The Guppy Fish

Brief Description

Apart from other information about Guppies, The Guppy Fish article also contains answers on the following questions; How to breed guppy fish, How to look after guppy fish, How to control guppy population, How big are guppies, How do guppy fish breed, How long do guppy fish live, How to feed guppy fish, How long can a guppy live out of water, How long does it take for guppy fry to mature, How much food to give to a guppy fish in a day, How much water does a guppy need, How warm should the tank be (or what is the most suitable temperature), How does a guppy female look like, How many males per 1 guppy female should I keep. If you'd like to share your own experiences regarding keeping Guppies, let's check the bottom of this article where you can find a form for those who are willing to share own experiences, tips and information!

The Guppy fish is probably the most popular aquarium fish species in the world, and is also known as one of the cheapest fish in shops even though some forms may be expensive. Small, beautiful, peaceful, lively, curious and hardy, there are many colourful variations (see the pictures below) that can be collected and easily bred. The Guppy fish is one of the best choices for beginners, especially children. However, like every fish kept in captivity, these fishes also require proper care and conditions. Although care of Guppy fish is easy, one shouldn't underrate it as Guppies may suffer of diseases too!

Sexing

Females are much larger and rounder than males. They even do not look like the same specie. Unlike females which are dull grey, males are very colourful and have large fins. There are many types of Guppy fish and by breeding you can even create new variants. One of many variants is the Endler's Guppy (link). In size they are: 4.0 - 6.0 cm ( 1.6 - 2.3 in).

Information about feeding

The Guppy fish can be feed a wide variety of foods (flakes, Spirulina, lettuce, bloodworms, spinach, freeze dried foods, mosquito larvae). They eat almost everything. Guppies have small stomachs and can only consume a little bit of food at one feeding. By the way, it is entertaining to watch them eat larvae, which are almost as big as Guppies. They eat them like big spaghetti. It is recommended to feed them in small amounts (something that they eat in a two-three minutes) at least 3 times daily. When I kept these wonderful fishes, I used to give them food two times a day. However, from time to time they ate eggs of Panda Cories (if eggs are in a visible place, then they're not safe).

Breeding

When males and females are together they will breed for sure (if both are healthy, adult, and not too old). The males will perform a courtship display in front of the female by spreading their fins and curving their body. The Guppies are livebearers. The fry can left for themselves immediately after they are born. As a matter of fact, the guppy fry are a delicacy to most fish. Floating plants are good hiding places for fry. A guppy female does mature in about 3 months, males mature sooner. A female’s period lasts about 4 weeks. They are quick breeders, so if you have only Guppies in the tank, they can over breed. As it is already mentioned above, one can use them as food for bigger fish (although it might sound too drastic). Unlike other fish species, the breeding process of Guppies is considered very easy in general. Guppy babies are often eaten by adult specimens. Some aquarists move the babies into another aquarium, however if water parameters are different, the fry may die easily. If you're moving babies to another fish tank, always use water from old aquarium too!

The tank and care

Guppy fish require fairly warm temperatures (23-24 °C, 82-84°F), but they can live in water between 19.0 - 29.0°C (69 - 86 °F) and quiet vegetated water is good for survival too (Vallisneria Spiralis is a good plant for this purpose since it grows from from bottom to the surface, thus allowing Guppies to play, hide, chase each other). They are community fish. It is good to have more than 5 Guppies in a tank, otherwise they feel alone and this fact can affect their health in term of lifespan. It is recommended to have 1 male to 3 females. They seem to be annoying to other fish in the tank, because they often follow other fish around incessantly, but they do no harm. Only sometimes other fish bite their fins. And some big fish can eat them (starting with Gouramis, ending with Goldfish or big cichlids such as Jack Dempsey or Texas cichlid). So be careful what fish are kept in the tank along with Guppies. The water in the tank should be the pH 7.0 - 8.5 and dH of water (dGH) 12.0 - 18.0 °N.

Since Guppies tend to live happily in a tank with more than 10-15 inhabitants, a reasonably sized fish tank is necessary for raising them. I would never put Guppies into a tank of 20 litres or less. Actually, a 20L aquarium will never contain full 20L of water thanks to gravel, filter, driftwood, and the fact that no fish tank is filled from top to bottom. Instead, at least 40 litres are required for about 10-12 Guppies.

Never put a Guppy into a small fish bowl! Fish bowls are known for causing orientation problems and fish in small fish bowls use to die in a short time! If for some reason there is no chance how to avoid a bowl, try to get one that's as big as possible. Preferably 60 litres and more. In addition, create rows in order to help the fishes to orientate.

Diseases of Guppies

Just like other fish species, Guppies may suffer of diseases as well. The better water quality, the higher chances of keeping healthy Guppies. It's important to understand that stress is one of the most important factors in any disease. Feeling uncomfortable will lead to a disease no matter it's a fish, or any other animal in general. Since there is an article devoted to the most common diseases in home aquariums, feel free to visit it: aquarium fish diseases. When keeping Guppies, maintain the water of high quality (free of ammonia and related chemicals, pH of 7 at least, appropriate hardness and carbonate hardness, stable temperature) and you'll avoid almost every disease.

Selling the fish

Since Guppies are easy to breed, one can sell them very easily too. Of course, you need buyers firstly. In order to be successful, get various males (different colours, different sources) and only 2-3 males. Let them breed and try to sell males. Females aren't as demanded as males due to colours and fins. If you're trying to sell Guppies on the internet, make sure to take pictures in order to help potential customers when deciding!

Guppies can be ready for sale once they reach 1cm in length. Experienced breeders may sale them earlier too, however bigger fish have a higher chance to survive the transport and acclimatise easily.

Additional information and knowledge about Guppies

Many people ask how to control guppy population. There is a couple of easy solutions; Using a divider, separating females from males (meant as keeping them in two different fish tanks), selling fish to your local pet store, using Guppies as feeder fish, introducing a natural predator that will eat fry, or giving Guppies to someone who keeps, say, Oscar fish, Jack Dempsey Cichlids, Paradise fish or so.

As Guppies aren't very good jumpers, it is not likely to find them on the carpet or floor, but anyway people ask how long can a guppy live out of water. The more people, the more answers. Some specimens could live 10 minutes, while other only 5, and some could make it to an hour. The problem is that the longer a Guppy is out of water, the more damage it causes. It may survive 10 minutes, but you never know if such a fish is going to make it through the following night. In my experience anything up to 5-6 minutes should be safe.

People also ask how much water does a guppy need. There is not a correct answer, but keeping 1 Guppy per 1 liter isn't good. I recommend at least 5 liters per Guppy.

Guppy fish pictures

Thanks a lot to William Yen who has allowed us to use the pictures. There are males on all pictures except for the first one. There is a female on that image too behind the male; It can be differentiated easily because males have beautiful long fins and are coloured. Unlike males, females have big bellies and aren't coloured that nicely. Females are also bigger.

Guppy fish male and female

This article is available in German language too. [PDF]: Der Guppy
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The Guppy fish

has been viewed times since June 30, 2009.

Let's buy a book about aquariums!

Ryan on: February 25, 2009, 6:12 pm wrote

Good guideline for the beginner...

James on: March 3, 2009, 2:54 am wrote

Good info - And what incredible photos!

D.K. on: March 5, 2009, 11:56 am wrote

Amazing pictures!!! They are so vivid and bright!

kev on: March 12, 2009, 2:18 am wrote

We have several guppies. Orange plain ones colourful, spotted fancy ones with big tails and black/grey ones. Unfortunately we have high mortality rate. All recent arrivals seemed happy and sociable, then in the morning one is lying around lazy and later dead.

Maresa on: March 15, 2009, 7:36 am wrote

Thank you for a very informative and useful article. Best wishes.

jackee on: March 28, 2009, 6:00 pm wrote

Wow, what an article, very informative, thanks. We just got a turtle & the pet shop suggested guppy's to be put in with him, because of being prolific breeders, & the occasional turtle treat {the fry}. Cheers :) .

chandra on: April 1, 2009, 11:21 am wrote

Thanks for the info, it was really helpful. My daughter got some for her birthday and I needed to know more info on care an feeding.

Thanks, chandra

heather on: April 4, 2009, 7:34 am wrote

Thank you so much for the info, just purchased 6 Japanese Blue Sword Guppies today. They are so beautiful, and these information are very helpful... Here is to hoping tomorrow morning me and my daughter wake up to see all 6 still living.

laurel smith on: April 8, 2009, 8:04 am wrote

I have MANY guppies. They were given to me. I started out with ten and now have around forty. They are beautiful fish! Great article.

BABU T on: April 10, 2009, 1:12 am wrote

The article is very informative. I have some guppies in an aquarium and also in one large cement ware. The aquarium is kept inside. The cement ware is kept outside. I feed them twice a day. They are very friendly.

kat on: April 19, 2009, 11:03 am wrote

I just recently purchased 4 guppies. Two are males and two are females. I can't afford a nice large fish tank to put them in but I did get them a little plastic tank and plan to upgrade into a bigger size tank once I start working. They are great fish and I keep a close eye on them every day. Two days ago they gave birth to 9 fry, this is so exiting for me, I can't wait to see what color they will be when they get bigger. Thanks.

Siamese twin guppy on: April 25, 2009, 7:45 am wrote

Years ago a guppy I had gave birth to a siamese twin joined together at the stomach. Anyone else ever heard of this?

Caroline on: May 9, 2009, 5:18 am wrote

Thanks for the helpful information. I have separated my males and females in order to stop inbreeding. Do you think this is a good idea?

Thank you

Answer by admin: Definitely yes. In some cases it isn't necessary as newborns can be used as food for other fish, or even for parents and other Guppies too. However, if you're not going to make them a food, it's good what you've done.

molly on: May 17, 2009, 4:37 am wrote

Thanks for the helpful information, can anyone answer my question about Guppies, please? What age do Guppies have to reach before they can have babies?

Thank You

Answer by admin: Usually 4 months.

laura on: May 31, 2009, 11:05 pm wrote

Thanks for the handy info. I have 6 females and 5 males and now two babies. The baby's are in a net on their own in the same tank and am expecting more very soon. Can I have the new babies in the same net or will the older babies eat them? Also how long before I can tell the sexes of the babies?

With thanks, Laura

Answer by admin: Older newborns shouldn't eat smaller ones. Sexing depends on growth speed. You should be able to sex them once they're 2 months old.

laura on: June 10, 2009, 1:31 am wrote

Hi admin, again I have another question for you. I am wondering why during the last month or so I have lost 5-8 females, but no males whether they are pregnant or not I can't figure it out. After one had her babies she stayed really skinny then died the other night. I lost one tonight which I only had for two weeks, she got pregnant then died.

With thanks Laura

Answer: The most likely reason why your Guppies died is that they were fed incorrectly, or they had genetic disproportions. Since you mentioned that they were bought just shortly before they got pregnant and died, I suppose that the problem's origin doesn't come from your aquarium. I'd say that they were kept incorrectly in the shop where you bought them from. Try separating the males from females, and feed them high quality foods only. After a month or two the females should be stronger than they're now.

Holly on: June 25, 2009, 9:07 am wrote

How long do guppy fish live in an aquarium?

Answer by admin: Usually up to two years.

Vincent on: June 30, 2009, 6:00 pm wrote

Hi admin, I have 10 guppies and 4 betta (1 male and 2 feamles) in my newly created aquarium. I was under the impression that these two fish would be compatible however the guppy males are slowly losing their tales. I have never seen the culprit so I cannot pin it on the betta, it may be the other males. Either way I need some help. Do they maybe need more hiding spaces. I have five plants and some play rubble in the tank already? Please help.

Thank You

Answer by admin: Guppies and Bettas are compatible, however it's not recommended to keep them together. They won't fight to death, but they will nip each other's fins. It doesn't matter if Guppies nip Betta's fins or vice-versa. Since I don't know anything about size of your aquarium, I cannot even suppose. Eventually you can use a divider to see if Guppies don't nip fins of other Guppies. BTW, Guppies are known to do this. Perhaps a big aquarium would be enough to stop nipping fins.

Diana on: July 19, 2009, 11:54 pm wrote

I have a pet guppy and with all your help fish is doing great!!! Thanks!

Belinda on: August 10, 2009, 12:08 pm wrote

I was wondering if guppies would survive in RO water? I love watching guppies for their beautiful colours and playfulness.

I had gold fishes that did fine in RO water unfortunately bacteria got to them (they're were kept on my office desk with some plants)

Looking forward to your reply and thanks in advance!

Answer: RO water is more for fish that prefers acidic water or for marine tanks.

Quill on: September 2, 2009, 10:14 am wrote

So... I have a 2.5 gallon tank. And I'm also getting 5 glowlight tetras. And 2 guppies (male and female). I didn't want them to overpopulate so anyways, I've read that Tetras can be nippers. In such a small tank, will they get nipped?

Answer: The smaller a tank is, the higher chance of nipping other fish' fins do exist. In small aquariums fish do fight for territories much more than they do in big fish tanks!

grant on: September 5, 2009, 4:54 am wrote

Every where I look I'm told different ratio's for males to females. I have 5 females and 4 males, so should I buy some more females?

Answer: Basically, the ratio 1:2 or 1:3 (males:females) is the best one if you know what to do with newborns. It all depends on your opportunities regarding finding new home for the babies.

michael maharjan on: October 17, 2009, 2:59 pm wrote

Dear admin,

My fishes are dying randomly since past week. A little white patches are seen in some fishes. They are not swimming as usually and showing unnatural behaviour. I had brought anti-white fungus but the death of the fish doesn't stop. I had mixed 5 grams of salts too. I would be very thankful if you provide some techniques to save them. And please would you mind telling me what's the actual problem. Or is it due to climate change?

Answer: Depending on what you meant by "white patches", it can be a white spot disease or skin infection. You should change all water, separate sick specimens and cure them. I recommend you to speak to your local fish sellers as it's hard to determine the diagnosis without pictures.

However, all diseases are caused by wrong water parameters, stress or poor acclimatisation. Often fish are sick when they're bought. That's why quarantine tanks are recommended too.

Maruta on: October 18, 2009, 5:06 am wrote

So. I have Juwel Rio 240. Just set it up. Never had any fish before. This is my first tank. Hope it'll work out well.

lorie on: October 18, 2009, 1:24 pm wrote

I started out with five guppies (2 males and 3 females). One female gave birth a week after I bought them and then died within hours afterwards. Then the other two females died within days. I was worried it might be my aquarium, however a lot of babies survived along with male guppies. I have about twenty in total. Recently they have been gathering in one corner of the tank (20 gallon) for hours, is this their way of breeding? How can you tell if they are pregnant?

Answer: Pregnancy is already mentioned on this page; The female's belly will grow and will get bigger until she gives birth.

The reason why your fish died is on the water, in the aquarium, or speaking generally "in their environment". Something must have stressed or caused death. Babies can survive, but it's necessary to wait a little longer to see if they're affected or not.

Swimming in the corner is not a way of breeding. They're scared or there is a problem with the water. I strongly recommend you to buy test kits and then perform tests of the water!

fie on: October 18, 2009, 9:57 pm wrote

Hi admin, I just bought 2 couples of guppy, and one of the females guppy had given birth, I already separated the female with the babies. Is it okay to put together the male guppies with the babies? Or is it better to separate the babies from the male and female guppies?

Answer: The best is to separate all newborns from adult specimens as they're hungry no matter they're parents or not.

Ilana Friedman on: November 1, 2009, 2:27 am wrote

I have a guppy and I found out that he is a male! I have a new, Blackknife Ghostfish and a bottom feeder. My guppy does not seem to like my bottom feeder!

aaron gilliard on: November 4, 2009, 3:04 am wrote

Guppies are cool fish, so get one!

beanie on: November 12, 2009, 4:09 am wrote

Hi there, recently our guppy gave birth to 8 fry and we separated them, we were wondering how old they should be before mixed back in with the others and how fast do they reproduce.

Answer: The newborns should be about 1 cm long before returning them to the original aquarium. If you have enough floating plants in the aquarium, then it's not necessary to separate them at all.

Regarding reproduction: Once they're mature, they can reproduce. Question about when becoming adult is already answered on this page.

Vanessa on: November 12, 2009, 7:48 am wrote

I'm planning on buying my boyfriend some guppy for Christmas since he loves them and I'm not sure about how much they should be. My local pet store very much over prices everything and I'd like the know the considered general price for a guppy. Also do males and females differ in price?

Answer: The price may vary between $1 and $8 or even $10 (all in US Dollar). The price depends on the country where you live in. For example, in France or USA a Guppy will cost more than it does cost in India or Pakistan for example.

But a serious seller shouldn't overprice them and I wouldn't buy a Guppy for over $1/specimen. The price of males shouldn't be different than price of females.

Sarah on: November 17, 2009, 1:49 pm wrote

Hello, I have a quick question that you might be able to help me with. I am just starting my community tropical fish tank, which is approximately 140 liters. I bought (2 days ago) 3 male tuxudo guppies, 2 of which are very playful, but the third, who looks slightly bigger, definitely bigger tail has become 'quiet' and separates from the other two. Occasionally the other two will come over to him and seem to have a bit of a 'peck/nip at him. Is this something I should be worried about? Thanks in advance!

Answer: It's called acclimatization. Sometimes a fish doesn't acclimatize and then it can eve die. I don't think it's a problem related to your aquarium as the other specimens show no signs of problems. Basically, don't worry. Not all fish that are bought are happy of being moved somewhere else.

Amanda on: November 17, 2009, 7:36 pm wrote

Hello, I've got one guppy, he/she has been living for about 2.5 years! I'm worried it's a bit lonely since the other 3 died about 1.5 years ago and if I get another one they may bring in diseases and kill him/her. Will this happen? Or is he/she fine on their own?

Answer: Use a quarantine tank and you can be 100% sure that no disease will be introduced.

Nick on: November 28, 2009, 2:07 am wrote

Well I was wondering about my 2.5 gallon tank with 5 fish (1 female betta,2 guppies,& 2 ghost shrimp). My betta hasn`t been going up to eat her food, so could that be related to the guppies?

Answer: This problem can be directly related to size of your aquarium. Please, buy a bigger one. At least 10 gallons. The more, the better. You wouldn't feel fine if you were living in one room of 4x4 meters too.

Gyog on: December 5, 2009, 12:53 am wrote

Hello. I have 2 three spot gouramis, one common pleco, who seems to only mind his own business of sucking around and not bothering anyone else, and one tetra (its friends succumbed to a ich and fungal infection).

I am planning on introducing about 4 guppies into my tank. Would it be advisable? Also all the guppies seem exactly the same in the fish shop. It's really difficult to differentiate the males and the females. The guppies do not have long fan like tails like the pictures shown in the above article and have rainbow like colours.

Could you please advice? Thank you!

Answer: Adding Guppies into a tank with Gouramis isn't recommended because Gouramis will eat Guppies.

Regarding telling the sex of fish available in your local pet store: It seems to me that all specimens are males. It's really easy to differentiate males from females. Females are bigger, their fins are shorter and females are not rich in colours.

raptor on: December 10, 2009, 2:29 am wrote

I have two baby guppies and it looks like it has a twin attached to it's belly because it has a enormous bell. They can't swim with all the weight put on them so they rest at the bottom. I wondered if they can survive or not. And is it rare to have baby guppy like this?

Answer: Yes, it's rare. And yes, they will die.

Lucy L. Kira on: December 18, 2009, 8:38 am wrote

I am considering buying guppies, and I just found out from your site that they are basically breeding machines.

But it also mentions that the parents can eat their young. If i get a male and female, and just leave them together, and let them breed...

1. Will most of the fry get eaten?
2. Will at least 1 of the fry make it to adulthood? (in other words, if they don't all get eaten, about how many will actually survive?)

Oh, and is a tank that's aprox. 5 gallons good enough for the 2 guppies?

You also mentioned that it's good to have a ratio of 1 male to 3 females.. Why is that?

Many thanks!

Answer: If the fry is going to be eaten depends on the fact if they can hide. If you have plants in the aquarium, especially floating ones, the fry will most likely survive. Regarding your second question: Yes, at least 1 specimen should reach adulthood if there are some floating plants in the aquarium. But this also depends on water quality and food. The fry should be fed more often than the adult specimens, which will also make adults less hungry and thus the fry will not be considered food all the time.

5 gallons for 2 Guppies is OK, but it's not much. They'll survive there, and they will breed, but naturally they would feel more comfortable in a bigger fish tank.

Why 1:3 is a good ratio between males and females? It's simple; Males want to reproduce all the time, so they are harassing females. If you have two males and 1 female, be sure that the female is going to be stressed. If you keep 1 male and 1 female, it's quite OK. But you want her to have a break sometimes, so you buy another female. And if you want them to feel good, you buy another. Basically if you kept 10 or 20 females with just 1 male, it would be even better.

Don't forget that you should buy each female at different pet store. You'll likely avoid genetic mutations which occur when brothers and sisters reproduce (or mothers and sons, and so on... you get the idea). If you're buying more males, then this goes to males too.

artkim on: December 27, 2009, 8:43 pm wrote

Do guppies really require an aquarium aerator?

Answer: Practically every fish needs air and oxygen. You don't need to install an aerator if water contains enough oxygen already and there is a source of oxygenation. However, if you're using external filter or if your aquarium isn't overstocked with plants, you'll most likely need an aerator.

If you're using an internal aquarium filter that does oxygenate the water, then you will not need any aerator as long as the level of oxygen present in water is sufficient.

Guppy Mark on: January 6, 2010, 12:10 pm wrote

Got guppies for my wall aquarium. It's 10 gallons and it has worked out great! I got 12 guppies! Bayshore Aquarium!

maddie on: January 8, 2010, 8:29 pm wrote

Love this article. It has really useful information. So I got a fishtank for Christmas but it's only 7.5 gallon and I don't have any fish yet because my pH levels were no good but they're better now and I was looking at getting guppies. I was just wondering how many guppies would be suitable in my tank?

Thanks, Maddie

Answer: Anything up to 10 specimens. I'd choose 6.

bill on: January 12, 2010, 5:49 am wrote

How many guppies would you fit in a 80 liter tank?

Answer: 20. If the aquarium is planted enough, including floating plants, then 25-30 would be good too.

Leah on: January 12, 2010, 6:07 am wrote

Well I understand guppies can be a great choice but I am a new fish owner and have read ( in many places) that they just breed, and breed, and breed like crazy, and I don't know if I could handle all those guppies. But if I got a boy and a boy or a girl and a girl then obviously, it would not happen, But I would like them to have babies I just wish they would only breed like 2 or 3!

Bailey on: January 12, 2010, 6:50 am wrote

I just got a female guppy and 4 other male guppys from a friend. Will I need more females or will they be OK? And the female looks pregnant. Also I have a fish bowl to keep them in and I know it's not the best thing, but will they be OK?

Answer: As you can read above, fish bowls aren't OK for Guppies or any other fish unless the bowl is really big enough. Also the ratio 4 males : 1 female is not OK and the female will be stressed.

Shaq James on: January 13, 2010, 8:04 am wrote

I would like to get some guppies for my 55 gallon tank. I was wondering what tank mates I could use. Was hoping for more guppies than other fish. Also how many of each fish should I have? I have a power filter that can pump a 70 gal tank so I have plenty of filtration. Also this is combined with an undergravel filter with two powerheads. I am just wondering if this is a good environment for many small fish.

Answer: I'd consider algae eaters (Bristlenose Catfish or many Corydoras species even though they're not purely only algae eaters) or other bottom-dwellers as Guppies are known to nip other fish' fins. However, your aquarium is big enough and if it's planted enough, you could get some peaceful Angelfish (Angelfish that live with Guppies from as juveniles won't likely eat Guppies once they're mature). Various Tetra species are good too. Glass bloodfins, Neon tetras, Black skirt tetras for instance.

Regarding number of fish that you want: 20 Guppies would be OK. Bear in mind that they produce a lot of waste, usually more than Cichlids and Tetras. Once they get accustomed to your aquarium, you will see how much space is still empty and can be filled with other fish.

mel on: January 14, 2010, 5:32 am wrote

How long are guppies pregnant for?

Answer: At least 20 days. Averagely it's a month.

Rupali on: January 20, 2010, 12:54 am wrote

I have a 5 gallon tank with three orange coloured guppies. But one morning I noticed that my bigger guppy is eating the smaller one. The bigger one is constantly troubling the smaller one by eating its tail fin. I just wanted to know is this the usual behaviour of guppy fish and what should be done in such cases.

Answer: "Eating" is different from "nipping fins". Eating meant as cannibalism isn't usual for Guppies and may happen when one fish is too weak that it's going to die soon, or if it's already dead.

Nipping fins is normal and one cannot avoid it. However, you can decrease the intensity by moving the fish into some bigger aquarium with plenty of plants.

Shaq j on: January 20, 2010, 11:10 am wrote

OK, so I got 4 guppies to start with. I'm planning on letting them breed on their own. Only one is hiding behind my filter output slots and another is at the top of the tank. Both are females. I was wondering if this is normal behavior until they get acclimated. I have three females and a male. The male is swimming happily. I just want to know about the other two females. Thanks in advance aqua-fish!

Answer: It is not normal, maybe the water stream is too strong or they don't like how the tank looks like (meant as decorations, light intensity, and so on).

Guppies shouldn't be hiding as they're playful and very active fish. It is also possible that they'll get better in a couple of days as acclimatisation is a matter of days in some cases.

Shaquan on: February 1, 2010, 10:12 pm wrote

My guppies just had babies yesterday. I quickly went to the petstore and found a breeder box to put the fry in. I found 9 last night and this morning I found 1 more. I have a 55 gallon tank so if you have a big aquarium, the fry can survive for a limited period of time. Also, how do I clean the breeder box? Thanks

jessica martin on: February 5, 2010, 1:19 pm wrote

Hi, I just changed my guppies water and they're now swimming at the top of the water, it looks like they're looking for something? Is this normal?

Answer: It is not normal. If you used tap water, then it's possible that there is a lot of chlorine in the tank. Fish usually swim at the top and "look like looking for something" if there's something wrong with the water. Oxygen level for instance.

Ruth Tolan on: February 15, 2010, 9:20 am wrote

Hi, I am new to having guppies and read many forums and sites regarding their care and requirements. I set up my 30l (UK) tank and allowed it to settle for 3 weeks. I checked the water pH, temp and all factors required. I purchased 5 guppies; 2 males and 3 females and a day later 1 male and 1 female died. It seems they had fungus around their mouths. I treated this with a fungus solution from the pet shop as soon as it was noticed. I now notice the other female has the same problem although she still seems healthy. The remaining male and female seem OK too. I really don't want to lose anymore on this my first attempt of caring for them. I also thought the shop keeper was harsh whilst handing the guppies from tank to bag. Should I just keep vigilant with my remaining 3 or is there anything else I should be doing?

Answer: Fungus is usually caused by poor filtration. So... Upgrade to a more powerful filter or add a new one.

steph here on: February 18, 2010, 3:53 am wrote

At what age or size can I put the baby guppies back in the bigger tank? I removed them to a 5 gallon tank for safety. Also how do you know when she is about to give birth to a new batch?

Answer: Once the fish are 1 cm long, they can be returned back to the original tank. And how to tell that the female is about to give birth? She looks like just before explosion :) .

shelby on: March 1, 2010, 4:06 pm wrote

I have a 35 gallon community tank with several guppies, one angelfish that was bought with the guppies when he/she was only about the size of a nickel. He/she does not bother the guppies at all. I have 4 platys, obviously at least one female as I have 2 little platy babies now. But even though the tank has been up for 8 months I never saw any guppy babies. Two of the sides are very heavily planted and I thought that would give them enough room to hide. Then I got a tip from an older man who raises guppies to sell to the fish shops. He told me to go to the store and buy the cheap plastic/nylon pan scrubbers, stretch them out gently and let them float. As they come in several colors they are actually quite pretty and the best part is. It worked! I now have teeny tiny little guppy babies!

mark gregory austero on: March 1, 2010, 8:21 pm wrote

Hi guys. Know what I have a 6 pieces of guppy fish at the office. It helps us to relax and my office mate sometimes feeds them also. It makes us feel relax and enjoy to see little creature on my table. Thanks god! ;)

Ara on: March 3, 2010, 6:35 am wrote

I have a 5.5 gallon tank with a female betta and 2 male guppies. They have been okay for the past 3 weeks... I would have liked to have a bigger tank for the betta, but I had to rescue her from my other female bettas who were nipping her too much, she is quite passive.

Will this number of fish be okay in the 5.5 gallon? It is well planted, but with silk, not live.

Answer: Such an aquarium is too small in my experience. However, fish can be OK in there if they're peaceful. Anyway, I'd recommend something bigger.

Regarding plants, I'd go for live ones for sure. Silk plants have no purpose except for decorative role and fish may find them useful when they're hiding. However, such plants usually catch excrements, then become dirty and it doesn't look good unless your filter is really good enough to clean the water 100%.

Ceri on: March 27, 2010, 7:34 am wrote

We have got a tank for our daughter, it's 30 liters (just over 6 gallons). How may guppies can we realistic get away with? We were considering also getting some other fish like bloodfin or neon tetra's, would this be possible?

Do Male guppies do well on their own? Our worry is that with it being a first tank if we also get females we have a risk of over population or would it be better to have the female and let them eat the fry?

The tank is well filtered with an internal filter and there is plenty of surface agitation and 3 live plants so I don't think filtration of aeration is going to be a problem but how are we for space?

Answer: About 6-8 Guppies would be just fine for such a tank. Since you don't mind that parents would eat newborns, it's OK to keep the females too.

However, in the past I kept males only and they didn't care if there's a female in the tank or not. After I introduced the female into the aquarium, she was pregnant all the time and the newborns were eaten immediately after birth.

harry on: March 30, 2010, 8:05 pm wrote

Do guppys have a problem breeding in a tank with an undergavel filter and is there a preferred breeding temperature?

Answer: Undergravel filtration shouldn't be any problem for breeding. Regarding temperature: In my experience they'll breed no matter if there's 24°C or 28°C in the tank. However, 26°C should be optimal.

Evegatz on: March 31, 2010, 2:04 am wrote

These information are very good! I am planning on buying a few Guppy's in a medium tank (approximately 180-200 cm long), however I have no idea as to what other fish would be compatible with the Guppy or plant life. Can any one advise please?

Answer: Swordtails, Mollies, bottom feeders.

Ellie on: April 2, 2010, 4:12 am wrote

Can guppies change sex to breed if only single sex are in the tank?

Answer: According to this page the females can change sex.

MS. KEISHA on: April 6, 2010, 6:49 am wrote

I have a 10 gallon tank, how many Guppies would you prefer me to start off with? I want a lot, I mean a Pretty, Colorful, Full community tank... I may even upgrade my aquarium size depending on how fast they breed =) So what's your opinion?

Answer: If you're going to breed them, then it's OK to start with 4 specimens. Preferably 2 males, 2 females, each from different pet store or from different breeder.

As you mentioned that the purpose could be breeding, then consider upgrading to a 100 gallon aquarium to offer them more space. They'll produce a lot of waste too!

Polly on: April 6, 2010, 12:26 pm wrote

Do Tiger Barbs eat the other fishes' babies?

Answer: Yes, just like many other species. Herbivores won't eat fry.

Phil on: April 6, 2010, 3:50 pm wrote

Hi, I have a tall 29 gallon tank. It contains 2 loaches and 3 danios and guppies. My question concerns the guppies. I started out with 3 guppies from the fish store. Everything goes well in the beginning and several months later the guppies started not to eat, lose weight, struggle to swim and eventually they died. I bought several more and the same happens. The other fish are very healthy and I have checked the water. It is the guppies I am having trouble with. Could my filter be too strong or the tank too tall? The filter is an emperor 280 for up to 50 gallons.

Answer: Perhaps they feel stressed. Not sure what loaches you keep, but some may harass other fish, especially long-tailed species like Guppies.

Joshua on: April 7, 2010, 11:04 am wrote

I have been breeding guppies for four years, but my female is having a new drop every 2-6 months, is that normal?

I gave my mom some guppies to breed in her classroom, she says that there is a guppy in there that I did not give to her, the same exact thing happened to me when I started breeding them, is it normal? If so, how?

Answer: Giving birth each 2nd or 6th (or anything between) month is normal. Even though Guppies breed often and fast, it's not a rule.

Some of your Guppies may have changed sex, that's why you can find a "new" specimen in the tank occasionally.

Driskol on: April 10, 2010, 10:52 am wrote

What's the most amount of guppies that can be put in an one gallon tank?

Answer: Two, not more. But anyway I think it's a too small aquarium for any fish, even one specimen. Instead of fish, I'd rather grow some very small plants in such a fish tank. Some moss or floating Pistia.

Evie on: April 11, 2010, 8:09 am wrote

I have a one and a half gallon tank with a male and a female guppie. Two days after I bought the guppies, I woke up to find little babies guppies in the tank. How fast do guppies breed? I want to sell the babies once they're old enough to raise money, but I don't have another tank. So what should I do? Also, I noticed the male jumping up near the surface of the water like he wanted to get out. Is that normal?

Answer: You bought a female that was already pregnant. If you don't want to lose the fry, add floating plants into the aquarium. The newborns will hide there.

Jumping out of the tank isn't normal. It can be any form of water poisoning (ammonia poisoning, or anything else), or it can be low level of oxygen in the tank. High temperature can be another reason of this behaviour. Naturally, it is NOT normal.

Barb on: April 18, 2010, 1:32 pm wrote

We bought 5 male guppies. Will they be happy without females?

Answer: There is no reason why males should be unhappy if there is no female in their aquarium.

Emmy on: April 23, 2010, 1:30 am wrote

Hi, I have two female adult guppies and around fifteen to twenty babies that are all reaching maturity. I currently have no adult males in the tank, although I have two frisky young males. My tank is ten gallons and has had these fish for almost a year without an incident (besides numerous babies). I was wondering:

A. Possibly sell the offspring to make room
or
B. I would like to know if you can breed a blue and red guppy to produce a purplish one? (silly I know)

Thanks for your time!

Answer: I would rather choose the second option. Secondly, producing a purple colour when breeding red and blue guppies is very questionable. It's possible, but surely it's hard. Most likely the babies will have blue and red stripes or dots.

jenny on: April 24, 2010, 12:48 pm wrote

I recently added 2 male guppies to a tank that was home to two peaceful males guppies. Now the two original guppies are harassing the larger new male. Will they ever get along?

Answer: Yes, it just needs time. I think it has been already described on this page. That's why it's wise to introduce new specimens after feeding time, when lights are turned off.

DIPENDRA MALLA on: May 2, 2010, 6:25 pm wrote

Could you please tell me what area and height will be suitable for the fish tank? Regarding water quality, planting water plants may create greenish and dirty look to the environment, so is this kind of environment is suitable for them? Is changing water from time to time necessary?

Answer: It you searched more, you would find answers to your questions on this website already. However, let's answer them:

Placement: Practically it doesn't matter. Except for locations near windows, perhaps everything else would be fine.

Height: Of a fish tank? If yes, then even 30 cm will be OK.

Greenish colour/dirty looking environment: Most likely you're referring to algae. Visit articles about algae and removing algae naturally from aquariums, please. Basically, algae isn't a problem unless it's caused by ammonia or other dangerous substances.

Changing water is necessary especially if your aquarium is small. Big and not overcrowded aquariums don't need water changes. On the other hand, Guppies produce a lot of excrements, so it's up to you to perform water quality tests at least once a week or two and depending on the results you'll have to change water or wait for another testing period.

Alex on: May 4, 2010, 9:58 pm wrote

I have been keeping guppies for a long time, you can keep the males without the female and no problem, but they do not stay alive for a long time (may be for 4 to 6 month).

annie on: May 6, 2010, 1:15 pm wrote

Hi there,

I have a question; Can I put my 3 weeks old guppy fry into the large fish tank? I have platy and angel fish there -- is it safe to put them into the tank with angel and platy fish? Thank you!

Answer: Only if it's heavily planted. Otherwise wait until they're 2 months old.

anounymous on: May 7, 2010, 2:39 pm wrote

FYI the species of guppy here in the Philippines are mostly found in the drainage and swamp areas. So they are for free and guppy are not suitable for the fish tank.

w smyth belfast northern ireland on: May 9, 2010, 7:46 am wrote

I would like to thank some of your readers for some of their information on guppies as this is my first tank!

Anthony on: May 16, 2010, 4:11 am wrote

I wasn't sure about starting my own breeding station, but you have really put my mind into perspective, so thank you!

Jay Sully on: May 17, 2010, 11:38 pm wrote

One of my females has just had 14 fry and all seem to be doing well in my homemade floating nursery, my question is - the mother has developed dropsie, is this down to the stress of giving birth? And should I remove her from my tank?

Answer: The dropsy disease is most likely caused by stress and inadequate conditions in many cases (this includes stress). You should cure her in another aquarium alone.

Ninad V. Mirajkar on: May 20, 2010, 3:54 pm wrote

Keeping guppies in a tank is very good. Well, you can keep about 25 to 30 guppy in 10 liter tank. You can also keep Tetras and neon Tetras with them. Moreover you do not need to clean the tank immediately. I myself have 5 guppys & 2 neon tetra & have not cleaned the tank for the last 1&half a month. Moreover you do not need to have an air pump or the aerator in the tank. The guppys live for more than 2 years. So do keep guppys.

Anonymous on: May 23, 2010, 8:19 am wrote

Hi, um, I don't have a guppy but I really want one. I have a few questions. There are two stores, one called petsmart and the other petsmart. I don't know which one to get them from. And also, how much should one guppy and everything it needs cost? What should I put in the tank? Is it true that if you put a snail in the tank you won't have to change the water? And if so what kind? How big should the tank be?

Love,
Anonymous

Answer: Firstly, you mentioned the same store twice, perhaps a mistake. I would buy fish from a store where the seller knows the fish breeders personally, or where the seller breeds the fish on his own.

A Guppy isn't expensive, but the equipment may be. It all depends on the size of your aquarium too. Start with good filter, plants, substrate, caves. In my experience you could buy everything including tank, several Guppies for up to $400. This means an aquarium of 100-200 liters and all necessary equipment.

Regarding putting a snail and not changing the water: In fact this is the first time I hear this :) . I don't change water in my aquarium, but it's a 375 liters tank with good filtration, substrate and a good number of plants. That's why I recommend bigger aquariums; the bigger, the better. Because the chemistry will be more stable in big aquarium! Then you don't need any snails to have good water.

Regarding size of the tank: As above, as big as possible. There are many articles and answers on this site, so let's use the search box at the top, please.

WB on: May 23, 2010, 3:46 pm wrote

I have 1 male and about 5 to 6 females, but they're all brother and sisters. It has been about four months already and none of the females are getting pregnant. Does this mean that I have to wait longer or is there something wrong? (like I have to get a different male or something?)

Answer: Just wait. However, I don't recommend breeding siblings. You may end up with deformed Guppies.

Derr on: May 24, 2010, 10:34 am wrote

I recently bought some guppies and they started to eat the other fish. When we found them the fish was missing it's whole inside. What happened?

Answer: A guppy will hardly eat other fish unless it's a weak and almost dead specimen. Most likely the fish died and then Guppies started eating it.

rockywong on: May 26, 2010, 2:55 pm wrote

Hi there!,

There are so many answers regarding the temperature of the water but, has anyone ever ask "what should I do if the water temperature is too high?". Is there other way than changing water? Or which water is the best?

Answer: Use aquarium chiller :) . There are articles about this topic on this website already. Use the search box at the top to find anything you need.

BJ1109 on: May 28, 2010, 5:17 am wrote

Just wondering, do you need to have a heater if you're going to keep Guppies? Also would any live plant do for the tank when it comes to these types of fish?

Answer: No, you don't need a heater. As long as the temperature is at least 21°C, it's OK to skip heater usage. Plants are not a problem, Guppies won't eat them. So any plant that fits your aquarium is welcome. Floating plants are recommended for the fry to hide.

Branden on: May 31, 2010, 2:49 am wrote

Hi, I have a ten gallon tank that I am going to breed guppies in. I was wondering if I have 4 males and 8 females in the tank if the would overcrowd the tank. I do have a hangover filter and a tank for the fry, so is 12 guppies too much for a 10 gallon tank? And don't worry I got plenty of plants for the baby fry :) . Also I had a pair of guppies breed, she had 20 babies and 1 has a bent back and 3 other have no tails. I was wondering if any of them would survive, please answer back thank you!

Answer: It's big enough, Guppies are very social fish. Regarding survival of the mentioned fish: It's hard to tell. Is it a result of fight? If it isn't a wound, most likely it's a deformation and the fish will die.

sab on: June 5, 2010, 5:48 pm wrote

I just started keeping guppies, it's been about a week and I have around 7 females and 5 males but the female guppies are dying. Two have already died. I'm not sure if it's because of the numbers or the water.

Answer: Numbers have nothing to do with dying in almost all cases. Water sounds more likely. However, if they're newly bought, they may be ill or wrongly acclimatised.

Sophie on: June 10, 2010, 1:07 am wrote

I currently have one female guppy and some cory catfish in my 10 gallon aquarium. I want to add more guppies so how many can I get without overpopulating the tank?

Answer: Use our calculator, please. See "Aquarium Calculator" at the right side within navigation menu. Bottom dwellers don't count when using this calculator as they usually don't swim in middle and top levels.

heather on: June 13, 2010, 3:26 am wrote

Wow, I didn't know guppies were so pretty! I have a 10 gallon tank, will that be okay for 3 guppies?

Answer: Yes, it will be big enough. Finally someone who's not trying to overpopulate a small aquarium :) .

Joey on: June 13, 2010, 6:22 pm wrote

Why do these fish die in a small tank?

Answer: The problem with small tanks is that they're not suitable for fish. Imagine yourself in a very small room. Limited space causes stress as fish cannot swim (away from fish that bully other). Also small tanks are known to be not enough stable in terms of water quality. Combine all factors together and you'll understand that the bigger aquarium, the happier fish in there.

lillian watson on: June 16, 2010, 6:06 am wrote

I just bought 2 guppies and 3 white clouds. I put them in a 10L fish bowl. I was told to feed them once a day in the evening with flakes. What I noticed when I fed them is that the guppies seemed to eat all the food. The white clouds were either too timid or not hungry, they did not eat at all. Can you tell me, is once a day feeding enough? And why the white clouds are not eating the food. Thanks!

Answer: It is not OK to feed White Clouds flakes if Guppies are in the tank too. Mouths of White Clouds are not "designed" to eat flakes and if some more active fish are present in the tank, most likely they will eat less. White Clouds will prefer granulated food (make sure the granules are small enough) instead of flakes. Moreover, flakes use to stay at the surface and thus shape of White Clouds' mouths is a problem when trying to eat floating food. Once again, this wouldn't be a problem without Guppies in the same tank. Also, fish must get used to a new aquarium and it's normal if they don't eat first or second day.

I recommend you feeding them flakes and granules too. Sera Discus Granulat (it may be called similarly depending on the country where you live in) is good food.

Feeding once a day is enough.

Angel on: June 23, 2010, 1:29 am wrote

I'm having a problem with my guppies. I keep losing them. I have a 5 gal tank and had 2 females and 1 male to start with. Ended up losing the females and replaced them. Now I have lost the male. I have check the pH and the temperature of the water. That does not seem to be the problem. I can't think of what is can be. I used to keep guppies a long time ago and never really worried about any of this stuff and ended up having 3-10gal aquariums because of all the breeding.

Comment: It's also necessary to test carbonate hardness. Nitrates, nitrites and ammonia tests are also very important. Sometimes metals are present in the water too.

Jill on: June 23, 2010, 2:38 pm wrote

Will 1 male and 1 female be OK in a 1 gallon tank? Will they be happy this way, or should I just do one male?

Answer: A 1 gallon aquarium is good for plants only, or for snails. Bear in mind that it's hard to maintain stable water conditions in such a small fish tank, this is the biggest problem. Insufficient space is just another problem.

zen on: June 25, 2010, 1:31 pm wrote

Will the guppy's fins grow back after being nipped?

Answer: Yes.

Anthony Pimentel on: June 29, 2010, 6:02 am wrote

How many guppies can fit in my new 7 gallon fish tank? Are they compatible with platies? And also, do guppies prefer gravel or no gravel? Thanks:)

Answer: Start with 4 specimens, you will see how it goes and can add new ones as time goes by. Platies are no problem with Guppies.

Gravel or no gravel, this shouldn't be the question. Gravel brings a lot of advantages including nitrification bacteria that live in it, gravel makes the bottom really "bottom", not just a mirror. Plants can root in the gravel and so on. There are many advantages of aquarium gravel.

Catherine on: July 5, 2010, 10:17 am wrote

I have a 60 liters tank. Live plants, good filter, substrate etc. I have some red tetra, Black skirt, Silver tip tetra and neon and 1 small whisker catfish which comes out at night when light is switched off and goes to work keeping tank clean. All fish seem happy and doing well since I gradually added them in species at a time every 2 weeks. They have been happily living together for over 4 months now. I am wondering would I be able to added 4 or 5 male guppies? Do not want to breed them. Will they get on well with the fish I have mentioned?

Answer: It's possible to add them, but I wouldn't do it. Guppies, just like other livebearers produce plenty of excrements and thus the chemistry in a small 60 liters aquarium could be put to the test in a case of adding Guppies. You mentioned that you already have a good filter, but you never know how it's going to end up.

Otherwise there shouldn't be any problem. These fish are compatible together.

Helen Carew on: July 7, 2010, 6:04 am wrote

I have recently put 3 platies and 6 neons into a biorb which is 30 litres. Can I, or should I add any guppies?

Thanks!

Answer: I think that the platies will outgrow the tank. Guppies would be fine, I'd rather worry about platies.

Rajeshwari on: July 15, 2010, 4:53 pm wrote

Hi, I bought 2 pair of guppies about 6 months back and left in a small natural pond in my garden which contains about 20 liters of water and some water lily plants. Now they have become 4 generations, roughly some 80 guppies. I have shifted half of them to another similar tank. They are of beautiful color combinations which include sea green, red, pink and orange tailed guppies. They are amazing stress busters.

ananya on: July 25, 2010, 11:55 pm wrote

I have a question since I am a beginner. Do you HAVE to have at least 5 guppies in a tank, or can you have 2-3? Also, can you just have females or just have males in the tank, or will that affect their health? Thanks!

Answer: You can have any number of guppies in a tank. From two (I don't recommend keeping 1 specimen alone as they're very social fish), up to anything that fits your aquarium size. Males or females, it does matter in my opinion.

I kept males only, it was all OK. Keeping females only will perhaps end up with change of sex (see comments above).

Bob on: July 26, 2010, 6:16 am wrote

My tank has a bunch of guppies but also a bunch of algae. I was wondering which types of fish could eat my algae and get along with guppies.

Answer: Bristlenose catfish for instance. However, the reason why algae has overgrown your aquarium should be solved firstly. I would bet on ammonia problems perhaps. If there is not enough nitrification bacteria, algae will start growing. Of course, I'm just guessing, I may be wrong.

In my experience snails (apple snails or ramshorns) are good algae eaters too. They produce a lot of excrements though.

tom on: July 26, 2010, 8:24 am wrote

I have a 20 gallon tank, can I put guppies with swordtails? And how many plants should I need?

Answer: Yes, guppies and swordtails can be kept together in such an aquarium. Regarding plants: Try to fill every level; that means you could try some species that creates a good carpet (Java moss or small Anubias Nana for example), then you should use some bigger plants in the background. In my experience a 20 gallon aquarium cannot be too high, so species that grow up to 30-40 cm maximally are recommended. Definitely not Vallisneria Gigantea :) .

ebz on: July 28, 2010, 2:18 am wrote

Hi,

Thanks so much for this section on guppies. I made the mistake of listening to a petshop before researching it myself. I have a 25 liter tank since I'm a beginner and I bought 2 angel fish, 4 balloon mollies and 4 guppies. I lost both angels due to evil mollies (later they gave birth so I know why they killed my angel fish and 2 guppies :( ). The remaining guppies are fighting back now.

I'm planning on returning my mollies and getting male guppies instead cause they're so playful (they love using the filter bubbles as a ride :))

I'm bringing up the molly fry in a breeding net and donating them. After reading the comments I realised 6 is probably the most I can go for, if not can you tell me how many?

Thanks, heaps best of luck :)

Answer: 6 is completely OK. You could get 10 of them too, but they are going to produce a lot of excrements and a 25 liter aquarium isn't that stable in terms of water parameters, so in the end you'd end up with two water changes a week. Go for 6 and if you have fry, sell or donate :) .

emmaa on: July 30, 2010, 8:53 pm wrote

Hi, I have 5 male guppys in a 30 liter tank. Can I keep a bristlenose catfish with them or are my guppys going to die? I bought the bristlenose today.

Thanks for the great site!

Answer: Next time do some searching before buying new fish :) . Bristlenose catfish are a great addition to almost every aquarium. Guppies and Bristlenose catfish are both peaceful fish, so there's no problem at all.

Let's buy a book about aquariums!

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