The Guppy, or Millions Fish, is one of the most common and widespread fish of all freshwater aquariums. Fancy Guppies, as is whats found in aquariums or online marketplaces, come in a wide variety of color variations.
They are a great choice for beginners because they are considered a very hardy fish and are less susceptible to changing water conditions.
Guppies are very active breeders, where the name Millions Fish comes from, and can easily be bred in a home setup. Remember to remove the fry after birth since Guppies are known to eat their young.
Guppy Quick Facts
| Scientific Name: | Poecilia reticulata |
| Common Names: | Guppy, Fancy Guppy, Millions Fish, and Rainbow Fish |
| Diet: | Omnivorous |
| Salinity: | Freshwater |
| Tank Size: | 10 Gallon Minimum |
| pH: | 6 – 8 |
| Behavior: | Peaceful |
| Max Size: | 2 Inches |
| Lifespan: | 2 Years |
| Temperature: | 65 to 80 ℉ |
| Origin: | South American |
Guppy Origins
Although discovered in Trinidad, Guppies are native to South America. They got their name from their discoverer, Robert Guppy, and were given their name as a namesake.
Wild Guppies are much blander than their Fancy Guppy counterparts. Fancy Guppies were purposely bred to be as ornate as possible.
Guppies are one of the most versatile fish as well. They are capable of living in both fresh and saltwater. Even to the point of up to 150% of normal seawater.
If you intend to include Guppies into your saltwater setup be sure to slowly acclimate the fish to avoid shocking it.
The Perfect Guppy Tank Setup
- 10 Gallon minimum. Use a 4 Guppy per 10 gallon rule.
- 65-80 ° F. Extra heating typically not needed unless your home gets cold.
- Keep with non-aggressive fish.
- Proper filtration required.
- Choosing a dark substrate will bring our their colors more.
Guppy Diet
Guppies are omnivores therefore require a balanced diet of both meat and vegetable based meals. Be sure to choose a flake or pellet food made for Omnivores. Supplement meals with brine shrimp and blood worms as treats.
Feed your fish two times a day no more than they can consume within 5 minutes or so. Any food that they don’t eat will sink to the bottom and both exaggerate the cleaning requirements but also increase the ammonia in the water. Water quality is especially important in smaller tanks or bowls.
Guppy Compatibility
Guppies are an active fish and love to swim around constantly. They are best suited for tanks with other peaceful fish. Male Guppies can, at times, chase and stress out female Guppies. For this reason it’s best to keep them in a 2-1 female-to-male ratio, if able.
Any peaceful fish of similar size will be suitable. This can include other Guppies, Gouramis, Mollys, Tetras, and small cats such as Corydoras or the Oto Catfish. Certain aggressive or large Tetras should be avoided like the Red Minor Serpae, Bucktooth, and Alestes Tetras.
