Guppy Fish Care Guide & Species Profile

Guppy care, breeding, tank requirements, tank mates, and diet

The guppy is a freshwater fish belonging to the Poeciliidae family. The guppy’s beautiful, flowing fins and colorful body make this fish a popular choice amongst aquarists.

Guppies are some of the most commonly available tropical aquarium fish. They are shy, peaceful fish that are adaptable, low-cost, and easy to care for, making them good introductory fish for beginner aquarists.

Guppies Facts & Overview

A patterned guppy swimming among aquarium plants

Scientific name:Poecilia reticulata
Common namesGuppy, millionfish, rainbow fish
Distribution:Suriname, Antigua, Trinidad, Barbados, Guyana, Venezuela, and Tobago
Size:0.6–2.4 inches
Life expectancy:Up to 2 years
Color:A variety of colors including yellow, orange, blue, black, red, green, yellow, and pink
Diet:Omnivore
Temperament:Peaceful
Minimum tank size:5 gallons
Temperature:74–82°F (23–28°C)
pH:6.8–7.6
Hardness:8–12 dGH
Care level:Easy
Breeding:Livebearing

Origin

Guppies are native to parts of South America, including Suriname, Antigua, Trinidad, Barbados, Guyana, Venezuela, and Tobago. They have been introduced to regions beyond South America and are now widely distributed across the world.

In the wild, guppies live in large schools to protect themselves from predators like large fish and birds. Although guppies prefer freshwater habitats, the fish are highly adaptable and can survive in brackish environments too.

Adult Size & Lifespan

Fully-grown guppies are around two inches long on average. Female guppies grow to twice the size of male guppies. Males grow to about 1 ⅛ inches long, and females grow up to 2 ⅛ inches in length.

Male and female guppies have a lifespan of up to two years in the wild and in captivity. In the ideal tank environment, guppies can live longer than wild guppies because guppies in the wild are exposed to more predators.

Availability

Guppies are popular aquarium fish and are widely available in pet stores and online. Individually, guppies cost between $4 and $25, depending on the rarity and uniqueness of the fish. You should buy guppies in groups of at least three, bringing the total cost up to $12–$75.

  • You can find a range of guppies, including black guppies, red fire guppies, kohaku guppies, and lemon cobra guppies, available at LiveAquaria.
  • Imperial Tropicals also sells a variety of guppies including red blonde guppies, yellow tail tuxedo guppies, and cobra guppies.

Appearance & Behavior

Colorful guppies in a planted aquarium
Guppies are calm, laid-back fish with no aggressive or territorial tendencies. They are recognizable due to their small, slim bodies. Different sub-species of guppies have their own unique colors, markings, and tail types.

Colors, Patterns, Fins, and Sex Differences

Guppies are available in a variety of colors and patterns, with different tail lengths and styles. They can be categorized according to tail type, color, and eye color.

Some of the common types of guppy tails are fantails, flag tails, round tails, spire tails, and veil tails. Some guppies have long, flowing tails, and others have short, flat tails.

Most guppies are two-toned or three-toned, with colors including red, orange, black, yellow, green, pink, purple, silver, and blue. Spots and stripes are patterns that can be found on the body, fins, and tail of the guppy fish.

The biggest difference between male and female guppies is size: females are about an inch bigger than males when fully grown. Males are more slender than females, and male guppies are more colorful than females.

Guppies become pale in color when they are stressed. When breeding, female guppies become rounder and paler than normal. Male guppies become brighter than usual when looking for a mate.

Typical Behavior

Guppies are peaceful fish that enjoy the safety and social aspect of swimming in groups. They are fast, active swimmers, and they spend most of their time exploring and chasing one another. Male guppies enjoy showing off to the females.

Aggressiveness is an uncommon guppy trait, but guppies can assert their dominance by bullying and fighting with other fish during feeding or if the tank is too small.

Guppies swim in all parts of the tank, but the fish prefer to spend most of their time at the top, near the surface of the water. Although guppies enjoy swimming in the open, the fish hide in caves and behind plants when they’re playing or when they feel threatened.

Guppies sleep when it’s dark and they’re most active and prefer to eat during daylight hours.

Guppy Fish Care & Tank Requirements

Four colorfully patterned guppies
Establishing a tank for guppies is easy. Guppies thrive in warm freshwater environments, and you should replicate this in captivity.

They eat a varied diet in the wild and require a similar combination of proteins and plant foods in a home aquarium.

Habitat and Tank Requirements

The natural habitat of guppies varies widely. Guppies are found in streams, ponds, small pools of water, and brackish ecosystems. They are versatile fish — but in captivity, the fish prefer clean freshwater tank environments.

In order to provide a suitable habitat for your guppies in captivity, make sure the water parameters are correct and that the tank is cycled properly. Use plants and tank decorations to replicate the underwater rockery and greenery of the fish’s natural environment.

Live plants like Java moss, flame moss, and wisteria offer coverage for guppies and keep the water clean by accelerating the nitrogen cycle. Guppies like to play and hide amongst pebbles and caves, and caves provide private space for guppies to mate.

Use sandy or rocky substrates to match the riverbeds and bottom surface of the ponds that guppies occupy in the wild. A specialized substrate isn’t important for guppies because the fish rarely spend time at the bottom of the tank.

Tank Conditions

The desired tank conditions for guppies are listed below:

Water type:Hard, freshwater
Tank size:Minimum 5 gallons, plus 1 gallon of water for every additional adult guppy
Water temperature:74–82ºF

Substrate:Sand, rocks, vegetation
Tank setup:Plants, caves, decorations
Acidity:6.8–7.6 pH
Water hardness:12–18 dkH
Filter:Not essential, but can be used to maintain water quality
Bubbler:Yes, to aerate the water
Lighting:Not necessary unless the aquarium is heavily planted or doesn’t have access to natural daylight
Water heater:Yes, to prevent temperature fluctuations and maintain the ideal temperature range

Guppies are hardier than most other fish, but you should still maintain consistent tank conditions to reduce the potential for disease and stress.

These fish thrive in a tank setup including water parameters that mimic their natural environment.

Disease

There are several diseases that guppies are prone to in captivity:

Protozoan Disease

Protozoan disease is often referred to as “guppy disease” because the disease is common amongst guppies. The disease is caused by a protozoan parasite called Tetrahymena sp. and usually occurs when the water quality is poor or the water isn’t warm enough.

Symptoms of protozoan disease include loss of appetite, problems breathing, and excess slime. Treat the disease by improving water conditions and making sure water temperatures are within the 74–82ºF range.

Ich

Ich is a classic aquarium disease that affects all freshwater fish, including guppies. A guppy with ich will have white spots on its body and will rub its body against rough surfaces in the tank.

Ich is caused by a parasite called Ichthyophthirius multifiliis and can be treated by quarantining the affected fish and increasing water temperature by two degrees, which speeds up the parasite’s life cycle. Dissolving one tablespoon of salt in every five gallons of the fish’s tank water also treats ich.

Fin Rot and Tail Rot

Guppies with long, flowing fins are prone to fin rot and tail rot. This bacterial infection is caused by stress, overcrowding, and inconsistent water parameters.

Symptoms of fin rot include discolored or milky-colored, and ragged, frayed, shortening fins. Treat fin rot and tail rot by carrying out a full water change and using antibiotics recommended by your veterinarian.

Tank Mates

A school of guppies and their fry after breeding
Guppies are friendly fish that get along with most other fish species. However, the guppy’s small size makes the fish a target for aggressive fish and a food source for large fish.

Keep guppies in a tank with other small, peaceful fish. Guppies swim near the top of the tank, so you should choose tank mates that swim in the middle and the bottom of the tank so that the fish don’t get in each other’s way.

Great tank mates for guppies include:

Non-fish tank mates for guppies include:

Guppies enjoy one another’s company and prefer to be housed in groups of at least three, so you should make sure you have enough guppies in your tank before buying other fish.

Diet and Feeding

In the wild, guppies eat a varied diet of algae, invertebrates, insect larvae, and mineral particles, depending on food availability in the fish’s habitat.

Feed guppies a varied diet in the aquarium similar to their diet in the wild. A combination of algae wafers, high-quality fish flakes, and frozen foods like bloodworms will ensure that guppies obtain a wide variety of nutrients, and have a low risk of deficiencies.

Feed baby guppies crumbled fish flakes and boiled egg yolk.

Set a twice-daily feeding schedule for your guppies, feeding the fish only as much food as they can eat within two minutes. Remove uneaten food to maintain good-quality water.

Breeding

A beautiful orange and purple guppy fish
Guppies are some of the easiest-to-breed aquarium fish, and many guppies breed without prompting from their owners. Guppies are ovoviviparous, meaning that the females develop eggs inside their bodies, then release the eggs in time for hatching.

To breed guppies, follow these steps:

  1. Select a healthy male guppy and up to three healthy females. Breeding is less stressful for the females when the male’s attention is divided between the three.
  2. Set up a 10-gallon breeding tank and install a gentle filter, low-floating plants for the fry, and caves for the guppies to breed. Set the water temperature to about 79ºF.
  3. Place the guppies in the breeding tank and wait for the fish to breed. The male will breed with one or several of the females multiple times to ensure fertilization.
  4. When you notice a dark mark on a female guppy’s abdomen, it means she is pregnant. Check the females to see how many of the fish are pregnant, then remove the male and any non-pregnant females and return them to the home tank.
  5. Wait for between 26 and 31 days for the gestation period. Feed the pregnant females three to five small, highly-nutritious meals per day.
  6. Female guppies hide and shiver when they’re about to give birth. Monitor the females during the birthing process and return the females to the home tank afterward to prevent them from eating the fry.
  7. Feed the fry powdered fish flakes and brine shrimp and change 40% of the tank’s water every three days until the fry are old enough to join a regular tank, or are at least six weeks old.

Should You Get Guppies for Your Aquarium?

If you’re a beginner aquarist or you’re looking for beautiful, peaceful fish for your tank, you should consider getting guppies. However, guppies aren’t suitable for tanks with large or aggressive fish because the guppies could be bullied, injured, or eaten by these fish.

Guppies are easy to take care of and come in a range of brilliant colors. A school of guppies is a mesmerizing addition to a home aquarium.

Guppy Fish FAQs

About Robert 468 Articles
Robert Woods is the creator of FishKeeping World, a third-generation fish keeper, and a graduate in animal welfare and behavior. He is also a proud member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the Marine Aquarium Societies of North America, and the Nature Conservancy.

74 Comments

  1. Dirk says:

    My tank is 125gal. I keep it at 81.2 degrees. Water, ph/ammonia/nitrate/nitites are good. Two canister pumps well established. 25% water changes weekly. LED lighting about 8hrs daily. So now that I’ve bored you all…guppies hovering at a bottom corner either single or pairs…females losing some color but not seeming pregnant also at the bottom…only tankmates are corycates and they seem to enjoy each other. 1. Is my tank too big for only 8 guppies? 2. Should I provide 10-15 more guppy tankmates?
    3.Could water alkalinity be stressing them?
    Any input is very appreciated.
    Dirk

    • Fishkeeping World says:

      Hi Dirk, yes you can definitely add more guppies to a 125 gallon tank. What is your pH? You could also include some plants to help them feel more comfortable. Thanks, Robert

    • Marie DiMauro says:

      Maybe you can try dropping the temperature a bit…says higher temps can stress fish out and cause lethargic fish. I’m new to this myself but notice quite a difference. Drop 1D a day to avoid over stressing the fish out. I have mind down to 76 they are swimming better.

    • anna says:

      yes

  2. Adrialthefallen says:

    If you only have 8 guppies in a 125 gallon there is alot of space unused. And guppies are social and would probally like to have a little more company than they are currently being provided. With the addition of a few friends I would assume your guppies to liven up. Unless for some reason there getting sick. Also alkalinity or anything that will heavily affect your water isnt very good for your fishies.

    • Will Shepherd says:

      I only had three guppies, I planned to buy more. Then I noticed seven babies…. a week or so later I see another group of fry being born…. I rush out and buy reed plants for the fry to hide in and change the water. The mother is so happy she gives birth to another hundred or so right on front of me.
      I now have about 250 guppies from three just three months ago. Stay calm, be happy, enjoy your guppies and get to know them..I’m sure they will surprise you soon.

      • Minerva says:

        Well, we bought 2 female guppies so they cold be companions to our other 2 females a few weeks ago, and to our surprise…. now we have 11 guppies. 4 adults and 7 fry.

  3. Delores Garth says:

    excellent info !!!

  4. Melody says:

    Had 10 guppies in 20 gallon tank every 2 weeks one or 2 died nitrite and nitrate were good want more guppies but I’m scared new to fish

    • Fishkeeping World says:

      Hi Melody, how long was it since your last guppies died and how old is your set up? Thanks, Robert

  5. Sophia says:

    So I’m planning on getting five male guppies and putting them in a ten gallon. But I’m just wondering about diet. So I was think that I could feed them a flake food in the mornings and then I could alternate between bloodworms and veggies in the evenings. Like I could have veggies Monday, bloodworms Tuesday. Something like that. Would that be a good feeding plan or should I just stick to a main flake diet and have veggies and bloodworms as treats once and a while?

    • Fishkeeping World says:

      Hi Sophia, I would stick to feeding them treats only one or twice per week. Thanks, Robert

  6. Alicia says:

    Hi, I’m getting a 20 gallon tank. I was thinking some fancy guppies, neon tetras, swordfish, maybe Cory catfish and an Amano or cherry shrimp. Is this too much for my tank size? How many of each should I get?

    • Fishkeeping World says:

      Hi Alicia, I presume when you say a swordfish, that you mean a swordtail? Guppies, Tetras and Swordtails all like to be kept in groups so you might just want to choose one or two of those species and keep a larger number of them. You won’t be able to have all three groups in a 20 gallon tank. I’d have one or two groups (of either Guppies, Tetras or Swords) and have 4 or 5 fish in each group. You can also include 4 corys, such as the Bandit Cory and 4-5 shrimps. Hope that helps! There are plenty of great stocking calculators online to use if you want to see recommended stock levels. Thanks, Robert

  7. Kerrin says:

    I have a 36 gallon tank with a variety of guppies, platys, and danios. One of my guppies, a female, is hanging out at the top of the tank and avoiding all of the other fish. I have 2 male guppies and 3 other females. They all harass the one female. They’ve nipped her tail and one fin. I’m not sure what to do here. The rest of the fish all get along fine. Should I let nature run its course or get another small tank to put her in? If I move her to another tank should I get another female or two to keep her company? I really feel bad that she’s suffering. I don’t have room for another large tank so it would have to be a 5 or 10 gallon if I get one. Thanks.

    • Fishkeeping World says:

      Hi Kerrin, I feel the same when I see one of my fish getting bullied and if it were me I’d be putting her in a 10 gallon tank with a couple of other females. Thanks, Robert

    • Fayej says:

      Hi I have a 1 gallons fish bowl and I have 3 females and 1 male (tuxedo koi guppies) and they are giving birth to 7-8 frys per month per females but I didn’t get that why the fries are less than the actual no. But my breeding tank is about 40 gallons and I feed them boiled egg yolks and daphnias and blood worms and mosquitoe larve and fish foods than why the birth rate is so low

  8. Anastasia says:

    This would be my first time getting fishes, I really want guppies cause I find them fascinating, beautiful and probably one of the best species for me if I want a 20 litres (5.3 gallon) tank. As I’m just starting off I was wondering how many guppies should I get for my size tank? How should I set up my tank correctly? And how do I clean my tank? If there is anything else important that I should know as a beginner please also tell me, thank you.

  9. shadyn says:

    can i have guppies with black moors? because they both have the same water temp and i have a 20 gallon.

    • Fishkeeping World says:

      Hi Shadyn, do you mean Black moor Goldfish? If so, no you can’t. Guppies are tropical fish and Goldfish are coldwater fish. Thanks, Robert

  10. Gian says:

    I have a 60 gallon African Cichlid tank which has been going for 2 months, no deaths, everything looks good. Now I have a 16 gallon tank, where I’m teaching my daughter some type of responsibility and obviously I’m with her 100% of the time during feeding and water changes. Guppies keep dying! I’ve had 3 batches of Guppies come in over the last month and all have died in a 3 to 4 day period. Water temp is 78F, light pebble substrate, 1 back filter, 1 small sponge filter, some plants and decor… all readings look good regarding chlorine, nitrites, nitrates, ammonia levels, alkalinity, etc. I have to clue what’s going on… since all fish died last week, I changed back hang filter, cleaned sponge filter, threw out pebbles and put in new pebbles.. doing fish less cycle… any clues? Ideas??

    • Fishkeeping World says:

      Hi Gian, how strange! I would recommened giving the tank a full 4-6 weeks to recycle with the new sponge filter in. Allow a bed of helpful bacteria to build up and monitor the water parameters over the next few weeks before adding Guppies again. Thanks, Robert

  11. Steacy Paquette says:

    I started this hobby about a month ago, I bought some plants and 12 baby guppies. They were sold as feeder in my local pet store. I bought them because they were cheap and the guy told me they were harder to kill, so good for a beginner.
    1 week after all of them were dead but 1. He forgot to tell me about the aquarium cycle and I didn’t know that this hobby was so complicated. I read a lot about it since and now they are really healthy, I bought a Bala Shark(Supposed to have a small mouth and don’t eat small mate) and an ancitrus since then.
    Today I woke up and notified 3 new guys in the aquarium… 3 little guppies…
    I read a lot about what I can do with those. The female is supposed to eat them, they have some space to hide but not a lot. And I don’t have a good place to put them alone. My girlfriend doesn’t want them to die 🙁 what should I do?
    I also made a mix of flakes and bug bites(larvae) I crush them because they’re so small. Is that ok?

    • Fishkeeping World says:

      Hi Steacy, I’m always concerned when I hear Bala Sharks are being sold to beginners. These fish grow very large and need a huge tank (min 150 gallons) You can read more about caring for them here: https://www.fishkeepingworld.com/bala-shark/
      As for the guppies, they’ll need their own tank and the food you’re feeding them is fine. Thanks, Robert

  12. kraitos brown says:

    I’m new to the hobby and i have a 20L tank with two guppies , 3 mollies + one male betta fish “yeah a fighter :D” and everything is fine , so what kind of vegetables should i feed them ? besides the pellets “and meat for my betta” ? thank you , your information are great !

  13. Dawn says:

    Hi l have 6 guppies and have no babies yet i have had them for 3 months what am I doing wrong ??

    • Fishkeeping World says:

      Hi Dawn, this may be an obvious questions but do you have a selection of males and females? Thanks, Robert

      • Sharon Moody says:

        I have 6 male guppies in a 180l tank with 3 female platys, I had thought this would be ok as they are hith alleged to peaceful. The guppies are terrorising my platys and stressing them out, i would defo say guppies are not peaceful.

  14. Ruth says:

    Hi,

    I have a 5G tank and got one male Guppy today. I know they are community fish, but wasn’t sure if I can have multiple in a 5G. I saw a previous comment you made abut a 5G holding 3-4 guppies.

    Is having one guppy okay? Or recommended to have at least a couple together? I would like to get at least another male if possible.

    • Fishkeeping World says:

      Hi Ruth, ideally Guppies like to be kept in small groups. 3/4 will be fine in a 5 gallon. Thanks, Robert

  15. Amelia Spell says:

    Hi I have a 40 gal breeder and I was wonder how many guppies can i house in it alone?

    • Fishkeeping World says:

      Hi Amelia, I’d recommend keeping a maximum of 30 Guppies in a 40 gallon tank. Thanks, Robert

  16. Nikki says:

    I have a small container pond on my deck and I recently added 6 male guppies. The container is 10 gallon size however when I added the rocks and plants it only holds 6 gallons of water. 1. Is this enough room for my guppies? I was told at the store that it was. 2. How often should I change the water? The store told me monthly. I have a heater and a small floating solar fountain that runs for maybe 30 minutes in the morning. Thank you for your advise.

  17. Nancy says:

    I have a 15 gallon column tank that I’d like to set up again . I’d love to create a guppy tank . Would guppies do ok in a tall tank rather than a long tank ?

    • Fishkeeping World says:

      Hi Nancy, personally I wouldn’t keep guppies in a tall tank unless it’s a lot larger such as a 30 or 50 gallon tall tank. Thanks, Robert

  18. Ethan says:

    I have a 100L(29G) planted tank (60x40x40cm) that I have a thick bed of substrate in. I’: planning on cycling it for at least a month or more but I’m wondering what household items I can put in to keep the cycle going to feed the bacteria. Apologies if it’s been posted somewhere else, I’ve been flicking through a bunch of your guides and haven’t seen specific mentions yet.

    I’m also curious to see your opinion since I really want some Otos as well as Corys in my tank (I have a sandy area for the Corys). But it’d also be nice if I had some colourful mid to upper water column fish so I wanted to see how you would stock this tank. I want at least 6 Otos (preferably more) and not sure how many Corys would be good since I also know they school but I’ve heard to a lesser degree than Otos. I was thinking of having tetras but since they need even larger schools I thought the bioload might be too high. Would guppies work? If not do you have other potential recommendations for me? I also looked through your guide on Bettas!

    Thanks and I really appreciate all the work put into this site!

    • Fishkeeping World says:

      Hi Ethan, the nitrogen cycle will establish itself naturally so you don’t need to add anything. If you want to speed the cycle up you can add ammonia or a bacteria starter which most fish stores sell. In a 29 gallon tank you can keep 6 of each of the catfish and 5 guppies.
      We have articles on each of these species, so feel free to have a read of their particular care needs. Thanks, Robert

  19. Daniel says:

    Hi, I have a 100 gallon tank, running for nearly a month. Carpet grass with some java fern and moss and some A.nana. Havent added any fishes yet. Was wondering if I could keep a few Neon (10), mollies(4), honey gouramis(4) and of course the star of the tank, guppies. Would it be fine?

    • Fishkeeping World says:

      Hi Daniel, that sounds like a great mix. Good luck! Robert

  20. Keya says:

    Hi, I have a 10 gal with 2 albino cory catfish and a male veiltail betta. Would it be ok to add around 4 guppies?

    • Fishkeeping World says:

      Hi Keya, I wouldn’t keep Guppies with Betta fish unless you have plenty of experience and certainly not in a tank of this size. Thanks, Robert

  21. Sarah says:

    We have a 58 litre tank, we started off by adding bacteria starter stuff, and cycling tank for a week, we then added silver cloud Minnows 4) that we already had, plus a plastic plant from their tank… we have 3 live plants… after a week of the minnows being in the tank.. (we also have heater and good filter) we bought 2 guaramies, and 8 guppies…. that was 3 weeks ago, we have since added 2 air stones and pump…. but one by one the guppies have died, they look ok at night, next morning dead, the last died this morning and one yesterday too… all eight, my daughter is very sad, as it was her birthday present and she is really trying to do everything right, reading up etc… she is 12… (we have thermometer too and temp is ok) The original minnows and guaramies are fine….please help if you can thank you….

    • Fishkeeping World says:

      Hi Sarah, you haven’t let your tank complete the nitrogen cycle which is essential before adding any fish. This process takes between 4-8 weeks, and requires the ammonia and nitrite levels to peak and then drop back to zero, meaning that the levels are safe for any inhabitants because the tank has had chance to establish a bed of bacteria to break these compounds down. Thanks, Robert

  22. Jack Peterson says:

    I live in an area where my water is not only hard but also has a high content of red iron oxide. This has killed my guppies I and I need to know how to eliminate this red iron oxide so my fish won’t die?

    • Fishkeeping World says:

      Hi Jack, have you tried an oxidation filter? Thanks, Robert

  23. person says:

    How long does a 5 gallon tank have to run for the nitrogen cycle and how many guppies can it fit?

    • Fishkeeping World says:

      Hi Person, Roughly 4-6 weeks. You can get a water testing kit to watch the ammonia and nitrite levels rise and then drop. Thanks, Robert

  24. Von says:

    Can i use a submersible top filter pump in a 15gallon guppy tank? The current is obviously too strong

    • Fishkeeping World says:

      Hi Von, you can gauge this by how well your Guppies cope with the current. They should still be able to swim against the flow of water. Thanks, Robert

  25. Lauren says:

    Hi, I have a community tank that is 87 litres and we have 2 dwarf gourami’s, 1 angelfish, 1 tiger barb, 1 bristlenose catfish, 1 Siamese algae eater and we also had 5 guppies. But the past week every day in morning we have checked the tank and one by one found a guppy down the bottom of the tank dead with no tail fin. So can you give me any advice to what fish could be doing this? also do we maybe have to many fish in our tank? I’ve also just noticed today the angle fish is missing his 2 long stick things ☹️ As you might tell our family is new to the whole keeping a fish tank so any advice would be appreciated. I did ask the people at the fish shop what are good fish to get that are happy to live together and I was told what we have is completely fine. So now I’m not to sure if the guy at the pet shop actually knows what he’s talking about. Thanks Lauren

    • Veronica says:

      Tiger barbs are notorious fit nippers.

    • Veronica says:

      Tiger barbs are notorious fin nippers.

    • SnailLover says:

      He obviously knows nothing. Guppies, angelfish, guramis, and tiger barbs should not be kept together, or your guppies will be fish food.

  26. JillG says:

    Just got my 1st guppies – 8 males in a 20 gal tank with one nice size cory-cat and 2 apple snails. They have this crazy behavior of dashing straight up and speed diving back down. They mostly do this next to the air bubbles and usually 2 at a time. Is this a normal thing? Didn’t see this at the pet store ever.

  27. Jackson says:

    Please Help!I want to keep 4 guppies, 4 platies, 4 neons, and 2 peppered cory cats in a 20 gallon tank is that an ok combination or would it be overstocked?

  28. Siri says:

    Hi I have 15 litters fish tank at home I had 2 guppies one is male and another one is female from yesterday I noyised my male fish is swimming properly and he like to hide under the log are in the carner what iam go a do know

  29. Indya says:

    Hey, sorry for the long message. I have a 21L tank with 5 male guppies. I’ve had 3 of them for approx 4/5 weeks and 2 for 3/4 weeks. There were never any issues until this morning when I woke up and fed them before work, two that I got 4 weeks ago were in the floor of the aquarium. One was in the back corner hiding behind a fake plant, but when I gently tapped the glass he swam up to the top, and the other one was pretty much just laying on the rocks not moving, but definitely not dead. I checked them again before I left and the one who was on the rocks was up and swimming with the rest and now 8 hours later I’m home and he’s swimming around but seems to be on an angle, like tail towards the floor and head up and he is putting a lot more effort into swimming whereas the others are all straight and swimming fine. I’ve also noticed all 5 are currently hanging out right up the top of the tank where as they use to all chill around the middle. Im worried and can’t figure out what could be wrong? All they over crowded? Is my struggling fish sick? How could I help him? I change the water every Saturday, add bio starter and water conditioner as per the instructions on the bottles, and I feed them twice a day with flakes in the morning and fancy guppy granule at night. I’m in Australia and it’s currently winter, I have a heater for them and this morning changed it from 24 to 26 and that was when my fish got off the floor but my thermometer on the other side of the tank says 24 and this morning before changing the heater it was 23 so it didn’t change much? I’ve also just noticed one of the 3 week ones seems to be acting a little different too, and leaning towards one side slightly? I’m not sure what to do. This is my first time owning fish.

  30. Neroli Endacott says:

    I have baby Guppies in a small tank they are about 8cm big and 3 weeks old.
    Can I put newly born fry’s with them or will the older ones eat them?
    Thank you.

  31. Ronald Maxwell says:

    Hi Robert
    I have a 13 gallon tank. Is it okay for 12 male guppies?

  32. Louise Baldus says:

    Hi, looking for advice on the best set up regarding plants, and tank mates for guppies. My daughter has been asking for fish for a long time and we (foolishly) took her with us to research the local options for buying a tank and fish. We ended up very excited about getting turtles, we were sold a tank and swiftly came home to set it up ready to buy the turtles 48 hours later. In that time we did more research and have realised that we were given bad information and in fact turtles will not work for us and we have convinced her that fish are in fact the best choice! Anyway, we have a 75 gallon tank, with the water all warmed up and treated but we also have a huge bag of reptile sand/substrate in the bottom that i assume we will have to remove?? We are planning on getting 6-7 guppies and some other suitable tank mates. My question is what is the minimum number of fish we should get in a 75 gallon tank and if we have real plants do we need to have snails to help keep it all clean? Sorry for the long message!!
    🙂

  33. Kassandra Thompson says:

    I would just really like to know what all I would need to buy for 2 guppies in a 10 gallon tank?
    When I go to get the stuff for their tank when I purchase them, what else should I tell the sales person I will need to purchase along with the 2 guppies?…
    EXAMPLES: What kinds filter on the cheaper side?
    Any water drops or anything similar?
    The food for them?
    What sort of arrangements do they prefer & how do they prefer the arrangements to be set up in the 10 gallon aquarium tank?
    Do I need a thermometer? And what temp should it be at for the guppies? Do I buy a heater for their water temp or use a UV lamp & which is better/less expensive? Thanks so much if anyone answers all this! I’d be so grateful!

  34. Asking says:

    Can I put one single male with four female guppies in one tank?

  35. Jerry says:

    Hi, I have 4 guppies in a 10 Gal tank (1 male, 3 females). One of the females has a tendency to stay at the bottom of the aquarium, even during feeding time. I am concerned that she does not get any food since the other 3 always swim to the top and eat as much of the food as they can. I am thinking about taking the 4th out of the tank to feed her separately. Is that wise?

  36. mark says:

    i have 2 females and 1 male guppy in a 50 gal i have them already for 5 months and the are not giving bird what i am doing wrong? thanks

  37. waymire says:

    Don’t mix guppies and shrimp if you want fry.. the shrimp eat them. Found this out the hard way. To make matters worse shrimp breed like mad and leave eggs everywhere, we had to completely strip a 150 gallon show tank including the gravel to finally get them out completely. I have seen shrimp attack a larger guppy as well once they got a taste for them. For those who are seeing multiple unexplained guppy deaths.. they are prone to several illnesses including the dreaded “guppy disease” which kills in days and is impossible to treat. It is parasitic. One of the key signs is a white patch on the upper back in advanced cases. It is rampant in fish stores so the only way to be safe is to get your guppies from another source such as a professional or local breeder, especially if the store uses a single filtration system like the big box stores (Petsmart, Petco). They can also get it from other fish who are not directly affected but still carriers so be careful about where you get any tank mates from as well. Guppies used to be one of the most beautiful and hardy fish options but overbreeding etc have really diminished both their appearance and health. If you want an alternative try platies, they are small, colorful, livebearing, and tend to be a lot more hardy.

  38. confused young human says:

    what will ineed to breed em? how many tanks, like, 3? 1 breeding 1 female 1 male ? I want to start with 3 guppies, 1 male 2 females because a. im beginner b. i will know what to expect from the fry. is all this ok? what will i need? (Minimally) and what is this Cycle thingy?

    thx, ur advice helps

  39. irish lad says:

    we have three brand new orange guppys, and are keeping them in a 5 gal tank, the tank has a light, and when its on, they stop moving, and when we turn it off, they act normal, is there something wrong?

  40. Juana says:

    Will my half moon beta attack female fancy guppies?

  41. Neil says:

    Hi I just got a 36 gallon bow front tank. Planning on doing a guppy only tank. Wanting to get a female and a few males. How many would you suggest of each females and males? Thanks

  42. qaz says:

    Hi, Im thinking of starting a guppy farm, what are the recommendations? thx

  43. Nancy Bellig says:

    I have had a guppy for a little over a year. I started out with 4 little guppies and a small catfish in a 10 gallon tank. One day the catfish was gone. No trace of it anywhere. A few weeks later two of the guppys also vanished.
    I put a Molly in. Same thing. Tetras, platys, angelfish, then the second guppy up and disappeared. My daughter and I watched one day as this guppy hit one of the platys in the eyes with its nose over and over. A week later it was dead. It is a very tiny nonfancy guppy. IT IS VICIOUS. Pet Smart said I could put a female beta in with it. Its been almost a week, she’s still alive. We’ll see.. what do i do with this fish? It kills and eats other fish!

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