The Guppy

The guppy is one of the most low maintenance freshwater fish. Next to the betta and the goldfish, the guppy is likewise one of the most popular fish in the trade. The species has been in captivity for so long that there is little resemblance between the aquarium trade guppy and the guppy found in the wild. Because they have been bred for so long, beginning in roughly 1850 when water chemistry was starting to be generally understood, they exhibit a wide range of colors, shapes, and sizes. They range from being sold as feeders to very expensive and rare specimens with tails two inches long.

They are arguably the easiest fish to breed. If you have a male and a female, you will have fry. The males have the longer, fancier tales and the females are drab in color, have much thicker bodies, and exhibit the "gravid spot" beneath their abdomen that shows when they are pregnant. In the picture, the two females are above and beside the slender male. To keep down on aggression, keep at least 2-3 females per male.

Guppies tolerate a wide range of pH and water conditions. They can thrive in environments that range from mild brackish settings to a highly acidic and softwater biotope.

I've kept guppies in 3, 5, 10, and 55 gallon tanks. They are not picky when it comes to space. This makes them good candidates for aquariums under 5 gallons. But like any other fish, if you go too small they'll get stressed and/or live out miserable lives with dull colors and inactivity. If you're going to keep a small tank, please do like I do and stock it with some easygoing plants like java moss or anacharis. This helps regulate nitrates and reduces the ever constant water changes which are a must for small tanks.

Guppies will be terrorized by bettas, some angelfish, most cichlids, fast-moving and nippy danios, barbs, all freshwater "sharks" save the large and peaceful bala, and even some schooling tetras. Pick tankmakes with care.

I keep my guppies in a 3 gallon bathroom tank with a fiddler crab to clean the bottom. The water is brackish and the guppies are doing fine. When I have fry, I either feed the survivors to my larger fish, or raise them until the begin to show colors and keep the ones I like and feed the others to my African clawed frogs, which have been known to devour full-grown male bettas whole.