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The Guppy Fish – Ultimate Guide on Breeding, Diet, Sexing, and Care

Resized image of Guppy, 1 Resized image of Guppy, 2 Resized image of Guppy, 3 Resized image of Guppy, 4

Brief Description

This page is your ultimate guide to raising Guppies, packed with solutions to common issues, pictures, and care tips! If you’d like to share your own experience keeping Guppies, scroll down to the bottom of this article where you’ll find a form for those wanting to share tips, advice, and information - or ask questions! Also, make sure to visit these pages: Guppy - Poecilia reticulata profile with pictures, FAQ, Care, and Origin, Raising Guppies, and Endler's guppy.

The Guppy fish is likely the most popular aquarium species worldwide. Known for being affordable, some types can be quite pricey. Small, colorful, peaceful, active, curious, and hardy, Guppies come in many vibrant varieties (see the pictures below) and are easy to breed. They’re an excellent choice for beginners, especially children. However, like any fish kept in captivity, Guppies still need proper care and conditions (read below for details). While caring for Guppies is mostly simple, it's important not to overlook their needs since they can still be vulnerable to diseases!

Sexual Dimorphism in Guppies

Female Guppies are noticeably larger and rounder than males, often looking like a different species. While females are typically dull grey, males are vibrant and have broad fins. There are many Guppy varieties, and selective breeding can even produce new ones. One example is the Endler's Guppy (link). When fully grown, their size ranges from 4.0 to 6.0 cm (1.6 - 2.3 inches).

Information about Feeding – Proper Diet

Guppies can be fed a wide variety of foods, including flakes, Spirulina, lettuce, bloodworms, spinach, freeze-dried foods, and mosquito larvae. These fish eagerly consume almost anything offered; however, it’s important not to provide low-quality foods as it negatively impacts their health and lifespan. Always check the ingredients list on the back of the package and avoid foods that provide an incomplete list of components. Inferior products often disclose only 40%-50% of their contents, leaving the rest unidentified. Guppies have small stomachs and can only handle small amounts per feeding. Interestingly, they are known to eat mosquito larvae, which can be almost as big as the fish themselves - like enjoying a long strand of spaghetti. It is recommended to feed them small portions (enough for them to finish in two to three minutes) at least three times a day. In general, Guppies will eat almost anything available in the tank, including eggs and fry, if accessible. For example, Guppies are known to consume Panda Cory eggs if left exposed. Allowing a day of fasting per week helps them clear their digestive systems, which can extend the lifespan of Guppies and other fish species.

Breeding Guppies and Caring for the Fry

Guppies are prolific livebearers, meaning they can breed almost continuously when males and females are kept together. For successful breeding, both parents need to be adults, healthy, and not too old (the average lifespan of Poecilia reticulata is 2-3 years, so females over 2 years may have reduced reproductive ability). Female Guppies typically reach maturity around 3 months of age, while males usually mature slightly earlier. Males will court females by displaying their fins and curving their bodies. Once fertilized, the gestation period lasts between 28 and 30 days, after which the female gives birth. Her belly will grow rapidly during this time, and she may appear boxy near the end of the term. Additionally, a visible gravid spot indicates pregnancy. As birth approaches, Guppies often prefer calm water, hide frequently, and may rest on the substrate or plants. Some females may even stop eating shortly before giving birth.

Once the female gives birth, the fry can immediately start fending for themselves. Unfortunately, guppy fry are a tasty snack for many fish, so it’s important to add floating plants like Lemna minor or Pistia stratiotes to your aquarium, providing hiding spots for the newborns. Even their parents may eat them! Separating the fry from other fish is a good idea, and setting up a dedicated tank for the fry is recommended. Just make sure that water conditions (pH, hardness, temperature) in the “fry tank” match those of the original tank. Sudden changes in water chemistry can be fatal to newborns due to their sensitivity.

Guppies can quickly overpopulate a tank if left unchecked, so be mindful before adding them to your aquarium! For example, if you have just 2 females, each could produce 20 fry per month – meaning in 5 months, you might have 200 Guppies in your tank! It’s essential to avoid inbreeding, as it can lead to weak or unhealthy offspring. Some aquarists even use Guppies as feeder fish for South American cichlids to manage overbreeding. While this might seem extreme, it’s an effective way to prevent population explosions.

Another important note: Guppies can store sperm for several months. It’s common for a female to give birth even 6-8 months after being separated from males.

Tank, Tank Mates, and Caring for Guppy Fish

Guppies thrive in warm water, ideally between 23-24°C (73-75°F), but they can tolerate temperatures ranging from 19.0 - 29.0°C (66 - 84°F) as long as the pH remains stable between 7.0 and 8.5. The recommended general water hardness for Poecilia reticulata is 12.0 - 18.0 °N (214 - 321 ppm or 4.29 - 6.43 mEq), although they can adapt to softer water. A vegetated tank is ideal for Guppies, not only because it boosts fry survival rates by providing hiding spots but also because it mimics their natural habitat. Plants like Vallisneria spiralis, Echinodorus amazonicus, and Cabomba furcata are excellent choices. When grown properly, these plants create stunning backgrounds in the tank.

Guppies are very social fish and should never be kept alone. They can thrive in a community tank with other peaceful species. However, be cautious with fish that have attractive fins, such as the Siamese fighting fish, as Guppies are known to nip at fins. It’s best to avoid keeping such species together. Only consider tank mates that can defend themselves if necessary, as Guppies often follow and interact with other fish.

Since Guppies breed prolifically, it’s recommended to maintain a male-to-female ratio of 1:3 to manage their population effectively.

Tank mates that should be avoided:

Good tank mates for Guppies include:

Guppies thrive in tanks with more than 10-15 fish, so a suitably sized aquarium is essential. A tank of 20 liters (5.28 US gallons, 4.40 Imperial gallons) or less is too small for Guppies. In reality, a 20-liter tank won’t actually hold 20 liters of water due to the space taken up by gravel, filters, and other decorations. For about 10-12 Guppies, a minimum tank size of 40 liters (10.56 US gallons, 8.8 Imperial gallons) is recommended. However, a single Guppy can manage in a 5-liter tank (1.32 US gallons, 1.09 Imperial gallons).

Never place Guppies in a small fish bowl! Fish bowls often lead to orientation problems and can cause fish to die quickly. If you must use a bowl, choose the largest one possible—ideally 60 liters (15.85 US gallons, 13.20 Imperial gallons) or more. Adding decorations like driftwood or caves can help the fish navigate and feel more secure.

Diseases of Guppies

Like all fish species, Guppies are susceptible to diseases. Good water quality is crucial for keeping Guppies healthy, as it reduces the risk of illness. Stress is a significant factor in disease development for all animals, including fish. If Guppies are stressed or uncomfortable, they are more likely to fall ill.

For detailed information on common aquarium fish diseases, you can visit our article on aquarium fish diseases. To keep Guppies healthy, ensure the water is of high quality: free from ammonia, chlorine, chloramine, and maintain a stable pH of at least 7, appropriate hardness, and a stable temperature. By following these guidelines, you can prevent most diseases in Guppies.

Selling or Donating Guppies

Selling Guppies can be challenging, as many stores may not accept fish bred at home. A more effective option is to sell them at local fish shows or markets. If you have an excess of Guppies, consider advertising in local newspapers or online community forums to find potential buyers or adopters.

Additional Information and Tips About Guppies

Many visitors to aqua-fish.net seek advice about their Guppies, as reflected in the comments under the article. To address common concerns, we’ve compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions:

A common question is how to manage Guppy population. Here are some effective solutions: Use a tank divider to separate males and females, keep them in separate tanks, sell excess fish to local pet stores, use Guppies as feeder fish, introduce a natural predator to eat the fry, or give them to someone with larger fish like Oscar cichlids, Jack Dempsey cichlids, or Paradise fish.

Guppies are not very adept at jumping, so it's uncommon to find them on the floor or carpet. However, some people wonder how long a Guppy can survive out of water. The answer varies: some Guppies may survive for up to 10 minutes, while others might only last 5 minutes, and a few could endure for an hour. The longer a Guppy is out of water, the more damage it can sustain. A fish that survives for 10 minutes may still struggle to make it through the night. Based on experience, keeping them out of water for up to 5-6 minutes is generally safe. To prevent such issues, always use a lid on the tank.

Another common question is about the amount of water a Guppy needs. While there isn't a single correct answer, keeping one Guppy per liter is not advisable. It is recommended to provide at least 5 liters (1.32 US gallons or 1.09 Imperial gallons) of water per Guppy.

Pictures of Guppies

We extend our gratitude to William Yen for allowing us to use his pictures. All images feature male Guppies, except for the first one. In that image, you can also see a female Guppy behind the male. Females can be easily distinguished from males because males have vibrant colors and long, beautiful fins. In contrast, females have larger bellies, less vibrant coloration, and are generally bigger in size.

Guppy fish male and female Guppy fish male Guppy fish img 3 Guppy fish img 4

This article is available in German language too. Der Guppy

Other pages devoted to guppies within Aqua-Fish.Net

Additional Resources on Guppies

If you have further questions that aren't addressed in this article or the comments below, feel free to ask at the bottom of this page. You may also explore other reputable websites for more information about Guppies, such as Guppy Fish @ AquaticCommunity.Com or Poecilia reticulata - Guppy @ SeriouslyFish.Com. If you encounter any issues with these links, please let us know.

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