Identity and search names
- Common name
- Guppy
- Scientific name
- Poecilia reticulata
- Other names
- Millionfish, Fancy guppy, Lebistes reticulatus
- Category
- Freshwater fish
- Group
- Livebearers
- Origin
- Northern South America and southern Caribbean islands; now introduced widely worldwide
- Review outcome
- PASSED
Environment and housing
- Environment
- Freshwater
- Care level
- Beginner with population management
- Adult size
- Males usually 3–4 cm; females commonly 5–6 cm
- Expected lifespan
- About 2–4 years
- Minimum housing
- At least 80 L for a managed mixed-sex group
- Temperature
- 22–28 °C
- pH
- 7.0–8.2
- Hardness or minerals
- Moderately hard to hard
- Salinity
- Freshwater; routine salt is unnecessary and unsuitable for many tankmates
- Lighting
- Normal planted-aquarium lighting
- Social structure
- Keep one male with several females, a male-only group, or separated sexes; do not leave one female under repeated male pressure
- Placement or swimming zone
- Middle and upper water
- Temperament
- Peaceful but persistent courtship and competition occur
- Compatibility
- Use fish tolerating similar mineral-rich water and active feeding; avoid fin-nippers and large predators
- Habitat structure
- Stable filtered aquarium with open swimming space, dense refuge for females and fry, and mineral content matched to the stock
Feeding and nutrition
- Diet
- Omnivore taking small invertebrates, algae, biofilm and quality prepared foods
- Feeding frequency
- Offer small varied meals once or twice daily and prevent obesity or fry-driven overfeeding
Breeding and reproduction
- Breeding or reproduction
- Females store sperm and can produce repeated broods of live young; plan grow-out, separation and lawful rehoming before breeding
- Parental care
- No parental care; adults may eat fry
System demands
- Filtration
- Use mature biological filtration sized for the full adult group and feeding load, with intake protection where juveniles, long fins or small fish are present. Provide steady turnover without preventing normal swimming or resting.
- Aeration
- Maintain strong surface gas exchange and stable dissolved oxygen. Increase aeration during warm weather, medication, transport recovery, breeding crowding or any ammonia or nitrite event.
- Maintenance
- Test ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, remove waste from feeding and shelter zones, and perform regular temperature- and chemistry-matched water changes before nitrate or dissolved organics accumulate.
Detailed husbandry
- Identity scope
- This profile applies to Poecilia reticulata and labelled domestic strains. Endler hybrids and other Poecilia must be identified separately rather than sold as pure wild-type guppies.
- Adult size and space
- Males usually 3–4 cm; females commonly 5–6 cm. At least 80 L for a managed mixed-sex group. Plan around adult dimensions, activity, social structure, aggression and waste production rather than sale size.
- Social structure
- Keep one male with several females, a male-only group, or separated sexes; do not leave one female under repeated male pressure
- Placement or swimming zone
- Primary zone: Middle and upper water. Keep that zone usable for movement, feeding and refuge.
- Feeding ecology
- Omnivore taking small invertebrates, algae, biofilm and quality prepared foods
- Feeding plan
- Offer small varied meals once or twice daily and prevent obesity or fry-driven overfeeding
- Water stability
- Maintain 22–28 °C; pH 7.0–8.2; hardness/minerals: Moderately hard to hard. Stable oxygenation and nitrogen-cycle control matter more than chasing one exact number.
- Adult projected load
- Plan capacity for Keep one male with several females, a male-only group, or separated sexes; do not leave one female under repeated male pressure at the documented adult size (Males usually 3–4 cm; females commonly 5–6 cm) in At least 80 L for a managed mixed-sex group. Include feeding intensity, territorial behaviour and breeding growth rather than counting sale-size juveniles.
- Filtration
- Use mature biological filtration sized for the full adult group and feeding load, with intake protection where juveniles, long fins or small fish are present. Provide steady turnover without preventing normal swimming or resting.
- Aeration
- Maintain strong surface gas exchange and stable dissolved oxygen. Increase aeration during warm weather, medication, transport recovery, breeding crowding or any ammonia or nitrite event.
- Maintenance
- Test ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, remove waste from feeding and shelter zones, and perform regular temperature- and chemistry-matched water changes before nitrate or dissolved organics accumulate.
- Habitat structure
- Stable filtered aquarium with open swimming space, dense refuge for females and fry, and mineral content matched to the stock
- Compatibility plan
- Use fish tolerating similar mineral-rich water and active feeding; avoid fin-nippers and large predators
- Breeding plan
- Females store sperm and can produce repeated broods of live young; plan grow-out, separation and lawful rehoming before breeding Parental care: No parental care; adults may eat fry.
- Quarantine
- Quarantine new fish in a separate cycled aquarium with dedicated equipment. Match temperature and mineral chemistry gradually, confirm feeding and normal respiration, and never add transport water to the established aquarium.
- Welfare checks
- Maintain the stated adult space and social structure, verify feeding and intervene early when injury, exclusion, weight loss, abnormal respiration or altered behaviour appears. Guppies breed faster than most homes can house them and are established invasive fish in Australia. Never release unwanted fish, fry or aquarium water.
- Biosecurity and release
- Never release fish, fry, eggs, aquarium water, sediment, plants or live foods into drains, dams or natural waterways. Confirm current Australian import conditions and South Australian possession, trade and movement rules before acquisition or transfer.
- Main risk
- Guppies breed faster than most homes can house them and are established invasive fish in Australia. Never release unwanted fish, fry or aquarium water.
- Overridable warnings
- Guppies breed faster than most homes can house them and are established invasive fish in Australia. Never release unwanted fish, fry or aquarium water. Any override must still preserve adult space, social welfare, stable chemistry, oxygen and filter capacity.
Welfare and risk
- Welfare checks
- Maintain the stated adult space and social structure, verify feeding and intervene early when injury, exclusion, weight loss, abnormal respiration or altered behaviour appears. Guppies breed faster than most homes can house them and are established invasive fish in Australia. Never release unwanted fish, fry or aquarium water.
- Main warning
- Guppies breed faster than most homes can house them and are established invasive fish in Australia. Never release unwanted fish, fry or aquarium water.
- Biosecurity
- Never release fish, fry, eggs, aquarium water, sediment, plants or live foods into drains, dams or natural waterways. Confirm current Australian import conditions and South Australian possession, trade and movement rules before acquisition or transfer.
Sources
Source note
Current identity or scope, husbandry, system-demand, welfare and Australian biosecurity evidence checked; active retired-source links removed; all AquaNexus wording is original.
- Eschmeyer’s Catalog of Fishes — Poecilia reticulata — Current accepted-name, synonym, family and habitat check
- Eschmeyer’s Catalog of Fishes — Poecilia reticulata — Accepted-name, synonym and taxonomic-placement cross-check
- Fishes of Australia — Poecilia reticulata — Australian introduced status, identity and national impact references
- IUCN Red List search — Poecilia reticulata — Conservation-status and wild-provenance cross-check
- PIRSA — South Australian noxious fish list — Current South Australian possession and trade restriction cross-check
- DAFF — importing live ornamental fish to Australia — Current Australian live-fish import pathway and permitted-species warning