If you’ve ever seen your cory hurtling towards the surface to gulp a breath of air, before zooming back down to the bottom again, it might mean your tank was low in oxygen. Like betta fish, cory catfish have specialized breathing apparatus that allows them to breathe oxygen from the air as well as water. But can corys live for long without a filter? In this way, corys do you a favor by supplementing the work of an aquarium filter. These bottom feeders do a fantastic job of keeping the tank clean by constantly rooting around in the substrate, looking for algae and food that would otherwise rot and pollute the tank. Popular species include the Bronze cory, Panda cory, and pygmy cory. Corydoras CatfishĬorydoras catfish, affectionately known as ‘corys’, are a popular family of catfish for freshwater aquariums. The real reason that goldfish are good at surviving low oxygen levels is their physical adaptation to suppress metabolism when exposed to poor water conditions.įunnily enough, the primary organ that they sacrifice to save oxygen is their brain! Maybe it’s why goldfish famously fail the memory test. While some sources have listed goldfish as a labyrinth fish that can breathe oxygen from the air, this is not true! Like most fish, goldfish can only breathe oxygen that’s been dissolved in the water through their gills. Goldfish are actually heavy feeders and produce a high bio load, meaning that if you keep them without a filter, you’ll need to change half of their water every day! But just because goldfish have been kept in bowls without a filter, doesn’t mean they’re happiest that way. The goldfish is another fish that often suffers because of its robust reputation. So, remember, they’re likely to survive longer than some other fish, but you’ll still need to change your water often to keep them alive and well. Guppies are active fish that require decent oxygen levels and can suffer ammonia poisoning just like any other species. Guppies are hardy fish that can tolerate an extraordinary range of temperatures, but their tolerance for poor water conditions might not be as endless as you imagine. If you can become sentimental about your favorite oscar or angelfish, then why not your guppy?! But we must remember that the guppy is a popular fish species like any other. The poor guppy is the victim of a lot of mistreatment in the pet trade, partly owing to their prolific rate of breeding and the very cheap price you pay for them – people might see them as expendable. To survive such conditions, the beautiful betta has evolved a special organ known as the labyrinth organ which allows them to breathe some of their oxygen from the air as well as the water.Īs we’ve said, this mustn’t be taken as a reason to keep bettas in poor water conditions, and their sensitivity to ammonia and other toxins means that a filter is still essential except in emergency situations! Guppies In the wild, bettas are found in shallow pools, swamps, and rice paddies, which can become low in oxygen. The reason that betta fish are hardier than most is the adaptations they’ve made to their natural habitat. Sadly, bettas kept in poor water conditions will often die before their first birthday, which is very sad for a beautiful fish that can exceed 5 years in a well-maintained aquarium! But while a betta may be able to survive in a tank or bowl without a filter for a short time, it definitely won’t thrive. The infamous betta fish or Siamese fighting fish is sometimes listed as a species that can live without a filter. If you have a power outage or some other emergency, here is a list of types of fish and invertebrates that will survive longer than others without a filter. There are, however, some aquatic pets that are tougher than others when it comes to surviving less-than-perfect conditions. Without a filter, your fish and invertebrates are at risk of oxygen depletion and ammonia poisoning which can kill them in a matter of days or even hours. They’re also very affordable and save you doing daily tank cleaning and water changes, therefore they’re one of the main requirements of a home fish owner. They keep the water clean, clear, and safe for fish and other aquatic pets. Aquarium filters are essential for keeping pet fish.
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