6 Reasons Your Guppy Is Staying By The Filter (& What To Do)
Guppies love to hide because they feel protected when hiding. Adding plants, caves, and driftwood is a good investment. But sometimes, guppies tend to hide beside your tank filter, which could be a sign that something’s wrong with your guppy. This article will talk about possible reasons your guppy stays behind the filter.
Why Is Your Guppy Near The Filter?
There are many reasons why guppy fish might hide behind the filter. But because guppies like to hide, it might be hard to figure out why. Here are some reasons why your guppy likes to be near the filter.
1. Aquarium Flow Is Too Strong
Most of the time, your guppies go to the tank filter because your water tank has a strong flow. This means your guppies will have difficulty swimming and may be blown all over the tank by the strong flow from your aquarium filter. If your guppies get blown away, turn down the filter or anything else in your fish tank that keeps the water moving.
2. Pregnant Guppy
If one of your female guppies is alone by the filter, it could be because it is pregnant. Guppies about to have babies like to hide by the filter because it gives them a lot of protection. It gives her a safe place to give birth. And since other guppies will eat the fry, it is important to have a safe place.
3. Aggressive Tankmates
Another reason your guppy is hiding near the filter is because it could be hiding away from its aggressive tankmates. Sometimes, tankmates that are known to be peaceful can be fierce, especially if the male-to-female ratio is off. When this happens, it could also indicate that your guppy is not only hiding but also potentially stressed.
4. Low Water Quality
A Guppy hanging out near the filter could also mean they are trying to be close to the best water possible. This happens when the water quality is poor, and only the water near the filter is good enough. If the water in their tank isn’t good, it can be very bad for them and the plants and other fish.
5. Lack Of Hiding Spots
Guppies like to hide all the time in plants, driftwood, and other things that can help them do that. If there are few places for your fish to hide in your tank, they might be in the filter. Ensure your guppies have enough places to hide in their fish tank so they don’t get stressed.
6. Stress
Another reason your guppy is hiding near your filter is because they could be stressed and consider it a hiding spot. The stress could be caused by disease, injury, parasite, or infection, causing your guppy a great deal of trouble. Check on your guppies occasionally so you can catch any sickness or disease early and treat it.
What To Do If Your Guppy Is Staying By The Filter?
After discovering the cause of your guppies’ interest in the filter, the next step is to figure out what to do about it. Your guppies won’t get more stressed out if you deal with the problem. Here are some things you can do to help your guppy near the filter.
Keep The Water Clean
The water in your aquarium is primarily responsible for your fish’s survival, so maintaining its stability is essential. Excess ammonia poisons your guppies, and filters help manage ammonia by housing good bacteria that break it down. Also, do water changes regularly and vacuum the substrate occasionally to keep the water crystal clear.
Check your Tank’s Water Parameters
Your guppies are at risk if the water conditions aren’t right because they can get sick or get parasites. This stresses the guppies, so ensuring the proper water temperature helps them return to being happy in your tank. You can stop them from hiding behind the filter and make them live longer.
Do Not Overcrowd
Guppies get anxious and uneasy due to overcrowding. Guppies are forced to hide behind your filters because the tank is overcrowded. Overcrowding makes other fish aggressive, making the environment hazardous and pressuring them to spend most of their time hiding.
Keep Them Away From Aggressive Fish
When it comes to mating, male guppies are enthusiastic and seek females obstinately. If there are few females around, this might lead to conflict between male guppies. This instance brings out aggression towards guppies, where they bully one another. If a guppy feels unsafe, it finds a place to hide and sometimes considers your filter a good hiding spot, so don’t forget to add more female guppies.
Provide Enough Hiding Spots
Hiding spots are safe places for guppies. When fish are uncertain, scared, agitated, or uncomfortable, they will naturally hide. Mainly if they are being preyed on by other fishes. If your guppies do not have a place to go when they are stressed or have an illness, they will go to your filter and invest in buying hiding spots accordingly.
FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions that people have about their guppy staying by the filter.
Why Is Your Guppy Staying In One Spot?
Your guppy remains in one place for a variety of reasons. Oftentimes, it indicates distress or water conditions are inadequate. So, always check your fish’s physical appearance and tank’s water conditions for potential issues.
Can Guppies Live With Just A Filter?
Having a filter provides numerous benefits, which allow your guppies to live longer even with the tank and filter alone. The 2 main functions of the filter are to clean your tank of any dirt and provide oxygen that circulates within your tank. This keeps your fish and aquarium in good general health.
Recap
There are many reasons why your guppies might be hanging out near the filter. Regardless, paying attention and figuring out why your guppy is acting this way is essential. Because it could mean they are stressed and you need to do something to get your guppy out of hiding. Remember guppies look most beautiful when free swimming around the aquarium, and this is also the best for us to observe.
