Guppies are a small fish with bright colors and flowy tail fins. They are very active breeders and reproduce quickly. Males often have more color and are smaller, while the females are larger with less coloration. They are peaseful fish and a great add for coummunity tanks.
Tank Size
Guppies require a minimum of 10 gallons. They are small but reproduce quickly so they need plenty of space. They are also known to jump so their tanks must have a lid.
Temperature
68-78 is a tolerant range for them but they prefer mid 70s. I always reccomend using a heater on all tanks to keep a consistant temperature. If your room temperature is cold stick with a higher temp in that range to keep them comfortable.
Water Parameters
A pH of 6.5-8.0 is optimal for a guppy. They do well in slight alkaline water with hardness around 100-150 ppm (6-8DH). As always it is more important to keep consistant conditions than nailing down the exact numbers.
Diet
Guppies eat at omnivorous diet. Anything small enough to eat they will; flakes, micro pellets, and brine shrimp, daphnia, and bloodworms for variety. Feed small amounts twice a day. They will eat as much as you feed them. Start with less as you can always add more.
Tankmates
Guppies are very peaceful fish, they mix well with other non-aggressive fish. Platies, mollies, small tetra, or cory catfish can all make a great mate for your guppies. Avoid any large or nippy fish that might see them or their fry as a snack.
Lifespan
Guppies can live anywhere from 2-3 years. In a good quality tank, low stress and solid diet they can sometimes stretch past 3 years. Be careful with breeding, the more inbreed the shorter the lifespan.
Breeding
Guppies are a livebearer and breed very easily. Females can store sperm for about a month without mating. A single female will give birth to anywhere from 20-40 fry at a time. They need plants and birth boxes for fry survival. Adults may eat their young so many breeders will seperate their tanks by gender unless actively breeding.
Common Diseases/Treatment
Guppies can be plagued with both ich and fin rot. This happens often in overcrowded tanks often leading to a mixture of poor water quality and stress. Fin rot while not always reversable can be treated by improving water quality and antibacterial meds. Ich can be treated with parasite medication and a slight temperature increase. Keeping a clean and healthy tank will help avoid most of these issues.
Difficulty
Guppies are extremely beginner friendly. They are very low maintance if set up correctly. You just want to avoid overbreeding. This can easily be done by getting one geneder. Males are a safer bet since females can carry sperm into your aquarium. They are very forgiving and thrive under basic care.
Guppies are one of many great starter fish. They can be a little more on the intermediate side depending on what gender and how many you have. They are visually appealing and fit great in many peaceful setups.