Guppies have been a part of the aquarium industry for many generations. The first guppy was found in tropical pools within South America and the Caribbean. They are now offered in a variety of colors and are captive-bred.
Many guppy keepers begin with two or three fish, but as live-bearers with the capacity to store sperm for a long time and sperm storage, you could have a complete tank in no time.
Species Overview
Common Name: Guppy
SCIENTIFIC Name: Poecilia reticulata
ADULTS SIZE 2 inches
LIFE EXPECTANCY2 up to three years
Specifications
Family Poeciliidae
Origin The species is native to South America; pet fish are bred in a captive setting.
Social Peaceful
Tank Level Top, mid-dweller
Minimum Tank Size 10 gallon
Diet Omnivore
Breeding Live-bearer
Care Beginning
pH 6.5 from 8.0 (5 up to 8 DH)
Hardness 100-150 mg/L
Temperature From 68 to 80 to F (20 between 26 and 68 C)
Origins and Distribution
The guppy was captive breeding for over 100 years, but they initially originated from South America. They’re named for Robert John Lechmere Guppy, who first identified the marine species in the Caribbean island Trinidad.
The species is native to freshwater rivers in northern South America, including Surinam, Guyana, and Venezuela, and the Caribbean islands, including Barbados, Trinidad, and Tobago. Today, they’ve been introduced to all continents except Antarctica and are found in warm waters across the globe.
back to menu ↑Markings and colors
There are many colors of Guppies. Males are more likely to have colorful colors than females and longer dorsal and caudal fins.
The variety of colors can vary that they have some guppies sport small, round tails, others are “V”-shaped, and others may possess an elongated tail half longer than their bodies.
Tail fins could be marbled or have a striped appearance, or the fish could have a variety of colors. Any color combination you could imagine, there’s probably an ideal guppy.
Some websites and stores will provide “select” and “unique” varieties unavailable elsewhere.
Often, these varieties come from severe breeding and result in fish with weaker immune systems and shorter lifespans.
Be sure to stick with the most popular breeds with established lineages. If you decide to cross two distinct strains, you might be surprised by the way color differences mix.
back to menu ↑Tankmates
Guppies are calm, easy-going community fish that can be played with various non-aggressive species of fish.
It is possible to keep them in a tank with other live-bearing fish similar to them, such as platys or molies.
Another good choice for tankmates is small fish, such as neon Tetras or Zebra fish. Be aware that others could eat any fry born by a female guppy active in your tank.
Therefore, smaller tankmates can ensure that the fry is more likely to survive.
Many guppy keepers choose to keep a tank exclusively for a guppy. It is possible to mix different kinds of guppy in one tank.
back to menu ↑Guppy Habitat, Care and Treatment
Guppies are excellent beginner fish for beginners. They require little maintenance and will tolerate a few errors made by beginners.
A larger tank is suggested since guppies are highly active fish. They do well in tanks that have plants and soft décor things.
To keep your population from overpopulating, It is highly advised to keep males and females in separate tanks. Females with sperm can be stored for multiple spawnings after being separated from males.
Tank dividers can be used for temporary solutions; however, most thin plastic dividers are not enough to keep fish from each other. Two tanks can prevent unwanted spawning.
back to menu ↑Guppy Food and Diet
Guppies are omnivores, and they thrive with they can be found on a wide range of commercially-available diets. A complete diet that is pelleted is the best choice for the majority of fish species for pets.
Although guppies are small in dimensions, pelleted diets referred to as micro pellets are the most suitable choice as they keep their nutrients longer than the flakes.
You can include supplements, like frozen diets and vegetables but not more than twice or once weekly.
Depending on the temperature of your tank and other tank inhabitants, You can feed your fish at least once or twice per day.
Start with a small amount of food; after it’s been consumed, add some more. Repeat this process for a couple of minutes, then take this time to examine the entire fish.
The feeding time is an excellent opportunity to determine whether the fish are acting strangely or are sick.
back to menu ↑Gender Differences
There are some gender differences that you must master to keep male and female populations distinct.
Males are generally smaller and have more vibrant colors. Females typically are brown and are rounder and larger.
On the fish’s underside, the anal fin on males is long, thin, and taper to the point. The anal fin of the female guppy is more prominent and triangular or fan shape.
back to menu ↑Breeding Guppy Guppy
Because female guppies store Sperm, it takes only one male insemination for a couple of eggs to produce.
To prevent your system from reaching its stock capacity, it is recommended to separate female and male guppies.
Many novice hobbyists begin with just one female guppy and then get one or more swarms.
Guppies are live-bearers, which means the female can give birth to between 10 and 50 wiggling fry every breeding.
A lot of times, new fry is consumed by fish that are in your aquarium. So should you wish to protect any fish, put them in an individual tank or breeding box?
Inbreeding can be a regular occurrence in systems of fish that are not connected.
After breeding several generations from the same species, You may observe an increase in species with congenital disabilities like shorter lifespans or spines that are not straight.
There is a straightforward solution: create diversification! Many hobbyists opt to exchange fish with another guppy keeper or buy new fish to add to their collection after clearing any quarantine.
back to menu ↑Further Pet Fish Species and Further Research
If you are a fan of guppies and are looking for the right tankmates, look into this other breed:
- Red Wagtail Platy
- Mickey Mouse Platy
- Mollies
Here are some additional suggestions for low-maintenance freshwater fish that are suitable for novices.
When Utilizing Sponge Filters for Aquariums
PTFJZ Aquarium Decorations – Fish Tank Accessories Betta Fis
