guppy fish

Contents

Description of guppy fish
Types and breeds of guppy fish
Compatibility of guppy fish with other fish
Keeping guppy fish in an aquarium
guppy fish care
Reproduction of guppy fish at home
Popular questions and answers

Guppies are one of the most famous types of aquarium fish, which for many have become the first swimming pets. But they also have their own content requirements.

Name	Guppy (Poecilia reticulara)
family	Pecilia (Gumbuziaceae)
Origin	South America
Food	Omnivorous
Reproduction	Viviparous
Length	Males – up to 4,5 cm, females – up to 8 cm
Content Difficulty	For beginners

Description of guppy fish

In the XNUMXth century, active exploration of the world began: geographers and biologists made discoveries almost daily. New lands were drawn on the map, and the first described species of plants and animals fell into the atlases.

In 1859, in a batch of fish caught in the swampy reservoirs of Latin America, which the German biologist Wilhelm Petere received for research, very curious specimens came across: small, but very elegant fish, completely covered with bright spots. The species turned out to be completely new and unexplored, and the scientist set to work, which was then picked up by his fellow ichthyologists. As a result, the new species received the name of the Venezuelan priest Robert Guppy, who, in fact, presented Peter with these fish.

Very quickly, scientists noticed that their wards live well in captivity and multiply very quickly, and this prompted them to make aquarium pets out of guppies. Although at first guppies were used to fight the larvae of malaria mosquitoes, for which they were massively settled in the water bodies of those regions of the planet where malaria has long been a real scourge for the local population (1). The fish have perfectly acclimatized to their new conditions. Moreover, there are cases when aquarium guppies were released into Moscow park reservoirs (of course, this was not done as part of any program, but for the sake of fun by unknown pranksters), and they took root well there, however, they quickly lost their bright color, returning to their “wild” appearance, and exactly until the first severe frosts.

Also, due to their active reproduction and variety of colors, guppies, along with the Drosophila fly and white mice, are one of the favorite objects of genetics research. But all this is secondary, because the main thing is the magnificent appearance and unpretentiousness, which makes these fish one of the most beloved inhabitants of aquariums around the world.

Types and breeds of guppy fish

Only a lazy aquarist was not engaged in the selection of guppies, because this activity is akin to mixing colors for a future masterpiece. So at the moment there are many options for coloring and shapes of guppies, and sometimes, when choosing abode for an aquarium, it is very difficult to choose from the variety of breeds that pet stores and aquarist markets now offer.

Basically, the fish differ in color and the shape of their luxurious tail. It is generally accepted that only males can boast of a beautiful outfit, and females “dress” much more modestly, but this is not so. Often young guppies are not too inferior to their gentlemen in the splendor of color.

After all, guppies were first described in 1859, and already in 1954 veil-tailed guppies were presented at an exhibition in Hannover, Germany.

To date, guppies have 13 fin shapes and 8 basic color types (2). And there are more than a hundred combinations of both!

The colors are:

gray (or wild);
light;
gold;
blue;
white;
cream;
silver;
albino fish.

There is a division of guppies according to the shape of the fins:

round-tailed;
flagtails;
needle-tailed;
spade-tailed;
spear-tailed;
lyrebirds;
crown-tailed;
upper swords;
lower swords;
double swords;
veil-tailed (skirt);
fantails;
triangle.

Each type is beautiful in its own way, thanks to which guppies turn into real floating flowers. For example, among the varieties of each color there are such masterpieces as “filigree”, “Viennese emerald”, “snake skin” and others.

Compatibility of guppy fish with other fish

Another argument in favor of having guppies is their incredible livability. These fish have an accommodating character and know how to put up with absolutely all the neighbors in the aquarium. However, if you are a lover of predators who are not averse to eating their own kind, it is better not to plant guppies with them. Also, do not put blue Cuban crayfish in an aquarium with guppies – they are notorious for their tendency to bite their magnificent fins.

So, if the guppies are not in danger of becoming dinner for their neighbors, you can be sure they will get along.

Keeping guppy fish in an aquarium

As you already understood, guppies are very unpretentious fish, but this does not mean that they can be planted in a cucumber jar, and they will live and breed there. As for the composition of the water, then you don’t have to worry too much – guppies survive even in sea water. But this, of course, does not mean that water can be poured into the aquarium directly from the tap. Of course, before it will have to defend for several days.

When setting up an aquarium for guppies, make sure that there is aeration there (both a regular compressor and a compressor combined with a filter are suitable for this), sufficient, but not too bright lighting, and, of course, aquatic plants. Guppies are especially fond of the Indian fern, which perfectly saturates the water with oxygen.

guppy fish care

Guppies are not for nothing considered fish for beginners, because care for them is minimal, as far as it is generally possible with an aquarium. You will need to provide the guppies with the necessary amount of water, aeration, proper feeding, and you will also need to change the water regularly.

Of course, the complexity of care also depends on the breed of fish bred. Elite guppies, from which you plan to get beautiful offspring, of course, are more demanding on the conditions of maintenance and care than ordinary inhabitants of the average aquarium.

Aquarium volume

The fact that guppies can survive even in the smallest volumes of water does not mean that they are comfortable living in a tiny jar of a couple of liters. Ideally, you should have at least a liter per male and 2 liters per female. However, in fashionable mini-aquaria, where one fish, one snail and one plant live, guppies also successfully survive – the main thing is that all other rules are observed.

It should be understood that in such a small and closed reservoir as an aquarium, the water is quickly polluted with the waste products of its abode, as well as the remnants of uneaten food, so the water will have to be changed from time to time. Moreover, the smaller the volume, the more often it needs to be done. And remember that you need to fill in only settled water.

Water temperature

Guppies come from the southern regions, so they like warm enough water, so they will feel best at a temperature of about 26 ° C. However, they can survive in colder – the lower limit for them is 4 ° C. That is, special heaters for the guppies aquarium are not needed, but still do not test the health of your fish and do not make them freeze. Especially if thoroughbred beauties swim in your aquarium.

What to feed

Guppy fish are exceptionally omnivorous, and this is another convenience of their breeding. They are equally happy to eat both live food (bloodworm, tubifex, daphnia, cyclops), and vegetable food (for example, they pluck algae growing in an aquarium), as well as dry flakes, which are better to grind in your fingers, since guppies are still quite small fish (3).

Some breeders argue that fish should not be overfed, and statements such as “healthy fish are hungry fish” can even be heard. This, of course, is not true. Guppies need to be fed 2, and preferably 3 times a day, giving food in small quantities. The proportions are quite simple to calculate: feed should be given exactly as much as your fish are able to eat within 2 – 3 minutes. Everything else will settle to the bottom and, decomposing, will pollute the water. However, this is not fatal if you clean the aquarium often enough, and also if, along with guppies, you have such recognized cleaners as catfish and snails.

Reproduction of guppy fish at home

Guppies are viviparous, that is, they do not spawn, but give birth to live fry immediately. However, in order for these fish to start breeding successfully, they need certain conditions that are as close as possible to those they had in their natural habitat.

Puberty in guppies occurs by 3 to 5 months, and the reproductive age lasts about 2 years.

The female bears fry from 20 to 40 days. You can determine her pregnancy by an enlarged tummy and the so-called “maturity spot” – a darkening on the back of the abdomen near the anus. Small guppies give birth to about 20 fry, large 20 – 30.

If you see that one of your guppy girls is expecting offspring, be sure to create places in the aquarium where newborn fish can hide in the first days of life – adult fish will not mind eating them. It is best to have a separate aquarium in case of offspring, where you can plant a fish baby until it grows up.

You need to feed the fry exclusively with live food or crushed flakes (it is best to select specialized food for guppies), and do not turn off the light next to the “children’s” aquarium even at night.