Best Aquarium Filter for Swordtail - Molly - Platy - Guppy - Endler Livebearer Fish:
Many aquarists think that livebearers such as guppy, molly, platy & swordtail do not need a filter because they are hardy. Also, they have the opinion that small fish make less waste so they don’t need a filter. But a filter is recommended for every fish tank because it collects fish waste, remaining food or any debris in the aquarium or otherwise they will decompose & release ammonia. Ammonia is extremely dangerous for the fish, & presence of small amounts of ammonia could be fatal for the fish. But luckily aquariums have useful bacteria that convert ammonia into lower toxic forms such as nitrites & nitrates. Nitrates are not as toxic as nitrites, & nitrites are less toxic than ammonia. Presence of nitrates in the aquarium water is not very dangerous but if the level of nitrates increases in the aquarium, then it could be dangerous for the fish. It also depends on what types of fish you are keeping in the aquarium because hardy fish like livebearers can survive even if nitrates level increases but other fish like German Blue Ram fish can’t survive in higher nitrates levels. It is mandatory to check your aquarium water using test kits & check how much nitrates your fish species can tolerate. If nitrate level increases in the water, then it is mandatory to do partial water changes to keep its level low. Fresh water also contains minerals that are vital for the fish & live plants. If you want to reduce nitrates, then either add bio media such as ceramic rings that consume nitrates too or add aquatic plants that consume ammonia byproducts including nitrates & other toxic chemicals from the water.
It is very important to cycle your aquarium before adding any fish because after cycling, useful bacteria build up in the aquarium filter. The end product of the nitrogen cycle is nitrates. Ceramic rings can even remove nitrates from the water but still it is important to change partial water on a regular basis.
Sponge Filter is Best for Swordtail / Molly / Platy / Guppy / Endler Livebearer Fish:
For livebearers like molly, swordtail, guppy & platy fish, my advice is to use a sponge filter. Aquarists keep livebearers for breeding & they frequently give birth to fries.
For babies, a sponge filter can do an amazing job because not only it saves babies from entering the filter intake but also allows them to eat the leftover food attached to the sponge. Sponge filters are very efficient in biological filtration so they wipe out toxic chemicals from the water because fish fries are sensitive to ammonia byproducts. Also, sponge filters can mechanically filter water so they trap the waste produced by fish & stop them from decaying.
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