Page 167 - Encyclopedia of Aquarium and Pond Fish, 3rd Edition

LIVEBEARERS/PLATIES AND GUPPIES 165

Poecilia reticulata
Guppy

ORIGINS South America, occurring in the Caribbean and
in South America north of the Amazon.
SIZE 2 in (5 cm).
DIET Prepared foods and small live foods.
WATER Temperature 70 –77°F (21–25°C); hard
(100–150 mg/l) and alkaline (pH 7.5). Contrasting
TEMPERAMENT Placid and social. bluish body
Characteristic caudal color
fin marking
One of the best known of all tropical fish, the
Guppy is named after Rev. Thomas Guppy, who Wild Guppy These fish may be found in brackish water, German Yellow Guppy Named after its country of
identified it on the Caribbean island of Trinidad. and the addition of salt to their aquarium is recommended. origin, this is a particularly striking variety in which the
The several thousand varieties available to aquarists Wild Guppies are not readily available today, and domestic enlarged caudal fin and the dorsal fin are both yellow. Fin
today are far removed from their wild ancestors strains will prove far more adaptable. shape, as well as color, is important in fancy guppies.
and can be found in a wide range of colors and with
many different body patterns and fin types. The
different color variations are displayed most
impressively in male fish, which are naturally more
colorful as well as smaller than females. (All the fish
illustrated here are male.) Guppies show well as a
group in a single-species tank, but they can also be
kept with other nonaggressive fish as part of a
community aquarium. The female Guppy gives Gonopodium Enlarged red caudal
birth to live offspring, but unfortunately these are fin contrasts with
likely to be cannibalized soon after birth, even in Caudal fin has unbroken red black coloring
a breeding tank setup, unless the young can escape coloration, with paler edges
out of reach. Various breeding traps are available Blonde Guppy The red caudal fin and rear part of the Red Tail Half-Black Guppy As with other strains
for this purpose (see p.66). When buying these fish, body contrast with the lighter blonde coloration seen on created by selective breeding, fertility may be impaired
it is worth remembering that the largest females the underparts near the head. The use of color food is if these fish are heavily inbred. Not all such strains are
give birth to correspondingly bigger broods. often recommended for red strains of guppies. commercial products; some are bred by enthusiasts only.

Silver-Backed Tuxedo
Guppy The distinctive
black area on the flank
varies in size and density
between individuals.

Sloping head

Rainbow Cobweb Delta Guppy
This is another “composite variety,”
so called because of its varied
coloration, cobweblike pattern, and
the delta shape of its caudal fin.

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