Do Cardinal Tetras Need A Bubbler?: Tips For Healthy Cardinal Tetras

Cardinal Tetras are a beautiful freshwater fish that is commonly present in the aquarium trade. These fish are famous for being excellent beginner’s community fish with their vibrant colors and peaceful demeanor. Cardinal tetra care isn’t complex as long as you are careful about the environment and tank mates. They need a good bit of space and the right environment to thrive. But, do Cardinal tetras need a bubbler?

Bubbler helps Cardinal tetras with their oxygen. Cardinal Tetras do not need a bubbler, but they will benefit from one because it gives them more oxygen to breathe and live in the water. In addition, they are tropical fish, which means they like warm temperatures around 71- 80 degrees Fahrenheit or about 27-28 Celsius for most of the day/night cycle.

If you are new to fish keeping, you may have many questions regarding Cardinal tetras. We will be discussing all of them in detail in this article. Hopefully, this post will be worth your time.

What Is The Natural Habitat Of Cardinal Tetras?

Cardinal tetras originate from the South American countries of Brazil, Venezuela, and Columbia. Like most other fish, Cardinal Tetras will thrive best when kept in a tank that closely mimics their natural habitat and allows them to swim freely around.

Cardinal Tetas need space to move about and explore. So, Cardinal Tetras will need at least a medium-sized tank of 20-gallon.

Cardinal Tetra fish are compatible with most community fish. However, it is good to keep Cardinal tetras in five or more schools. Possessing them alone can be stressful for Cardinal Tetra that results in behavioral issues.

Do Cardinal Tetras Need A Bubbler?

Bubblers are the device that emits bubbles into the tank. Cardinal tetras can live happily even without bubblers. Still, many owners do not prefer it because of their energetic swimming patterns and need for oxygen.

Cardinal tetras need a high oxygen content to prevent stress and fatigue – which is more likely if there isn’t enough water flow for them to breathe well. Besides this, bubbler helps Cardinal Tetras stay healthy because they are schooling fish that lives in a group of five to six fish.

Cardinal tetras that need bubbler make burrows in the substrate or plants. Therefore, when you notice such activities, you must be clear that your fish is not getting enough oxygen. So, it is time to provide them with a bubbler.

Many fish keepers keep Cardinal tetras without bubblers, and they do live healthily. If you do not want to invest in a bubbler, you must only consider keeping the tank clean with frequent water changes and enough oxygen.

What Are The Importance Of Bubbler In Cardinal Tetras Tank?

Cardinal tetras are freshwater fish that belong to the Characidae family. They are tropical fish that have brilliant red coloration. 

Although there are no special requirements for Cardinal tetras tank. But still, keeping bubblers in their tank is a great option. It is because:

Cardinal Tetras Need A Bubbler For Oxygen

Cardinal tetra fish needs a minimum of 6-6.6 ppm dissolved oxygen in the water to survive and grow healthy. Thus, bubbling is also necessary for their survival as it provides easier access to dissolved oxygen from the surface at regular intervals. In addition, if you provide them with a bubbler, you can keep them safe from suffocating conditions.

Cardinal Tetras Need A Bubbler To Prevent Aggression

Cardinal tetra fish is peaceful and non-aggressive. But still, there are some cases when they start showing their aggression towards each other because of lack of space or food.

Cardinal Tetras usually exhibit their aggression towards each other when there is a lack of space in the fish tank. When you keep Cardinal tetras in smaller tanks, they feel aggressive and stressed. It is because they don’t have enough room for swimming. It leads them to bump and fight with each other causing injury or even death.

Bubblers help to provide each Cardinal tetras live peacefully. So, they need bubblers to get enough room to avoid aggression between them.

Cardinal Tetras Need A Bubbler For Safety

Cardinal tetra fish is an egg-laying species of freshwater. So, they are susceptible to temperature changes.

Cardinal Tetras need bubblers in their aquarium setup because it can help maintain the temperature and water flow. Imbalance in water conditions might result in various health issues such as bacterial infection, weak immune system, and many more.

Cardinal Tetras Need A Bubbler To Maintain The Temperature

Cardinal tetra fish is also susceptible to temperature changes. Therefore, they need bubblers to help maintain the temperature and regulate the water flow in their aquarium set up. 

Sudden temperature changes might provoke Cardinal tetras to jump out of the tank, fin-nip each other, or even cause death.

Cardinal Tetras Need A Bubbler To Keep The Water Clean

One of the most important benefits of having a bubbling system in a tank is to keep the water clean. In addition, bubblers provide a more hygienic surface area where they get oxygen.

Cardinal tetra usually stays near the water’s surface to get its required amount of dissolved oxygen. So, having bubblers will be a great option as it provides them with easy access to the air. Besides this, bubblers also help to improve Cardinal tetras’ health and appearance.

Cardinal Tetras Need A Bubbler To Prevent Diseases

Keeping a bubbler in Cardinal tetra fish tank will prevent them from contracting common diseases like ich or fungus. The strong flow of bubbles and oxygenated water increases their immunity to fight against these types of illnesses.

Cardinal Tetras Need A Bubbler For Temperature Regulation

Cardinal tetras are tropical fish. They cannot survive at a temperature below 70-degree  F. So bubbling in the tank creates the temperature necessary for their survival and comfort to keep them safe from extreme temperatures.

Cardinal Tetras Need A Bubbler For Water Circulation

Keeping Cardinal tetra fish in a tank with still water without current is inappropriate. It can lead to fin rot, swim bladder disorder, and other health issues as it disturbs their natural habitat. Bubblers will keep the environment of the Cardinal tetras fish tank healthy and happy.

How To Set Up Cardinal Tetras Bubbler?

Cardinal tetras need a bubbler for their survival in the tank. These fish will always get benefit from having one because of several reasons. First, they are an active species that requires constant movement and aeration to maintain their health, activity level, colorfulness, and overall happiness.

You can follow the following tips to set up a Cardinal tetras bubbler:

Step One: Cardinal Tetras Bubbler

First, you need to buy a Cardinal tetra fish bubbler. Several Cardinal tetra fish options are available in the market, including glass tubes, air stones, and water pumps that will keep your Cardinal tetras active all day long.

Step Two: Setting up Cardinal Tetas Bubble Tube

The second step is setting up the Cardinal tetra fish bubbler in the right place. You can put your fish tube anywhere, but make sure Cardinal tetras have free movement around it. Also, it would help if you watched the bubbles so that they don’t touch Cardinal tetras or any other fishes in the tank.

Step Three: Keep Water Clean Cardinal Tetras Bubbler

The third step while setting up the Cardinal tetras bubbler is finding a place to clean Cardinal tetra tank water easily. Cardinal tetra fish need high water quality with low ammonia levels, nitrates, and pH levels because they are susceptible to the abovementioned parameters.

Step Four: Keep Flow Rate Cardinal Tetras Bubbler

The fourth step is the Cardinal tetra flow rate. You need to maintain Cardinal tetras bubbler flow at the optimum level that allows free movement of Cardinal tetra fish in a tank while also providing oxygenated water for them.

Step Five: Ensure There Is No Leakage Cardinal Tetras Bubber

Fifth and the last step Cardinal Tetra fish bubbler is to make sure there is no leakage as Cardinal tetras need clean and bacteria-free tank water. In case of any Cardinal Tetra leak, you must fix it immediately before the problem gets worse.

Can I Keep Cardinal Tetras Without Bubbler?

If you want to keep Cardinal Tetras fish for a small aquarium, the answer is yes. But if your goal is keeping Cardinal Tetra in the large or outdoor pond, then it might be tricky as the natural habitat of this fish comprises bubbles and a lot of oxygen.

If the tank has enough live plants and well-filtered water, Cardinal tetras do not need a bubbler. Usually, Cardinal tetras are among the few fish species that can live in a low-end aquarium with minimal equipment because they do not need much to be happy and healthy.

What Are The Best Bubblers For Cardinal Tetras?

Cardinal Tetras are a perfect addition to any aquarium. They can be present in the Amazon Basin, where they live alongside other species of fish. These fish come from soft waters with deficient pH levels and minimal hardness compared to tap water.

Cardinal tetra fish prefer water with softer currents. So, the best bubblers for Cardinal Tetras are:

Airstones

Airstones are an excellent choice for Cardinal tetras because they provide the bubbling effect that these fish need. However, it is important to choose a good air stone so as not to over-agitate the water and harm your fish or cause too much noise.

Aerators

These bubblers work well with small tanks because they function as a pump and aerator together. They are also straightforward to clean because the only thing that needs replacement is the air filter, which can last anywhere from one month to six months, depending on how often you use them.

Bubble Walls

A bubble wall works well with larger tanks because of its sheer size. In addition, you can cover the entire back of the tank in a bubble wall, which provides a fantastic sight for any fish lover and is also very affordable.

Bubble Wands

Bubble wands are another excellent choice for Cardinal tetras because they usually have a long stem, making them ideal for smaller tanks. These bubblers also provide a striking visual effect, and the movement of bubbles is very calming to fish.

Conclusion

However, if you want your Cardinal Tetras to feel comfortable in their home environment, it is important to have the proper equipment.

Cardinal tetra fish likes slow currents in their home environment. Thus, make sure you get a bubbler that produces this type of bubble. Also, try using multiple kinds of bubblers in your Cardinal Tetras tank instead of just one. That will ensure your Cardinal Tetras feel most comfortable.

We hope this post helped you determine the best bubblers for Cardinal Tetras. Thank you for reading!

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