Guppies

Guppies (Poecilia reticulata) are peaceful, freshwater fish that come in a range of colors. Their colorfulness, energy and hardiness makes them extremely popular aquarium fish. They are also known as rainbow fish (due to their extensive range of colors) or millionfish (due to their prolific breeding rates).

Guppies are small fish and so don’t need as much tank space as other species. They are known for displaying a wide range of colors, driven by their breeding by enthusiasts over a number of years. There are over 250 varieties of Guppies, coming in a wide range of colors, shapes and sizes.

They can be founds in many different colors – everything from green to orange! The patterns of the guppies can change as well, both on their body and their tail. In addition to their coloring differences, Guppies also have a range of tail shapes. This is also due to their extensive breeding over the last few decades.

Guppies are sexually dimorphic. Although they now exhibit a range of colors due to breeding, wild females are typically grey in color, while wild males tend to have dashes of color. Males are typically smaller than females, averaging around 1-1.5 inch in length compared to the approx 2 inches of females. Guppies have a lifespan of up to 2 years.

Caring for your Guppies

Guppies make for a great aquarium fish, and are easy to care for. With their range of colors and patterns they can make for a great spectacle in your tank.

Habitat

Guppies are native to a number of countries and are particularly common in South America. They are particularly common in Brazil and Venezuela as well as a number of Caribbean islands such as Barbados, Antigua and Jamaica.

Malaria Control

Guppies are commonly found in Brazil and Venezuela as well as a number of Caribbean islands such as Barbados, Antigua and Jamaica. They are also now found in a wide range of other countries. This deliberate spread is mainly driven by their anti-malaria properties.

Guppies feed extensively on mosquito larvae and as such are a great asset in preventing the spread of malaria. Their use has been particularly prevalent in Asia and India in particular.

Although they are a great anti-malaria resource they are known to have adverse effects on the populations of local fish in the habitats they are introduced to.

Fish Tank Conditions for Guppies

As always, it is sensible to provide Guppies with a similar environment within your fish tank that they would experience in the wild.

Guppies prefer to have an abundance of hiding places within their tank. These can be created through artificial plants, caves etc. or through the planting of live plants and java moss. The required tank size will depend on the number of Guppies (and other fish) being introduced but allow for a minimum of a 5 gallon fish tank, ideally 10 gallon plus if you intend to keep more than a few guppies.

Guppies are peaceful fish overall, but can be a nuisance to angelfish and other fish with prominent tails. This is due to their occasional tendency to nip the fins of these fish, which can put the other fish under stress.

Ideal Water Conditions

Guppies thrive in water conditions similar to their natural habitat. They can tolerate a wide range of pH levels (around 5.5-8.5) but it is important that this remains stable. Aiming for a stable, neutral pH of 7.0 is ideal. There is some debate as to the optimal temperature range, but Guppies will certainly be happy within the 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit range (24-27 degrees centigrade). Again, the more constant you can keep this the better.

In addition to these requirements it is important that the tank has no ammonia and incredibly low nitrates. Remember to cycle the water before introducing them into the tank.

Overall, general care of the Guppies is relatively straightforward and they are hardly fish.

Changing the Water

It is important to change the water over time to prevent the buildup of nitrates, phosphates and organic matter.

The best way to do this is to change 25% of the water each week. This will keep the water clean whilst avoiding changing the environment too much (and hence avoiding causing your fish stress due to large shifts in their environment).

Lighting

Guppies are exposed to some light in the wild in the rivers in which they live. As always, it is best to replicate their natural habitiat as much as possible.

If your room receives natural light then there is likely no need to install lighting in your tank (unless you wish to do so to create a vibrant visual display). It you do choose to introduce artificial light it is best to mimic natural conditions by cycling the light to be on 12-16 hours per day and off for the rest – giving your Guppies some rest bite from being on display and a chance to relax!

Filters

Guppies produce a relatively small amount of waste. Although some people forego a filter for their Guppy fish tank (and instead “filtering” out the waste though weekly water changes) it is still recommended to use a fish tank filter. There are a range of suitable options on the market, with the best choice depending on your budget and size of your fish tank. An undergravel filter economical choice of filter when keeping Guppies in a 5 or 10 gallon tank.

Guppies are happy with the filter producing a small current. Just make sure that the filter isn’t too powerful – they need to be able to swim out of the current and also have areas in the tank to rest.

Feeding / Nutrition for Guppies

Guppies are omnivores and can be fed a wide range of foods. It is best to vary their diet to ensure that they obtain all of the required nutrients. Options include:

Flakes
Freeze-dried bloodworms
Brine shrimp
Daphnia
Mosquito larvae

It is possible to fed your Guppies only once per day, but two smaller meals is ideal. Either way, feeding them as much as they can eat in 2-3 minutes should help you to regulate their food volumes. Stop adding food if they stop eating it immediately (don’t allow food to wallow in the tank). One way to stop this is to get an Eheim feeder that helps to minimize this risk. We’ve also reviewed some of Eheim’s automatic feeding options which could be a good option too.

If you have younger Guppies in your tank it is best to feed them more regularly (around 4 times per day). Either purchase specialised from your local pet store or simply feed them smaller pieces of the food that you feed to your adult Guppies.

Difficulty

Guppies are hardy fish that are relatively easy to care for. As long as they are fed appropriately and the tank conditions (especially pH and temperature) are kept constant and within the recommended range they will likely thrive in your tank.

Guppy Behavior

Guppies are heavily preyed upon in the wild. They often school together for protection in the wild. They will swim at the middle and at the top of your fish tank. It is therefore possible to complete your Guppy aquarium by adding bottom feeders such as Corys.

Guppies are predominantly peaceful fish , but can be a nuisance to angelfish and other fish with prominent tails. This is due to their occasional tendency to nip the fins of these fish, putting the other fish under stress.

Guppy schools are happiest when they are comprised of approximately one third males and two thirds females. This helps to avoid the male’s tendency to become overly territorial (and will also in crease the chances of baby Guppies in your tank)!

Guppy Breeding

Guppies are live-bearer fish. They prefer water temperatures around 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 degrees Celsius) for reproduction.

Many fish keepers will use a separate birthing tank. However, unlike Tetras, Guppies will not normally eat their young (if they are sufficiently fed). It is therefore not essential to have a separate tank. The downside, of course, is that you cannot specifically determine which Guppies will mate (and therefore cannot say cross two of the same color with the hope of producing offspring of that color).

Young Guppies will benefit from heavily planted tanks, offering them shelter while they mature (a process which tanks around 2-4 months).

Diseases

Guppies are very hardy fish and work great in home aquariums. They are, however, prone to:

Ich – a disease where white spots appear on the Guppy’s skin and they will be seen to be scratching against objects. If you see this happening, look for medication at your pet store
Fin rot – where the fin takes the appearance of being torn. Again, if this occurs, consult your local pet store for a solution.

As with other species, proper can of your tank will help to prevent disease. To minimize the chance of your fish becoming ill:

Keep the tank clean and in line with the recommended environment for Guppies
Place any new fish in quarantine before introducing them to the main tank to ensure that they are healthy – the introduction of diseased fish is the main way in which the disease spreads.
Ensure that any fish displaying symptoms of the disease are immediately removed and placed in quarantine. At this point it is vital that you maintain and close watch on the rest of the tank to ensure disease has not spread.
Ensure that the Guppies are fed a varied diet to ensure that they do not become deficient in a particular vitamin or mineral.
Ensure they have plenty of hiding places, which will help to keep their stress levels low

Guppies – Conclusion

Guppies are one of the best known and widely kept tropical fish. Their range of colors, patterns and active nature makes for dazzling displaces in your home aquarium.

Their hardiness and peaceful nature makes them perfect for even beginner fish keepers.

If you end up deciding that Guppies are not for you, there are still a range of different options available to you. Fish such as the Black Neon Tetra or Harlequin Rasbora could make great alternatives for your tank!