Complete Guppy Care Guide

Guppies are adaptable fish but thrive best in properly set up aquariums.

Tank Size - Minimum 10 gallons for a small group - 1 gallon per inch of fish is a rough guide - Larger tanks are always better and more stable

Water Parameters - Temperature: 72-82°F - pH: 7.0-8.0 (prefer slightly hard, alkaline water) - Ammonia/Nitrite: 0 ppm - Nitrate: Under 20 ppm

Filtration and Flow - Gentle filtration (guppies don't like strong currents) - Sponge filters are excellent for guppy tanks - HOB filters work with flow adjustment

Plants and Decorations - Live plants highly recommended (Java moss, hornwort, guppy grass) - Plants provide hiding spots for fry - Floating plants reduce stress - Leave open swimming areas

Guppies are livebearers and among the easiest fish to breed. In fact, the challenge is often controlling their population!

Sexing Guppies - Males: Smaller, colorful, pointed anal fin (gonopodium) - Females: Larger, less colorful, fan-shaped anal fin, gravid spot

Breeding Basics - Keep ratio of 2-3 females per male to prevent harassment - Females can store sperm for months - Gestation period: 21-30 days - Females give birth to 20-100+ live fry

Caring for Fry - Separate pregnant females or provide dense plants - Parents will eat fry if not separated - Feed crushed flakes or baby brine shrimp - Fry grow quickly with good food and water quality

Controlling Population - Keep only males (most colorful anyway) - Separate sexes - Let nature take its course (some fry eaten) - Rehome to local fish stores or hobbyists

Guppies are omnivores with hearty appetites. A varied diet keeps them healthy and colorful.

Staple Foods - High-quality flake food - Micro pellets - Crushed tropical fish food

Supplemental Foods - Frozen/live brine shrimp - Bloodworms (sparingly) - Daphnia - Blanched vegetables (zucchini, peas) - Spirulina flakes

Feeding Schedule - 2-3 small meals per day - Only what they eat in 1-2 minutes - Variety is important for color and health - Don't overfeed (causes water quality issues)

Guppies are generally hardy but susceptible to certain diseases, especially in poor conditions.

Guppy Disease (Protozoan) - Symptoms: Clamped fins, shimmying, weight loss - Highly contagious - Treatment: Quarantine, medication, clean water

Fin Rot - Symptoms: Ragged, deteriorating fins - Cause: Bacterial infection from poor water - Treatment: Clean water, aquarium salt, antibiotics

Ich - Symptoms: White spots on body and fins - Treatment: Raise temperature, add salt, medication

Columnaris - Symptoms: White/gray patches, frayed fins - Can progress quickly - Treatment: Antibiotics, lower temperature

Prevention - Maintain clean water - Quarantine new fish - Avoid overfeeding - Keep stable parameters - Reduce stress