You just bought a fish tank and need to fill it with water. Is it okay to use tap water?
Can guppies live in tap water? Yes, guppies can live in tap water because they are extremely hardy fish. But it’s not recommended. I recommend filling your tank with tap water, adding a pinch of fish food to it, letting it sit for 24-72 hours, and then adding guppies or other fish to the tank.
This will allow all the chlorine to evaporate from the tank, which is important because chlorine can kill guppies.
Now, the reason that I say guppies can live in tap water is because some tap water is very clean. For instance, in my tank I would not let the water sit because I knew the tap water was fine for the guppies.
Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Some tap water has high levels of chlorine in it, and that will easily kill the guppies.
The Problem with Tap Water for Guppies
The bigger problem with tap water is that tap water is often colder than the ideal water temperature for guppies. In my case, this is not a problem because I live in Florida.
However, if you live in a colder environment that has cold tap water, then you will more likely than not have to deal with cold tap water.
Of course, guppies can survive in a wide range of water temperatures and pH levels, but water that is slightly above freezing will certainly kill your guppies. The ideal water temperature range for guppies is 70F to 80F – warmer is always better for guppies, though. But I know it’s not always possible to keep a fish tank warm in a cold environment.
As mentioned earlier, chlorine is also a problem for guppies and all aquarium. This is not nearly as big of a problem as many aquariums think, though. Guppies will be able to survive in tap water long enough for the chlorine to evaporate away.
The reason placing your guppies in tap water isn’t recommended is because it will stress out the guppies. And stressed guppies don’t live as long and lose their color.
Is Tap Water’s pH Ok for Guppies?
Yes, tap water usually has the proper pH for guppies. This does depend on your area, but most tap water is in the 7 to 7.5 range, which is fine for guppies.
Guppies require a pH between 6.7 and 7.5.
If you have unusually alkaline or acidic tap water, then you can purchase water kits that will raise or lower the pH. This is rarely ever a problem, though.
How Long Can Guppies Live in Tap Water?
Guppies can live a long time in tap water. It’s unlikely that tap water will actually kill your guppies unless you have cold or heavily chlorinated tap water.
For those that don’t know, guppies are an extremely hardy fish. With that in mind, they probably won’t die in most tap water, but they will not be comfortable.
We’re all about keeping fish comfortable, so please make sure to let the tap water sit for a day or two before adding guppies to it. Also, make sure that it’s the proper temperature.
Summary
That covers it for whether guppies can survive in tap water. Yes, guppies can and will survive in tap water if it’s the right temperature, but we don’t recommend it because tap water is chlorinated and chlorine kills guppies.