If you live in George Town, Bayan Lepas, or Butterworth, you are lucky. We have some of the cleanest, best-tasting tap water in Malaysia. It makes great coffee and Teh Tarik.
But if you are a Guppy, Penang water is a nightmare.
You might have experienced this: You buy a healthy, active guppy. You put it in your tank (with anti-chlorine). A week later, it’s not swimming right. It’s shaking in place. It looks like it’s shivering. This is called “The Shimmies.” And it’s happening because our water is too soft.
The Science: Why “Clean” is Bad
Guppies originate from Central America, where the rivers are rich in minerals like Calcium and Magnesium. They need these minerals for two things:
- Bone Strength: Just like humans.
- Osmoregulation: This is how they balance the water inside their body.
The Penang Mismatch:
- Guppy Needs: Hard Water (GH 8–12).
- Penang Tap Water: Soft Water (GH 3–4).
When you put a hard-water fish into our soft water, its body starts to shut down. It struggles to pump fluids. The “shivering” you see is actually the fish’s muscles cramping because it lacks electrolytes.
The “Old Pipe” Factor (George Town Specific)
If you live in the heritage areas (George Town, Pulau Tikus) and live in an older pre-war house, you have a second problem: Copper. Old copper pipes can leach invisible metal into the water.
- Guppies: Can tolerate a little bit.
- Shrimp: Will die instantly.
- Snails: Will curl up and die.
If you can’t keep snails or shrimp alive, your pipes are likely the culprit.
The RM5 Local Fix
You don’t need expensive chemicals to fix Penang water. You just need to add what is missing: Minerals.
1. The “Pasar Pagi” Method (Oyster Shells)
Go to a local wet market or a fish shop. Buy a bag of Oyster Shells (Kulit Tiram) or Crushed Coral.
- How to use: Put a handful of shells inside your filter (in a mesh bag).
- What it does: As the acidic soft water flows over the shells, it slowly dissolves the calcium. This naturally raises the GH (Hardness) and stabilizes the pH.
- Cost: ~RM3 to RM5 per bag.
2. The “Lazy” Method (Wonder Shell / GH Powder)
If you don’t have space in your filter, buy a mineral block (often sold as “Wonder Shell”) or Seachem Equilibrium. Drop it in. It dissolves and adds the electrolytes your guppies are begging for.
A Warning on “Rainwater”
Some Penang hobbyists collect rainwater to save money. Do not use rainwater for guppies. Rainwater has Zero Minerals (GH 0). It is even softer than tap water. Unless you are keeping wild Bettas or Channa, rainwater will kill your guppies faster than tap water.
The Shop Guy’s Take
In Penang, we have a saying: “Water soft, fish shake.” If you are breeding guppies here, you cannot just use “Anti-Chlorine and Pray.” Add a bag of crushed coral to your filter. It’s the cheapest insurance policy you will ever buy. Your guppies will stop shaking, their colors will get brighter, and they will live longer.
