Guppies

This section has useful information on all things about Poecilia reticulata commonly known as the guppy, millionfish and rainbow fish. Guppies are one of the most owned types of tropical fish due to their popularity as easy to breed freshwater aquarium fish species. These fish are livebearers which means that they give birth to live fish known as fry. They were originally native to South America and the Caribbean. However, these types of animals can now be found worldwide. Male guppies are smaller than female guppies but they are the most colorful of the species. There are several types of guppies and some types are more colorful than others.

Guppy fish prefer to live in small streams as opposed to fast-flowing rivers. In recent times, they have been used to control the spread of malaria. Guppies would be introduced to water sources where mosquitoes were most likely to bread in hopes that they’d eat the larvae. However, not only did the guppies help but they also negatively affected the native fish population.

In the wild, guppies feed on a variety of plant life and animal life. Insect larvae and algae are the most common foods that guppies eat in the wild. However, in captivity, guppies can eat vegetables, brine shrimp, bloodworms, vinegar eels, tropical fish flakes and they are even known to eat their young. When out of food, guppies can eat goldfish food or betta food but don’t substitute a good diet with these items often.

Guppies grow quickly and they can get quite big. Normally, the female guppy is larger in size than the males. It turns out that,

The female guppies live much longer than males, on average, and the females’ ability to store sperm benefits both sexes. Sperm storage allows short-lived males to expand their reproductive lifespan and pass on their genes even after they’re dead. Sperm held within a female’s body may also be able to survive stressful seasonal conditions that adult males cannot.

Gestation may last from 21 to 30 days, although 22 to 26 days is average for most guppy pregnancies. Female guppies can give birth to 2 to 200 baby guppies within four to six hours. However, if conditions aren’t ideal, the birthing process can take up to 12 hours.

Fancy guppies are the most colorful and most sort after and they are also the fastest breeding of the species. Another interesting fact about guppies is that they are so adaptable to their environment that they are used as model species in several scientific experiments. With proper guppy fish care, guppies can live for 3 to 5 years. You can find guppies for sale on several online fish stores or at local pet stores.