All about guppy fish

Guppies are probably one of the most popular species for fish lovers as they are cheap and come in many different variants, even though some special variants might be more expensive. Guppies are also suitable for beginners. They are best described as being:

• peaceful
• elegant
• hardy
• lively
• curious
• playful 

Male and female guppies

The males are very easily distinguishable from the females just by looking at their body sizes, colours and tails. 

Male guppy is very colourful and has large tail, with slimmer and smaller body size. The anal fin is long, thin and pointed. 

Male guppy.
Adapted from http://www.petshop-zoomania.com/Guppy/Fantail%20Guppy%20%20male%203.jpg.

Female guppy is dull grey/silver in colour, with bulkier and rounder body size. The anal fin is also flag-shaped/triangular in shape. In a pregnant female guppy, there will be a dark gravid spot on its belly, just above the anal fin. As it gets closer to giving birth, the gravid spot will grow bigger and darker.

Female guppy.
Adapted from http://board.fishchannel.com/Uploads/Images/76b92168-88ed-4e53-b58a-f6c7.JPG.

Care for guppies

There are several parameters that need to be taken care of for maintaining guppies in an aquarium. It is best to set up the tank to mimic their natural environment, which is the fresh and brackish water found in Amazon River. 

• Water treatment: Similar to zebrafish, guppies can be maintained in tap water that has been treated with water conditioner to remove the harmful chemicals from the water. The water should be treated as per instructions on the water conditioner's manual.

• pH: The pH of water should be around pH 6.8 to 7.8. Typically, the pH of tap water is around pH 7. However, the pH in a tank normally fluctuates due to the accumulation of ammonia or lack of oxygen in the water. Filters and air pumps could be used to help clean and purify the water as well as to provide aeration to the water. The filters should be cleaned once a week or at least every other week by washing the sponges.

• Water hardness: Generally, the water hardness and pH are not critical as long as they do not fluctuate too much. The water hardness of tap water is normally around 20 to 400 ppm. Ppm stands for parts per million, it is a way to describe the concentration of something in water or soil.

• Temperature:  Ideally, the water temperature should be around 24 degree Celsius to 28 degree Celsius. In colder countries, a thermostat might be needed to maintain the temperature.

• Water changes: The most optimum condition would be to change at least 10% of the water daily as it helps to reduce accumulation of ammonia. Water changes are important to remove uneaten food and waste materials from fish. Alternatively, the water could be changed once or twice a week by removing 50% of the water.  

• Lighting: Setting up lighting on top of the tank is optional. The light could help to further emphasize the colourful features of the guppies. Other than that, it could also be used as a light cycle for feeding and breeding purposes. The lights should be kept on for about 10 to 14 hours per day. It should be on one hour before initial feeding and off one hour past feeding. 

Happy guppy-ing!

Cheers,

Cutie Xing