Guppies are tropical freshwater fish. They are native to South America and the Caribbean. They mostly live in the slow-flowing rivers, small streams, lakes, ponds and pools, and occasionally in the brackish waters.
Guppies are one of the most popular freshwater aquarium fish because of their beautifully colored bodies, easy maintenance, ability to reproduce quickly, and live side by side with many different types of fish.
What Is So Special About Guppy Fish?
Even know you heard that they are hardy fish and can still survive in drains or sewers, you may not know everything about them. Here are 24 interesting facts about them
- Guppies are also called million fish. They got this nickname due to how fast they breed.
- Guppy can mate all year round.
- Females mate with numerous males (a phenomenon known as polyandry) and store sperm in the body for later use.
- Females can produce offspring during the next 8 months without the assistance of males thanks to the stash of sperm in their bodies.
- Like most live-bearing fish, guppies will eat their own young! Especially when there is nothing else for them to eat. So, it’s important to know what to feed guppies when out of food.
- Can guppies eat goldfish food? They sure can. Though, it’s best to feed them guppy specific food more often.
- Females give birth to live babies that can be seen even before birth thanks to the see-through body of a female.
- Females in captivity give birth to 20 to 60 babies (fry) each month, while females in the wild produce 2 to 3 litters per year. In rare instances, pregnancy can end with 100 to 200 babies.
- Babies (fry) are able to fend for themselves from the moment of birth. Some of the biggest threats for their survival are adult members of their own species that eat fry to prevent overcrowding of their habitat.
- What vegetables can guppies eat? A variety that includes cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, and more.
- Guppies can live to be 5 years old with proper care, while most only live about 2-3 years. Warm water can affect how long guppies live by speeding up their metabolism.
- Guppies’ scientific name is Poecilia reticulate.
- Male guppies mature very quickly, taking only two months, females at the age of 3 months. This is another reason they can reproduce so quickly!
- Guppies are named after the man who discovered them. His name was Robert John Lechmere Guppy.
- Guppies come in a large variety of colors, patterns, and tail types. Hence, there are many different types of guppies and each is different in some way!
- Guppy is also known as rainbow fish because of the brightly colored body and fins. Females are generally duller in color (or even grey-colored in the wild). Males are brightly colored and covered with spots, stripes, and splashes.
- Thanks to selective breeding, there are hundreds of different types of guppy today. They differ in size, color, and patterns on the body and shape of the tail.
- Female guppies are larger than males, but males are more colorful.
- Guppies are great fish for new aquarium owners and experts alike! You just have to know how to feed your guppy so it grows to its full potential and displays vibrant colors.
- Guppies will attack and eat each other if the food supply is low.
- Guppy can reach 1.5 to 3 inches in length. Females are larger than males.
- Guppy is an omnivore. It eats algae and larvae of various insects in the wild, and tropical fish flakes and brine shrimps in the captivity.
- Guppies have been introduced to numerous rivers and streams in Asia to reduce the number of larvae of mosquito and help in the fight against malaria.
- Guppies are frequently used for different experiments in the fields of ecology, behavior, and evolution.
