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Guppy Tropical Fish

The guppy tropical fish species is one of the most popular in the world. They are found in nearly every pet store, and they can be bred to produce a variety of different colours.

While they are often thought of as tropical fish, they can survive at other temperatures as well. This article will teach you everything you need to know about these amazing tropical fish. Let's get started.

Guppy Tropical Fish Facts

Guppies are one of the best choices for beginners, and especially for children. They usually start out as the lowest priced fish in any shop and go up according to the variant you purchase.

Guppy fish swim almost effortlessly within your tank, but they can get diseases just like any other fish.

Tank Size

Guppy tropical fish are better suited in a shoal of 6 or more -  so a good size tank is needed. Never put them in a tank less than 5-gallons, and preferably not under a 10-gallon tank. Suggest a 20-gallon tank with lots of 'safe' friends. However, if you want to have only one fish, a 5-gallon fish tank will work. Never use a fish bowl with a guppy as they do not live long when placed in a very small tank.

Water Temperature & Quality 

Guppies can have a range of pH levels between 7.0 and 8.5, and quite warm temperatures around 82-84 ° F ((23-24 ° C).) These two facts exemplify their hardiness.

Plants & Ornaments

Guppies like a highly vegetated tank. They love to hide in it, raise their baby guppies. It also imitates their natural environment. 

Guppies like large plants like the  Echinodorus amazonus , the Cabomba, and  Vallisneria spiralis .

Feeding Guppy Fish

Guppies are easy to feed as they enjoy most foods. They like flake food, or Spirulina as daily consumption. Guppies also like spinach, lettuce, freeze dried fruits, bloodworms, and larvae (most mosquito).

A guppy tropical fish has a very small stomach so can only eat small amounts. I would recommend feeding them small amounts of brine shrimp that they can consume in 2-3 minutes, and three times a day.

Compatibility

Guppy tropical fish are a very social and need a community. Raising them in a community tank with other peaceful fish is good. However, as guppies are known to be nippers, other long tail fish could suffer injury or harm.

Just like the bully at school, if you stand your ground and fight back if necessary, they will leave you alone. If you are looking for a pickup on a Betta, Goldfish, any other that stands up for itself, the Guppy fish will leave them alone.

Good tank mates for Guppies include Angel Fish , Mollies, and Cichlids , 

Diseases 

Guppy tropical fish can suffer injuries and diseases just like any other fish. To avoid them having good water quality, keeping plants and tank clean is most important. Keep down the stress levels, which also goes for any fish. If your fish is stressed out, their immunity drops just like ours does.

Watch for injuries in your guppy fish tank. If they are unhappy, attacking others, fin nipping, they may be injured in reciprocating attacks.

Guppy Fish Care - Sexing & Breeding

Is my Guppy a Male or Female?

Female guppies are much rounder and larger than male. They look like different species, where they are dull gray with colorful yet wider fins.

Guppy Fish Breeding

Guppies are like rabbits, they breed often! They can out-breed a tank quickly! They are livebearers, meaning as long as a male and female are together in a tank, they will breed almost non-stop. 

If you see a male spreading his fins are curling around the female, they are displaying their courtship. Once the female is fertilized, she will give birth in about 28 to 30 days. Her stomach grows quickly until she resembles a box, not a fish. She will go to the bottom to rest on plants and the substrate, and lose her appetite and stop eating.

Once she has given birth, the fry are left to fend for themselves and they are a floating delicacy even to their own species. They need lots of hiding places like floating plants. Try Pistia strratiotes or Lemna minor.  It is suggested to have a separate breeding tank for guppy fry until they are large enough to fend for themselves.

If you are into guppy breeding you could be quite successful with the right knowledge and aquarium setup. Here is the ratio breakdown for you. 

For two months, producing twenty newborns for five months, and two hundred guppies for sale. 

There are many other factors involved when breeding any fish species. We have a great guppies breeding book with lots of comparisons, places to keep your notes, your business expenses and more.

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