The guppy (Poecilia reticulata), also known as millionfish and rainbow fish, is one of the most popular freshwater aquarium fish species.
It is one of the world’s most widely distributed tropical fish.
Guppies are native to Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Brazil, Guyana, Jamaica, the Netherlands Antilles, Trinidad and Tobago, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Venezuela.
However, guppies have been introduced to many different countries on every continent except Antarctica.
They are highly adaptable and thrive in many different environmental and ecological conditions. However, they tend to be abundant in smaller streams and pools than in large, deep, or fast-flowing rivers.
A variety of guppy strains are produced by breeders through selective breeding, characterized by different colors, patterns, shapes, and sizes of fins, such as snakeskin and grass varieties.
There are so many different types of guppies that it’s difficult to list them all, and breeders are constantly working to create new varieties all the time.
Most guppies lifespan is anywhere from 1 to 3 years, with 2 years being the average and 3 years being very impressive.
The size of guppies vary, but males are typically from 1.5 to 3.5 cm (0.6 to 1.4 in) long, while females are from 3 to 6 cm (1.2 to 2.4 in) long.
While wild-type females are grey in body color, males are covered with spots and stripes of many different colors: orange, yellow, blue, violet, green, black, and white.
Wild guppies feed on algal remains, diatoms, invertebrates, plant fragments, mineral particles, aquatic insect larvae, and other sources.
Aquarium guppies eat brine shrimp, daphnia, bloodworms and mosquito larvae. They’ll also eat the algae that grow naturally in the fish tank, though algae often grow faster than guppies can eat them
Guppies often forage in groups because they can find food more easily.
Guppies prefer a hard-water aquarium with a temperature between 25.5 and 27.8 °C (78 and 82 °F) and salt levels equivalent to one tablespoon per 19 l (5 US gal).
Guppies are incredibly easy to keep alive. Just keep the tank clean and provide them with food (they’ll eat just about anything and are great for mosquito control), and they’re happy.
Guppies are generally peaceful, though nipping behaviour is sometimes exhibited between male guppies or towards other top swimmers like members of the genus Xiphophorus (platies and swordtails), and occasionally other fish with prominent fins, such as angelfish.
Guppies rapidly reach maturity. Since guppies give live birth instead of laying eggs, guppy fry (baby fish) are born more developed that most fish. Unlike egg layers, they start life as miniature adults. In one birth there are typically between 30 and 60 babies. Young fry take roughly three or four months to reach maturity.
Guppies have been introduced as a means of mosquito control. The guppies were expected to eat the mosquito larvae and help slow the spread of malaria, but in many cases, these guppies have had a negative impact on native fish populations.
Guppies have many predators, such as larger fish and birds, in their natural habitats.
Guppies were first described in Venezuela as Poecilia reticulata by Wilhelm Peters in 1859 and as Lebistes poecilioides in Barbados by De Filippi in 1861.
Guppy is known as rainbow fish because of the brightly colored body and fins. The other nickname is millionfish – they got this nickname due to how fast they breed.
Guppies are used as a model organism in the fields of ecology, evolution, and behavioural studies.
Guppies have 23 pairs of chromosomes, the same number as humans.