The guppy (Poecilia reticulata), also known as the millionfish , is one of the most popular freshwater aquarium fish species in the world. It is a small member of the Poeciliidae family [females 4–6 centimetres (1.6–2.4 in) long, males 2.5–3.5 centimetres (1.0–1.4 in) long] and like all other members of the family is live-bearing.
Male Guppy
Female Guppy
Guppies exhibit sexual dimorphism. While wild-type females are grey in body colour, males have splashes, spots, or stripes that can be any of a wide variety of colors.
In the aquarium
The guppy prefers a hard water aquarium with a temperature between 25.5 and 27.8 °C (78 and 82 °F) and salt levels equivalent to one tablespoon per 5 US gallons (19 l; 4.2 imp gal). They can withstand levels of salinity up to 150% that of normal seawater,which has led to them being occasionally included in marine tropical community tanks, as well as in freshwater tropical tanks. Guppies are generally peaceful, though nipping behaviour is sometimes exhibited between male guppies or towards other top swimmers like platys and swordtails, and occasionally other fish with prominent fins, such as angelfish. Guppys shouldn't be kept as a single fish in an aquarium because both males and females show signs of shoaling, and are usually found in large groups in the wild. Its most famous characteristic is its propensity for breeding, and it can breed in both fresh water and marine aquariums.Guppies bred by aquarists produced variations in appearance ranging from colour consistency to various tail forms.
Well-fed adults do not often eat their own young, although sometimes safe zones are required for the fry. Specially designed livebearer birthing tanks, which can be suspended inside the aquarium, are available from aquatic retailers. These also serve to shield the pregnant female from further attention from the males, which is important, because the males will sometimes attack the females while they are giving birth. It also provides a separate area for the newborn young as protection from being eaten by their mother. However, if a female is put in the breeder box too early, it may cause her to have a miscarriage. Well-planted tanks that offer a lot of barriers to adult guppies will shelter the young quite well. Guppy grass, water sprite, water wisteria, duckweed, and java moss are all excellent choices. A continuous supply of live food, such as Daphnia, or Brine Shrimp will keep adult fish full and may spare the fry when they are born.
More Guppy Fish's Picture
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