cover all areas. Fish can help disperse oxygen-rich water throughout the entire aquarium as they go about their business. Take water from inside the aquarium not tap water! Be careful not to take any of your fish along for this ride, as they will be hanging out at the water surface.
The water might get cloudy for a while, as the aeration can dislodge debris. Repeat the process a few times, and retest the dissolved oxygen concentration if possible. To prevent oxygen levels from dropping this low again, be sure to use one, or more, of the fish tank oxygenating methods listed above.
Fish kills also can occur as a result to toxic compounds released into a body of water. Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. Press ESC to cancel. Skip to content Home Users' questions Can you over oxygenate an aquarium? Users' questions. Esther Fleming December 17, Table of Contents. Previous Article Why are more computers recycled now?
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