Male Guppy
Female Guppy
Guppies were originally from the Caribbean Islands and Northern
South America, but they have been introduced to tropical waters
worldwide in an effort to curb or eradicate mosquitoes and other insects
that are responsible for the spread of diseases like Malaria. Guppies are live
bearers, and being so colourful, easily bred, and prolific in numbers
they have been domesticated and bred into many different forms.
They will adapt to many different water conditions, but do best in hard,
alkaline water to which a little non-iodised salt is added. The best
temperatures to keep these fish in is between 18-28 C (64-82 F).
Guppies are omnivorous, but must have a varied diet of vegetable matter
and proteins (preferably live food) in order to breed successfully. I like to
make sure that the aquarium is heavily planted with living plants. This not only
provides vegetation for them to munch on, but also a refuge for the fry to hide
in from their parents when newly born.
Guppies are peaceful fish, easily kept, and beautiful to look at, but I
do not recommend that you keep them in the same tank as Siamese Fighting Fish or
Tiger Barbs as these fish will enjoy tearing pieces out of the guppies long
fins.
Guppies are usually one of the first fish that aquarists keep, and do
very well in a community aquarium.
Due to severe inbreeding of this species to develop the many fancy strains
that now exist, these fish are no longer as tough and forgiving in their
requirements as they once were.