Guppies

Fishy Facts

The guppy is one of the best known tropical fish. Robert John Lechmere Guppy sent the British Museum in London some living pairs in 1860. The guppy comes in many colors and varieties. The guppy has been bred as a show fish.

Size: Males 0.5 to 1.5 inches, females 1.5 to 2.5 inches

Colors: Red, blue, yellow, black, white, gold, green, and many more.
Males usually brighter colored. Females are usually a pale gray color. No two guppies are exactly the same.

Life span: 2 to 5 years

Scientific/Latin names: Lebistes reticulatus, Poecilia reticulata

Temperature preference: 65 to 75 degrees F, can withstand about 50 to 100 degrees F (60 to 90 for fancy varieties)

Diet: Worms, crustaceans, insects, plant matter, dried food

Kinds: Fancy, Swordtail and Common/Feeder

Guppy Life Cycle

Guppies are live-bearers; they do not lay eggs. The females are twice as big as the male. The female may produce 20 to 100 live young. Baby guppies are called fry. Adult guppies sometimes eat the babies, so the babies have to be separated from the adults. Guppies can mature at three months. Most have matured to adulthood at around six months.