Guppies, scientifically known as the Poecilia reticulata, are one of the most fun little fish for aquarium enthusiasts. Their bright colorful nature and playful personalities are great for those with young children in the house. Able to give birth to live offspring approximately once a month, guppies are hardy creatures that require minimal assistance to thrive and can grow quickly. When it comes to observing and participating in the guppy lifestyle, here’s a few things to know:

Water Quality and Maintenance

As with all tanks, water quality is of utmost importance in contributing to the health of your fish population. Baby guppies develop better in clean water. To maintain healthy water, you need to change out about a third of the water in your tank weekly if it’s a smaller tank. If it’s a larger tank, then every other week. Keeping your guppy tank clear and spacious removes nitrates and enables guppies to realize their full potential. Guppies thrive in large spacious tanks, but keep in mind that a 10-gallon tank is the minimum. 

A Balanced Diet

Guppy fish are omnivores meaning they require both animal and vegetable food sources to survive. To enable guppies to grow optimally, they should eat three to five times a day when they are young. Owners often overfeed them, so it is recommended to give them smaller amounts to avoid messing with the water quality. 

As they age, the number of feedings can be reduced to once or twice. Good examples of foods they enjoy include micro worms, baby brine shrimp, very small bloodworms, micro pellets and tubifex worms. You can also feed your fish Hikari® Fancy Guppy® to provide a full nutrient offering including special amino acids they require to live a long and health-filled life.

Guppy’s Small Size

The average size of a guppy baby is about ¼”. If you don’t want other fish in your tank to try and eat your guppies, you’ll need to keep them in a separate are or breeding tank until they are at least an inch long. Some common tank mates for guppies include neon tetras, mollies and corydoras catfish. 

In six months, with good nutrition, they’ll reach their full size of 2 inches. As a general rule, healthy guppies live between two to three years, sometimes longer if properly maintained. 

Aquarium Temperature

An ideal tank temperature is around 76º to 82º degrees when your guppies are young and growing. Once they get older, you should reduce the water temperature a few degrees to slow down you guppies metabolism and keep them more comfortable as they age.

Raising your Guppy in a Thriving Environment

Despite some of the potential challenges, caring for guppies can be rewarding, especially with their bright colors and personalities. As one of the more popular freshwater fish for veterans and beginner aquarists alike, guppies can thrive in a clean, well–maintained environment with proper feeding practices. Here at ®Hikari, our unique line of community diets and water care products can help you bring out that brilliant color and form your fish desire!