TankBud

One species · 9 varieties

Guppy

Poecilia reticulata

Also known as millionfish

FreshwaterBrackishFish

Guppy (Poecilia reticulata)
Per Harald Olsen · CC BY 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
64–82°F
18–28°C
pH
6.8–7.8
Adult size
2.4 in
6 cm
Minimum tank
10 gal
38 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Beginner
Breeding
Livebearer · Easy
Rarity
Very common
Family
Poeciliidae
Origin
Venezuela, The Guianas

Pick a variety

One setup covers every line on this page: care is the species' care.

Tail shapes

10 gal (38 L) minimum · grows to 2.4 in (6 cm) · 64–82°F (18–28°C) · pH 6.8–7.8

Named strains

10 gal (38 L) minimum · grows to 2.4 in (6 cm) · 64–82°F (18–28°C) · pH 6.8–7.8

Overview

The guppy is a small, peaceful livebearer for a calm community tank. It is a good first fish.

Did you know

Wild guppies in streams full of predators stay smaller and drabber to avoid being seen. In safer streams they grow brighter, with bigger fins to win mates. This has made the guppy one of the most studied fish in evolution research.

Caring for the guppy

Keep guppies in a group, since they look their best in numbers, in a tank of 10 gal (38 L) or more. A planted tank suits them, and they favor the middle and upper water.

Guppies are very adaptable. Give them neutral to slightly hard water at 64 to 82°F (18 to 28°C) and a pH of 6.8 to 7.8. They can live in brackish water as well as fresh.

Guppies eat almost anything, including quality flake, micro pellets and frozen daphnia or brine shrimp. They are peaceful and social, and they settle well in a calm community tank.

Males are smaller than females but more colorful. Keep more females than males to cut down on pestering. Guppies are livebearers that give birth to free-swimming young, and they breed so easily that a mixed group produces fry constantly. Females can store sperm and deliver several broods from one mating, so plan for the numbers or keep males only.

Good to know

The guppy, Poecilia reticulata, belongs to the family Poeciliidae and is also known as the millionfish. It is hardy but short-lived, often living around two years.

In the wild

Guppies are native to warm fresh waters in Venezuela and the Guianas. They live in rivers, streams and ponds with lots of plants, where the water leans neutral or slightly alkaline.

Other named lines

Fancy guppies are one species bred into thousands of lines. Tail shape and pattern names combine freely, so shops stack these labels on the same fish.

Tail shapes

Fantail
rounded fan spread
Round tail
short round tail, near the wild shape

Weekly picks

Tank mates

Every variety on this page wants the same water, so one set of picks fits them all. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a guppy need?

A guppy needs at least 10 gal (38 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a guppy need?

A guppy is comfortable at 64–82°F (18–28°C) with a pH of 6.8–7.8.

What does a guppy eat?

A guppy eats almost anything. Offer quality flake and micro pellets, with frozen daphnia or brine shrimp.

How big does a guppy get?

An adult guppy reaches about 2.4 in (6 cm).

How can you tell a male guppy from a female?

Males are smaller than females but more colorful.

How does a guppy breed?

A guppy is a livebearer and gives birth to free-swimming young. Females can store sperm and drop several broods from one mating, so a mixed group produces fry constantly.

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