Live Aquarium Guppy Fish
Members of the Poecilia reticulata species, the guppy is a tiny fish, but the great variety in its forms and colors make it a favorite of tropical fish fanciers. These differences have come about through selective breeding. Some guppy fish are so beautiful and rare that they are shown much like Japanese koi or purebred dogs and cats.
What sort of guppies are available?Available guppies include:
- Lyretail
- Lace
- Mosaic
- Endler
- Cobra
- Lazor
- Moscow
- Dragon
- Panda
- Bumblebee
- Albino
The male guppy most often displays the beautiful, fan-like fins and iridescent colors.
What is an ideal aquarium environment for a guppy?Guppies do best in a freshwater aquarium that’s between 68 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. They prefer water that’s hard or even very hard, which means it’s full of minerals such as calcium and magnesium. They prefer a brightly lit water tank but one with enough aquatic plants to provide hiding places. Guppies get along fairly well with other small, live-bearing fish. For successful reproduction, guppies need a varied diet.
How large do guppies grow?The average guppy grows about 2 inches. Like a lot of fish, the female is a bit larger than the male.
How many guppies can be kept in an aquarium?Some experts recommend each adult fish have at least two gallons of water. If you have a twenty gallon water tank, this equates to having 10 guppies.
How can you tell when a female guppy is pregnant?You can tell when a female guppy is pregnant because she’s fat even though you haven’t been giving her more food and there’s a male guppy or two in the tank.
How long does guppy pregnancy last?Guppy pregnancy lasts a little less than a month. There are things you will need to do to help the pregnancy be successful. They are:
- Make sure that the gravid female is not stressed by or being harassed by other fish, especially male guppies.
- One good idea is to install a box for a guppy to breed and place the female guppy in it. Not only will she be safe and secure, but her fry will be safe and secure when they’re born. Guppies do have a habit of eating their babies, and a breeding box allows the fry to sink down through a perforation into a separate compartment so that their mother can’t have at them.
- You can also set up an aquarium for the babies and put the mother and another type of box in it. This breeding box allows the babies to leave the box and enter their own tank.