Guppy fish - Poecilia reticulata

Guppies belong to a large family of fish known as the family Poeciliidae. This family includes other types of fish such as mollies, platys, and swordtails. Live bearing fishes are native to the America's, from New Jersey down to Brazil, and in east Asia. They have been introduced into other tropical areas to combat Malaria, as livebearers eat the waterborne larvae of disease-carrying mosquitoes.

Females are usually longer than males, but the latter have more striking colors and patterns, and often have longer fins. Most livebearers adapt well to the aquarium and will thrive in hard water. Feeding is uncomplicated, but these fishes appreciate the addition of vegetable matter. A main attraction of these fishes is their propensity to breed in captivity, especially the brilliantly colored, aquarium-developed strains of guppies, mollies, platys, and swordtails.

It is advisable to move a gravid female into a separate nursery tank for birthing. This should be heavily planted to shield the young from their hungry mother. Guppies require a tank with at least 20 gallons of water, and are very tolerant of changing tank conditions. Plants should be hardy varieties such as Java Fern and Java Moss that can handle the increased hardness in the tank.

Guppies should not be kept with Bettas or other fin-nipping fish, as they will harass them. In order to reduce aggression among them it is ideal to maintain several pairs together in the aquarium. When gravid, the females take on extra body depth, and a dark area appears around the vent. The male anal fin, or gonopodium, is used to fertilize the female internally.

Adults may eat the fry if left to fend for themselves without the breeding box. The fry should be fed brine shrimp, micro food, and pulverized flakes. An algae-based flake food, along with freeze-dried bloodworms, tubifex, and brine shrimp will provide guppies with the proper nutrition.

Compatibility: Similar sized Livebearers, Tetras, Rasboras, Gouramis, Rainbow fish, Corydoras, Plecos, Loaches, Dwarf Gouramis, and Catfish.